Hydro dipping

[doctnj]

Im sure some of you have seen some of my camo jobs. Over time I have figured out how to work with alumahyde material from brownells. But sadly they dont cary the colors I need for the muddy girl pattern. Durakote does and I have done a couple rifles and a couple hand guns with it and it has some good qualities one of which is the fast dry. You can kind of gently use the fire arm 24 hrs after painting but it takes 6 weeks to cure completely. They do indeed sell all colors I would need to pull it off but much of it will be by hand using different methodes from spraying, to sponging to brushwork and blending. Very challenging!!

Then there is the topic at hand. Hydro dipping. I have never done it and would shudder at the thought of making my first project be my daughter's precision rifle. You can bet I would f that up ten ways to sunday being my first attempt.

Have you ever done it at home if so HOW?

or Where, link to website,did you send your rifle to be dipped?
How long did the whole process take from your door back to your door?
Were you ultra pleased at the work that was done ?

[Mozella]

I sent my McMillan F/TR stock to Tactical Graphics. They have two outlets, I used the one in Melbourne Florida. I requested a two tone base coat with an alligator pattern hydro dip and an extra thick clear coat. Their base price is around a hundred bucks for a rifle, but since I have a separate cheek piece and asked for a two tone base coat, etc. the final price was closer to a hundred and a half.
Time from out my front door to back at my front door was 8 days if I recall. That's about a month or perhaps two months faster than some companies and less expensive too. The results are perfect. I HIGHLY recommend them. Yes, you can DIY this stuff and hydro dip in your bathtub, but only after spending all day cleaning out the pubic hair.

Then there is the matter of investment in materials and learning the hydro dip technique without screwing up. Plus you gotta' gear up for clear coating and anyone who has sprayed as much paint as I have, knows that the material cost for high performance coatings is prohibitive for a single project. I love DIY stuff, but I would NEVER hydro dip at home as long as Tactical Graphics of Melbourne is still in business.

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[yobuck]

That's a very attractive stock, entire gun for that matter.

[dieselmudder]

I've done it. The YouTube videos make it look much easier than it is. I had to re dip most of the parts because I didn't get complete coverage. Timing is very important. Dip too soon and the film doesn't contour to the parts, wait too long and its thins and won't hold together. My project was an AR15, with a woodland camo. It turned out OK. Just a hunting rifle build, also the clear finish didn't seem as tough as I was hoping. And maybe I needed to do more prep work. I had some flaking almost immediately.

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[snowgetter1]

It can be done but buy at least double the material you need. Mistakes will be made and it is not as easy as the videos make it look. This Muddy Girl AR 6.8 was my last hydro dip, my daughters deer gun. I did one more gun after this and just gave up. I have dipped 4 total. I use an automotive flat clear coat for all my painting and dipping and it seems very durable. Good luck. If I was just dipping a stock I would take to a pro to save the hassle.

[foxx]

Good to know.

Those look great.

[tufrthnails]

X2 on tactical graphics. I sent two different guys from work there to dip. One did the slide on his wife's SCCY 9mm. And the other did the stock of his Tikka .308. Both came back fast (around a week) and both were flawless. I'm not a paint kind of guy, but if I wanted to do something I would use them in a heartbeat.

[doctnj]

I will look them up. That sounds like good advice. I am usually a diy guy but I know when I am really stepping outside my comfort zone.

[snowgetter1]

I will look them up. That sounds like good advice. I am usually a diy guy but I know when I am really stepping outside my comfort zone.

I am in the same boat as you. I tried and some were good and some were really bad. There is just to many variables to control in dipping. Again, I know that I am done playing around with hydro dip.