Hydrodipping RC Bodies (How To)

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Look at the front and back of the film. It only sticks from one side of the film. Doing rc bodies it is done inside out. You lose the carbon fiber look. You have to dip the outside of a rc body for it to work.
 
Look at the front and back of the film. It only sticks from one side of the film. Doing rc bodies it is done inside out. You lose the carbon fiber look. You have to dip the outside of a rc body for it to work.
Sorry Lovestricken because I don't want to argue with you but you're wrong.

All hydro dipping films will only stick from one side of the film.
That's why you have to check which side is which when using any film by wetting/licking a finger/thumb and testing the film between the two for the side which gets sticky. Sticky side always goes face down onto the water.

You won't lose the carbon fibre look dipping a clear RC car body shell as it doesn't matter that you're dipping the inside, ...the only thing that changes is the order that you do the process.

Usually the hydro dipping process is: Primer>base coat colour>hydro dip>lacquer/clear coat to protect the finish.

Whereas when dipping an RC clear body shell you have to do it on the inside so the first thing you do is hydro dip it followed by the base coat colour of your choosing.
So: Hydro dip>base coat colour>backing colour if needed for added protection or to make the colour "pop" more.
 
Sorry Lovestricken because I don't want to argue with you but you're wrong.

All hydro dipping films will only stick from one side of the film.
That's why you have to check which side is which when using any film by wetting/licking a finger/thumb and testing the film between the two for the side which gets sticky. Sticky side always goes face down onto the water.

You won't lose the carbon fibre look dipping a clear RC car body shell as it doesn't matter that you're dipping the inside, ...the only thing that changes is the order that you do the process.

Usually the hydro dipping process is: Primer>base coat colour>hydro dip>lacquer/clear coat to protect the finish.

Whereas when dipping an RC clear body shell you have to do it on the inside so the first thing you do is hydro dip it followed by the base coat colour of your choosing.
So: Hydro dip>base coat colour>backing colour if needed for added protection or to make the colour "pop" more.
Please read my post you quoted lmao my very first line is it only sticks from 1 side lmao ..... unfortunately the side that sticks is the backer side not the print side.
Please read my post you quoted lmao my very first line is it only sticks from 1 side lmao ..... unfortunately the side that sticks is the backer side not the print side.
Carbon fiber prints are not transparent like most other films. They have a backer color built in. So when you dip the inside of the body you see the backer color on the outside but the inside looks great.
That silver is the backer color so unless you dip the outside of the car this is what you will see. Not trying to argue either just know first hand. I have a whole roll of print I need to figure out what to use it on.
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Carbon fiber prints are not transparent like most other films. They have a backer color built in. So when you dip the inside of the body you see the backer color on the outside but the inside looks great.
That silver is the backer color so unless you dip the outside of the car this is what you will see. Not trying to argue either just know first hand. I have a whole roll of print I need to figure out what to use it on.
Then I hold my hands up that I am wrong.

Looking at that video I just couldn't see why you couldn't just dip the inside of the RC body but from what you're saying you have experienced with your own experiments then with that carbon film pictured then I understand (finally).
Just wish you had posted that picture earlier so I could see what you meant. :LOL:


The carbon fibre film I had before was a transparent type whereby you choose the backing colour yourself to create the weave. So I had dark gold carbon fibre weave effect in an old car of mine.
That would work on the inside of an RC body shell AFAIK don't you think which is what I was thinking of predominantly.
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Still the carbon fibre film you have wouldn't work as you've been saying all along sorry. ;)
 
I was curious too but figured I’d just go with it ?
 
Great work with the hydro dipping

how’s it holding up to bashing?
I have a losi mtxl that has some plastic body parts that have been hydro dipped with film and it peels off badly because of the flexing

just curious if this film cracks and peels as well?

instead of hydro dipping with film I’ve been taking the much simpler approach of hydro dipping with polycarbonate paints to get a marbled effect. I know this isn’t going to satisfy those who want a specific pattern like the skulls etc..but I do that stuff with the airbrush ahead of the dipping. This has proven to be very durable for me.
This is what I’m coming up with for results ..this is just using paint and water..no fancy activators/films or kits required

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Very nice body works here
Dipping is nice.

MR.Duke
What water temp you recommend?

My water from outside house is cold.
Maybe i need let it heat up something?

The best water temp when hydro dipping is ?
You don't want too cold, or too hot i quess?
Great work with the hydro dipping

how’s it holding up to bashing?
I have a losi mtxl that has some plastic body parts that have been hydro dipped with film and it peels off badly because of the flexing

just curious if this film cracks and peels as well?

instead of hydro dipping with film I’ve been taking the much simpler approach of hydro dipping with polycarbonate paints to get a marbled effect. I know this isn’t going to satisfy those who want a specific pattern like the skulls etc..but I do that stuff with the airbrush ahead of the dipping. This has proven to be very durable for me.
This is what I’m coming up with for results ..this is just using paint and water..no fancy activators/films or kits required

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Give me those Felonys :)
Love them. Bad ass dips.
 
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Okay so I've been digging through things and I think I'm ready to take the plunge by the way you guys have amazing looking rides on here I hope mine turns out just as nice but I'm still a little lost on just one thing the very beginning are we supposed to be printing directly to the body without scuffing or are we supposed to be printing to the body with light scuffing or are we supposed to be stuffing the body and using a clear coat of some sort or an Adhesive Promoter and then dipping I'm so lost when it comes to that part as of right now I have just my plain clear body I have a premier print from dip demon along with their activator and then for paints I have some clear acrylic varnish don't know if that's going to be of any use as a first coat before print or not that I will be backing with some bright orange and black fade so I guess is what is the best way for adhesion of the print the rest of everything else I think I'm pretty clear on just this part though
 
The only prep I do on a clear body before dipping is a good cleaning with warm soapy water
 
Thank you for such a straight Cut and Clear answer I've been blowing my brain two bits for the last hour and a half two hours just trying to figure out that part alone I see so much different out there but knowing that you've been doing it and I see the success you've been having that will be my bet have you by chance tried putting any breather holes up in the corner by the roof or anything by any chance to maybe stop air bubbles and if so did it work out for you
 
When I lower the body into the water I try to do so at a prep panned angle so that it minimizes the chance for a bubble to form in an area that traps the image from adhering to the inside surface of the body. On tall cab bodies it’s difficult to pull off without a bubble forming so it almost forces you to drill holes where air will be trapped.
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In this instance I practiced dipping this body in clean water a few times trying to figure out the best way to hold the body and the best angle to dip it so that any air trapped in the top of the cab could escape. Hindsight I should have used a dremel to oval out the three holes in the shape of a third brake light to aid in airflow to get the air out as quickly as possible
 
Tahoe brake light thing that's not a bad idea because I do have a wiring kit for this I'm actually doing it on a jconcepts finnisher body for the kraton it's going to be a pain no matter how I look at it and I think I might just tape off this rear fin in the back and do a solid color on that instead of the dip trying to go up in there cuz that one will be about impossible in the very back fin but we're going to give it a shot what's the worst that could happen right LOL thank you for the tips and I will definitely be doing some practicing in the tub as well I ordered about three times as much as I thought I needed just in case to practice as well with
 
Turned out scarry badass. Great tutorial thanks for showing. +1
 
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