(Cheapo) Dye the parts!!

[tiger1]

I found an easy cheapo way to dye the parts

First picture is the trimmed rear bulkhead vs the original. both are NIB condition from AE.

Bottom is my first test using the little 'sprue' between the rear arm mount from Shapeway. See the top piece matched the color 99% perfect. Receipe below

Btw, note the 'sprue' at the bottom was crooked? I used that for my fatique test, simply bend it 90 degrees for 10, 20 times, and the darn thing did not break!! The material is TOUGH to break while slightly flexi

[GoMachV]

I bet its the super secret Reggie method.

[littleVETTE]

looks good tiger1.

[tiger1]

Here is the receipe, this is only cheapo Nescafe (not soy sauce ), the cheapest from any super market shelf.

I used about a teaspoon + a mug of boiling water, exactly the way how one would make a hot morning coffee (sugar and cream optional but I did not as I was not sure if the parts like sugar and cream.... and as the 91 car was meant to be lean and mean, I think they better stay on diet )

Then simply dip the parts in while it is hot. Leave them there may be all in all 3 minutes, I did not even care to look at the clock, just check about every 30 seconds. Dip them in tap water to check color or stop the process.

I dyed the parts in a small disposable lunch box. Small parts first then the arms and legs after. Reheated the coffee in a microwave when I found it get a little cold, no need to be pipping hot.

Then as a final silly touch, I put all the parts in the lunch box for may be a little more coloring. As you can see in the photo below, some parts are on top some are fully submerged, this way a slight variation in color is obtained and I think it is more 'natural'.

You can see in the last two photos, the original rc10 bulkhead was lost among the stained parts and the Shapeway arms stood out clearly from the dyed parts

Can't be easier and cheaper than this. Best of all, can drink the coffee after the job is done

[GoMachV]

Make sure to add your method to the "unofficial" dye thread too, so we can compare colors
It's not Reggie's method, but very close

The parts turned out great!

[Seabass]

Those look great.

Jake

[tiger1]

Thank you

[slotcarrod]

i suggested tea a while back. We have been using tea to make sails on model wooden ships look more accurate for years. Very nice trick with the coffee and thanks for the crash test dummy test!

[marlo]

Some great info here, I've been meaning to try this out for some time.

[tiger1]

My mass production started today

[Niki]

Your method seems to work really well. Thanks for sharing.
A light coffee aroma hanging around your workplace...

-Niki-

[RC10th]

I wonder how it tastes afterwards?

[tiger1]

I wonder how it tastes afterwards?

It tasted the same to me

[tiger1]

Your method seems to work really well. Thanks for sharing.
A light coffee aroma hanging around your workplace...

-Niki-

That is the least I could do for the project. You guys did a fantastic job!

[slotcarrod]

The only thing, and this may be a bit late for some of you guys. The servo saver bell crank on the original is a lighter colour than the other parts. If AE followed suit with bellcranks from cars such as the RC10's, and even though later, the RC10T and Worlds RC10, the material used was a different plastic and had a white colour. You would want these bellcranks to stay out of the coffee/tea. Maybe just a tiny sip of the Stealth Mountain Blend!