Let me start by saying that I was skeptical at first about how the Hydro Dipping process was going to achieve such detailed finishes. After a few attempts and some trial and error using a test piece I ended up loving the finished product. I chose the standard two-piece AR-15 hand guards to dip for this project because we have a few that have sat here in the shop for some time now and if I had messed them up, it would be no harm and no foul. In my opinion anyone looking to try this themselves should first try on one or two items they don’t care for before attempting to dip their entire firearm.
Like anything we do it is important to read the directions thoroughly before making your first attempt. The process seems simple when reading through the provided instructions but after doing some more research on the topic I saw that many people had issues with getting their desired results. Things like too much or too little activator being applied can give the user mixed results. Also, taping all 4 sides of the film can cause issues during the dip and may result in water getting to the top of the film unintentionally. You do want to be sure you frame up the border edge of the film to ensure it doesn’t disperse or move when the activator is applied but I found my own solution for this.
The dip tank I decided to use for this project ended up being just a 5-gallon bucket. This gave me a large enough area for the amount of film needed for the items I was going to dip and was deep enough for me to fully submerge the items. Instead of using tape edges or a PVC frame as suggested in the instructions I marked the buckets diameter directly on the film giving me the perfect amount of film for the inside of the bucket. This essentially made the bucket I was using my frame thus ensuring my film would not disperse or drift away. I would tell others looking to try this technique to find a way to frame the film without tape. The edges do roll up a little, but this only helps ensure that water doesn’t reach the surface.
My first real attempt at this did show one or two spots that blemished a bit. I believe this was because after the dipping process you need to wash off the slimy residue that is left on the product and I think I missed those areas. I was worried that if I scrubbed it too hard the pattern would begin to rub off. This will happen if being too rough with the cleaning process so take the time to rinse off the item that was dipped. I had not noticed the spots until applying the clear coat but once the clear coat began reacting with the spots, it became noticeable. All in all, I felt like this was a rather simple process that yielded some amazing results and I would definitely consider offering this service in the future.
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