Coloring Shapeways Parts

[sassgrunt]

When I have been able to afford them, I have bought a few of the Shapeways parts. I get them in the "white flexible" material, as that is the cheapest. I recently read on one of the threads that this material was actually nylon, and the discussion was what to glue it with, (the answer was a thick gel super glue). It occurred to me this morning that a few years in the past, I used Rit Liquid Dye for fabrics to color nylon parts.

I used dark brown, (thinking that if it didn't take too well, it might still look like some kind of primer color). What I do is to put the parts in a glass container, (I suggest using a quality Corning Ware-type of tempered glass, as cheaper glass has a tendency to break under the heat), and to cover the parts with the liquid dye. I also use a measuring cup, as that makes it less messy to pour the remaining liquid back into the bottle. The instructions say that for fabric, you use one bottle to three gallons of water, but I just use it straight. I also add a little white vinegar, as I vaguely remember that it's supposed to help the dye penetrate the pores of the nylon. I put a paper plate on top of the bowl to keep it from splattering under heat; and microwave the container for two minutes. Then I just let it set until it cools (I have no idea if this actually helps the coloring process, but it make it easier than having to deal with the hot liquid dye), and use a pair of chopsticks to transfer the parts into a large bowl of water to rinse them off in.

For some reason, the parts came out as a dark charcoal gray, but they seem to really hold the color, and I can't rub it off with my thumb. My goal was to provide a basic surface color that, (if the outer paint was damaged somehow) it wouldn't show the white base color of the nylon. I'm happy with it, and pass the tip along to you. -Mike

[PainlessWolf]

Mike!
Good to hear from you! Thank you for the cool and useful tip.
regards,
Painless

[Ecam]

When I was racing 10th scale off road cars/trucks. Most of the kits of the day came in raw (white) nylon. Used to buy dyes at the hobby shop designed for nylon. Straight forward instructions and worked like a charm. Don't know if hobby stores still sell it. Sounds real close to what you are doing.