16 replies to this topic

[CaptainSlug]

For those of you that want to change the color of your Nerf gun parts but are tired of the poor durability and adhesion properties of traditional paint I would like to share an alternative.
Aside from the white nylon parts in pump power guns, Nerf gun internal parts and body shells are a type of plastic (ABS) that is compatible with Vinyl dyes. It will also work on polycarbonate, acrylic, and PVC.
Vinyl dye comes in a few application methods, but the only one any of you may want to use for safety and cleanliness reasons is the spray can variety. It's available in any auto parts store.

http://www.duplicolo...ucts/vinyl.html

THIS IS NOT A TRADITIONAL PAINT. You do NOT want to use primer and you do not need to prep the plastic surfaces you intend to paint.
If you want to reach a color lighter than the exist plastic color it may require more coats.
1. Clean the parts you intend to paint thoroughly and then dry them off
2. Mask off the areas you do not want to recolor
3. In a well ventilated area, from 8 to 12 inches away from the parts, spray on a very very light coat of vinyl dye. DO NOT try to apply a heavy coat or you may get a nasty discoloration from uneven curing
4. Let the first coat dry for atleast 20 minutes. But you may want to wait 40 minutes between coats if you apply too much
5. Spray on another light coat
6. Wait 20 minutes
7. Repeat until you have an even color across the whole piece
8. Let the pieces sit undisturbed for 24 hours

Vinyl dye with plastics is comparable to anodizing of aluminum. The resulting finish and feel will be the same as the plastic was originally (no tacky feel) and the dye will have penetrated into the plastic. The resulting finish is extremely durable and will not rub off unless you were to sand off the surface layer of the plastic itself. If applied correctly it's weatherproof, sweatproof, and wearproof and there will be no need for clear coat or waxing.


The other method of applying Vinyl Dye is to use a warm tub of water with a solution of RIT brand vinyl dye additive. This process is commonly used to recolor RC car parts, but it can be very messy and is difficult to setup

Edited by CaptainSlug, 26 April 2009 - 04:46 PM.

[LastManAlive]

Wow...VERY nice find slug. This will come in handy in future porjects.

If you don't mind, will you try this on PVC and tell us the results?

[CaptainSlug]

If you don't mind, will you try this on PVC and tell us the results?

I just sprayed a leftover coupler with it and will let you know how it turned out tomorrow once it's dry.

[mini]

That is actually amazing it puts all the spray paint jobs to shame. If only i was allowed to paint my guns black

Edited by mini, 01 April 2007 - 11:45 PM.

[baghead]

This is old news, but It's good to see someone else putting it out there, who has a lot of respect in the community. I still Haven't gotten around to using this stuff, because I can't find it in bright enough colors!

-Bags

[nerfer34]

Krylon Fusion also works very well. Krylon Fushion actually bonds and mixes into the plastic.

[CaptainSlug]

Krylon Fusion also works very well. Krylon Fusion actually bonds and mixes into the plastic.

It's similar, but I don't think it works quite as well. I also don't trust their "15 minute drying time". It's best to wait 20 minutes or more between coats and it can take 12 to 24 hours for the plastic to completely absorb the dye to the point that the surface is sealed.

Edited by CaptainSlug, 02 April 2007 - 03:09 PM.

[Ronster]

As Borat would say, "Very nice!"

But, I've seen this before and it said it didn't supply very many colors... Do you know what colors it comes in?

[Prometheus]

Yeah I find that Krylon fusion works okay, but it doesn't actually penetrate into the plastic - it can be sanded off fairly easily. I'm thinkin I'm gonna get some vinyl dye if I can find it.

[CaptainSlug]

As Borat would say, "Very nice!"

But, I've seen this before and it said it didn't supply very many colors... Do you know what colors it comes in?

The Duplicolor brand colors are
HVP104 Gloss Black
HVP105 White
HVP106 Flat Black
HVP107 Red
HVP108 Desert Sand
HVP109 Medium Gray
HVP110 Burgundy
HVP111 Charcoal Gray
HVP112 Medium Blue
HVP113 Medium Beige
HVP100 Red
HVP101 Yellow
HVP102 Blue
HVP103 Silver

Other brands might cover other colors.

[Ronster]

Will this stuff work on lexan polycarbonate sheetings?

[CaptainSlug]

Will this stuff work on lexan polycarbonate sheetings?

I'm trying it now and will know if it worked tomorrow morning.

[Commonly Hunted]

Well, how about the results on that spare coupler you sprayed?

[CaptainSlug]

Well, how about the results on that spare coupler you sprayed?

The finish on the coupler is just as durable as the one I achieved with the gun body, but required fewer coats.
Doesn't really surprise me since PVC is a copolymer structure of Vinyl.

Edited by CaptainSlug, 05 April 2007 - 11:05 PM.

[Prometheus]

I found some vinyl glue, used to repair vinyl (primarily vinyl floor tiles) and was wondering would work for glueing polyethylene? If vinyl dye works well, would vinyl glue work at all?

[CaptainSlug]

The dye seems to have worked fairly well on the polycarbonate.

I found some vinyl glue, used to repair vinyl (primarily vinyl floor tiles) and was wondering would work for glueing polyethylene? If vinyl dye works well, would vinyl glue work at all?

I highly doubt it since chemical adhesives are far more specifically formulated than penetrants and dyes (i.e. PVC cement doesn't work very well on polyethylene). You should just try it on some scrap pieces.

[Anima]

Good to see someone else touting vinyl dye. Aside from the Metalcast painted guns, most of my Nerf gun painting has been with the Duplicolor vinyl dye line. I never got good results with Krylon, so %*&! their couch.

It's true the color range is limited, but I did find that another brand of vinyl dye exists which comes in a much broader range of colors. It isn't available anywhere in my area though... It may've been this brand, as I do a quick google search to remind myself. http://www.autostyles.com/sem.htm 'SEM' brand vinyl dye.

Now, there are some things that weren't mentioned. You CANNOT dye plastic that has been painted with traditional paints. Vinyl dye works by seeping into microscopic pores in the plastic. When plastic is painted, the paint fills in those pores and makes it impossible to dye it. Vinyl dye on the other hand can always be dyed again. For example, the blue parts of the Maverick are original plastic and can be dyed. The yellow butt of the gun, the yellow stripe/rail on top of the gun, the gray parts of the slide, and the gray grip have all been painted at the factory. You can either sand those down to the original plastic (takes quite awhile) or you can prime and paint those bits with conventional paint.

Also, some plastic parts *do* require some prep work before using vinyl dye on them. Again using the Maverick as an example, the orange muzzle tip, trigger, yellow eject button, and revolver cylinder all should be washed with soap and water (and ideally lightly sanded after drying) to assure adhesion. I've had vinyl dye jobs flake right off those parts without that prep work. Most of it is merely removing the 'mold release' chemicals remaining on the plastic from the manufacturing process; those chemicals can prevent dye or paint from working properly.

Not all plastics will take the dye, as has been mentioned. Test the dye on a inconspicuous part of the project before going whole-hog. Let it dry as per the can's instructions, then attempt to scratch it off with your fingernail. If your nail has no effect, you're golden.

Vinyl dye is apparently even worse to inhale than other aerosol paints, so never use it in ill-ventilated areas and always use a mask. If you get a headache, stop painting immediately and get to some clear air.

I will emphasize Captain Slug's words about light coats. DO NOT attempt to get a solid color with each coat. Expect the original color to show through for the first two coats at least. If you overspray, you'll get drips and runs. I generally use three or four coats to completely recolor the gun. Patience!