Rit dyed my front props today.

Joined
Dec 14, 2016
Messages
1,268
Reaction score
575
Age
53
Location
Saint Clair Shores, Michigan, USA
Even though the Phantom has bright LEDs. I wanted a better way to tell the front from the back, when doing LOS flying. This REALLY helps. I also added just a small piece of red flex conduit to the front legs.

These came out way darker than I wanted, but now they have grown on me. It's really easy to do. Just get a thing of Rit Dye from a fabric/craft store. The powder or liquid is fine. Get a throw away pan from a dollar store. Boil water in it. Put the dye in. Stir with a throw away stick. Turn it way down. Throw your parts in there for like an hour. Stir every 10 minutes.

DO NOT dispose of the dye in a white sink. It will stain it permanently. I took the pan right outside and dumped it into a sewer.
 

Attachments

  • 20161228_205129.jpg
    20161228_205129.jpg
    3.6 MB · Views: 525
  • 20161228_210433.jpg
    20161228_210433.jpg
    3.4 MB · Views: 516
Last edited:
For prop colouring - I use permanent marker pens.

Just a note : in the old days - we used to boil props to supposedly relieve moulding stresses particularly nylon ones.

I would be careful of too much heat on these props .... just my opinion.

Nigel
 
For prop colouring - I use permanent marker pens.

Just a note : in the old days - we used to boil props to supposedly relieve moulding stresses particularly nylon ones.

I would be careful of too much heat on these props .... just my opinion.

Nigel

Thanks. I probably had the water only about 180 F or so. The initial boil (212 F, obviously) was just to get the dye mixed up well.
 
You have to be careful with paint because of balance.

It is common to balance a prop by either carefully sanding back of heavy blade or adding thin coat of lacquer / varnish to back of light blade.
Helicopter - we often use a sliver of clear or coloured tape on light blade.

I do use paint at times for prop tips on my bigger models but I would not here, as we rely on well balanced quad props. Also to avoid vibration and camera problems.

Ink or dye .... no weight !

Nigel
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,358
Members
104,936
Latest member
hirehackers