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Mask Dyeing

Andygoth

Phantoms are still cool
Apr 14, 2008
506
5
43
Stafford
This is the result of my Proflex dyeing experiment. Worked out really well.



How to Dye JT Proflex

So here's a brief guide to my experiences dying a set of proflexes, following various online guides and the instructions on the packet. Used a set of yellow/gold proflexes that were pretty much brand new but no one really liked the colour.

Stuff Used
Yellow/Gold Proflexes
RIT Dark green powder dye (Bought from eBay for £5 including postage)
Acetone (Bought from chemist for £1.20)
Rubber Gloves
Tongues (from BBQ set)
Bucket
Salt (Happy shoppers finest)
Detergent (Fairy Liquid)

What I did
I read a couple of guides online about how to do this and then gave it a go, these are the steps I followed and the results.

Used the acetone with a washing up sponge with a scrubber on the back to clean off the clear coat on the yellow parts of the proflexes. You can tell when it has come off because the parts go dull instead of gloss. WARNING acetone eats through stuff so don't spill it.

Then I put salt, washing up liquid and the powder from the dye packet into a bucket. The instructions say a cup of salt being american so I filled up half a mug and dumped it in, the instructions also say a tablespoon of liquid detergent so I guessed at washing up liquid and stuck some in.

Boiled up a load of water and poured it in to half fill the bucket, then mixed it up well with the tongues.

The faceplate, goggle surround and the strap were then put in the mix, the faceplate sinks but the goggle surround tended to float so I held it down with the tongues. Every ten minutes I gave it a swirl around to make sure everything was getting soaked.

WARNING don't forget to use the tongues and gloves or you will have coloured hands (like I have at the moment)

After a couple of hours I pulled the parts out and put them in the sink and kept filling it up and washing them until the water stayed clear. Then it was just a matter of putting them by the radiator to dry.

Close up of result
I took another picture of the dyed mask in better natural light. As you can see the lense frame is now dark green with light metallic green flecks and the bridge of the faceplate is the same metalic green.

 

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Andygoth

Phantoms are still cool
Apr 14, 2008
506
5
43
Stafford
I've edited the post to include a rough guide and some attachments showing what I did.
Also put where I got the stuff I used.
 

Bambulus

Wreckballer - PMGWC#2
Nov 13, 2008
1,733
121
98
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that special place.
www.leekspin.com
No idea, I'm just chanelling what I've read around the subject, but it certainly sounds that way.
:)
Apparently the glue comes off fairly easy, but don't hold me to it. Screwing around with your mask is always going to be experimental at best, so it'd probably be worth getting some testers done before anybody goes off trying this on their favourite mask.

Looking through some of the stuff on the nation leads me to believe that it can be done with some good results, though, there's some really sweet stuff on there
:)
Fade designs, splashes, skull patterns. Makes me wish I liked proflex's
 

topchef

'Hotgun Al'
Feb 22, 2006
1,982
35
73
48
Broseley, nr telford,nr birmingham
Quick question. Did you remove the sponge lining from around the lense framesn before dying or did you chuck the lot in the bucket?

I can imagine that sweat and dye would make for interesting patterns around ones face when goggles are removed :doh: (that is unless the dye is safe and doesnt run ??)
Only asking as I am considering putting a few sets together once I get it nailed.:)


-ChEf