Pinball dye tests. Rubber rings, flippers, nylon nuts.

Frax

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Pinball dye tests. Rubber rings, flippers, nylon nuts.

Okay, so I had asked about this a while back, never really got around to doing it...

Got a wild hair. Decided to give it a go.

Here's the results:


Untitled by Fraxcat, on Flickr

Rubber rings and shooter tip? Absolutely would NOT pick up the slightest bit of dye. I would love to figure this one out, this is almost exactly the color I was wanting. I've been using orange flipper rubber in my Shuttle and I like the way it looks, will look even better with the flippers in there. No, it's not uniform and perfect, and I don't expect I'll ever be able to get it to be, but I think they look fantastic.

The one on the right is actually the flipper I originally pulled out of the machine that had caked on rubber and crud on it. I had cleaned it off pretty thoroughly before I placed my first parts order. The flipper on the left and the nylon nut were both brand new.
 
If you're going to the Texas pinball fest, look up Gene from Illinois Pinball. He sells colored rubber and flipper bats at great prices. He also carries new pinball glass and usually has a few sheets for sale at the show.
 
Yeah...I stumbled across some pictures of them last night actually. They look great, but honestly, if I can figure out a way to do it myself, I would rather do it myself. I doubt he's about to give up his trade secret, and I really doubt he's selling enough of them (There's not even pictures of them on IPB site..) to be having the rubber dyed during the molding process.

I dunno. There's gotta be a way, it's just a question of me doing the research and how much the dye product is going to cost in small amounts, LOL. I don't really want to be beholden to IPB to get these things, and if I can do it, that means I can do custom colors.

Obviously flipper bats are not a problem. I'm pretty satisfied with this result. ;)
 
I do nuts, they come out perfectly...never tried flipper bats, but I was asked about rubbers and there is no way it will work(I tried), the gum rubber has to be colored during the manufacturing process.

I'd take a guess you are using RIT dye you'd use to dye clothing? Exactly why I didn't with the ones I sell, it doesn't come out uniform as it's not potent enough. I use an acid based commercial dye.
 
coloring bmx parts is a common thing.
the trick is to put the parts in boiling water and use rit dye.

just have to hang them so they don't rest on the bottom of the metal container as it will disfigure them.

an outdoor turkey boiler is a great tool for this type of event. it will leave a nasty stain on the aluminum.
 
If you're going to the Texas pinball fest, look up Gene from Illinois Pinball. He sells colored rubber and flipper bats at great prices.

I wouldn't say Gene sells rubber at great prices. It's pretty much standard prices, except for seconds and defects. Gene's not known for his low prices. Although he does sell playfield glass cheaper than anybody else I've found. On everything else, he's a tough negotiator.

He's been experimenting with certain customized parts. I bought some of the gold-plated balls he'd been selling. They didn't last long before they started to chip. I got some of his colored rubber. I haven't tried it yet.
 
I wouldn't say Gene sells rubber at great prices. It's pretty much standard prices, except for seconds and defects. Gene's not known for his low prices. Although he does sell playfield glass cheaper than anybody else I've found. On everything else, he's a tough negotiator.

I thought his parts were pretty cheap considering the quality of the rubber and the fact that it's colored. I guess not having to pay for shipping and buying glass at $25 a sheet greatly influences my decision. I've only bought rubbers, PF Glass and some other minor parts from him.
 
These seem like they would look awesome on Space Shuttle.

That's what they're going on. I will have to take the ones off Shuttle so I can make a complete set.

I dunno about the orange nuts on there, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I need to order some more anyways and got a ton of other stuff to order.
 
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6775b9db.jpg
 
The orange flippers look kick ass. The orange nuts not so much IMHO.
I would go with blue so they blend into the artwork visually. Nuts dont add
anything to the game.
 
The orange flippers look kick ass. The orange nuts not so much IMHO.
I would go with blue so they blend into the artwork visually. Nuts dont add
anything to the game.

Yep. I feel the same way. Going to move the nuts to Pinbot where appropriate if possible, and I'll get around to buying some more dye tomorrow. Right now I only have the orange, lol. :)
 
Flipper bats are already made in practically every color including orange, why reinvent the wheel by dying them when there are solid plastic colored ones already? I'm just not getting it. Bats cost around $4 each IIRC.

Wade
 
Flipper bats are already made in practically every color including orange, why reinvent the wheel by dying them when there are solid plastic colored ones already? I'm just not getting it. Bats cost around $4 each IIRC.

Wade

Agree! Also you can get colored nuts as well. Some folks have alot of time on there hands. :)
 
Guessing you're not the type to do something just for the sake of learning. I already had white bats in hand. The cost of a bottle of RIT is 2.73, less than buying 2 new bats even if I had a local supplier, and WAY cheaper after factoring shipping/handling. Plus, now I know I can potentially make custom colors if the need arises.
 
Guessing you're not the type to do something just for the sake of learning. I already had white bats in hand. The cost of a bottle of RIT is 2.73, less than buying 2 new bats even if I had a local supplier, and WAY cheaper after factoring shipping/handling. Plus, now I know I can potentially make custom colors if the need arises.

I like some colored acorns if you wouldn't mind for my HS? LMK about price.
 
I like some colored acorns if you wouldn't mind for my HS? LMK about price.

IJTFCinder's nuts will look better if he has the color you want. Check out the link in his sig. He has pictures of all the different colors he has in stock.

I'm working on red and blue for my Pinbot right now. Just got back from walmart lol.
 
Ran outta time for the night. Didn't make it to the red. There's really only two pieces I need to dye with it, so was leaving it for last. I'll get it tomorrow. Here's pics of the blue stuff.


Untitled by Fraxcat, on Flickr


Untitled by Fraxcat, on Flickr


Untitled by Fraxcat, on Flickr


picnikfile__eqYBy by Fraxcat, on Flickr

That pop body is really hard to photograph, but that thing is a freakin' thing of beauty. The color is completely even across the whole thing, and it matches the blue pop wafers that I have almost exactly. That is going to look great in Shuttle.
 
That pop body is really hard to photograph, but that thing is a freakin' thing of beauty. The color is completely even across the whole thing, and it matches the blue pop wafers that I have almost exactly. That is going to look great in Shuttle.

Nice work Frax!

So you use RIT dye and drop the parts into a boiling pot of water?

I knew saving old parts to try on is a great idea.

For shooter tips, I was wondering if Cliffy could make them out of the same stuff the post sleeves are made out of? Seems like this would be the best way to go and longest lasting.

I've not contacted him yet about them though.
 
Thats a good idea. I'm using his colored sleeves on Pinbot and Shuttle. I like the way the game plays with them. Wonder if it has enough flex to work as a shooter tip.
 
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