Dying Longboard Wheels and Plastics Connectors

[Aeroquiv]

So I’ve got around to dying my Flywheels and abandoned the idea of keeping the core orange as it was too much of a pain in the ass to do. So I used black RIT powdered dye and placed the wheels in 150 degree water with white vinegar to help with dye absorption (according to RIT) and the result was sub-optimal at best. I let it soak for 48 hours and the result was the cores turning brown and the urethane itself a darker green. I know RIT changed their formula back in the day, and the original formula now resides in their pro line, which I heard dyes plastic really well. I may do that in the future as their new formula isn’t very effective at least for Flywheels and Orangatangs from a different post.

There’s a black Evolve Flywheel for comparison.

[Aeroquiv]

So update: I went to the local fabric shop and bought me some iDye Poly, which is specifically for synthetic materials, and it turned out much better. Now the flywheels are as black as ball point pen black, but you can only tell if you’re comparing it with something blacker (like the Evolve wheels).

[SageTX]

Thanks for the follow through.

[guyguy]

Did you use salt or vinegar when using the idye?

[Aeroquiv]

I used White Vinegar, but I think this stuff is pretty potent so you probably won’t need it. But make sure that you boil the dye to get it all mixed and then let it cool before placing the wheels in. I noticed that I had extra ink particles at the bottom and they can smudge onto anything and it’s hard to wash off that extra ink.

On another note, I hit a gnarly jagged rock and chunked a small piece off a wheel the dye soaked in about 3 mm deep before some dark green started to show with only 45 minutes of dying time. Unfortunate, but for science I guess…

[Eboostin]

With the iDye you only soaked the wheels for 45 minutes vs 48hrs with the Rit?

[Aeroquiv]

Yea it just means that the Rit formula was not meant for polyurethane, and no amount of soaking would have worked. Rit’s Pro-line is probably a similar formula to iDye’s and would have done the same thing with 45 minutes. You can dye for longer if you mix the dye correctly. I removed it earlier since I was getting excess dye particles on the wheel that I had to clean off.

[guyguy]

Thanks for your help man. iDye Poly worked really well. The boiling processes was pretty stinky - smelled like vinegar + ballpoint pen ink.

[Aeroquiv]

Oh Chiguy! We gonna get another video of that sexy board of yours? It’s going to be awhile before I get mine. Glad the dye worked out for you. And yea the stuff stinks. Forgot to mention that lol.

[Eboostin]

Is this the right dye?

https://www.amazon.com/iDye-Poly-Fabric-Dye-Black/dp/B001O5QKIG

[Aeroquiv]

Yep. That’s it. When you get it make sure the word Poly is on the packet before using.

[Randyc1]

So with the idye poly you just Soaked the Abec’s in the “not boiling water” ? For 45 min ?

Thanks .

[Aeroquiv]

I had a sous vide machine so I can keep it at a constant 140°-150°F. 30-45 minutes should do the trick.

[guyguy]

over 200+ miles on these wheels - the idye poly holds up really well.

[Idle]

I did my 97’s the other day.

Bought i-dye poly from the fabric store. $3 ?

Put all the wheels in an old frying pan and added water to cover them about 1/2".

Took them out and boiled the water, then added the color enhancer, and then the dye packet (dissolves in water)

After stirring and simmering for about 3 minutes, i turned the heat off.

I waited about 2 minutes before putting them in, logo side up, and then put a lid on them.

3 hours later, I plucked them out and rinsed them off in hot water while rubbing them with a rag.

Edit: I only did one set…

*i used a pencil eraser to get the black to mellow out on the writing.

[Idle]

@Aeroquiv

I used White Vinegar, but I think this stuff is pretty potent so you probably won’t need it. But make sure that you boil the dye to get it all mixed and then let it cool before placing the wheels in. I

I only waited a couple minutes after turning the gas stove off. I just didn’t want the hot pan to mess up the back side of the wheels.

I figured ~200° was fine for the urethane and the core. Google told me the max working temp for polyurethane is 175°F. It probably dropped to that shortly after putting the room temperature wheels in the pan.

[Tijmen]

Is the color enhancer included in the idye poly or did you buy it separately? If it’s not included, do you think it’s necessary to get?

[Idle]

It comes with it in the box. It’s a liquid in a packet.

The dye is a pod, drop it in and it dissolves in the water.

[chris.hunt]

did i buy the correct stuff?

[Aeroquiv]

Yea go easy on the color enhancer, like half, or it’s going to leave smudges all over your wheels.