How to practice plasti dipping?

louiey370z

So I want to learn how to plasti dip my rims and my car (probably won't be able to do it that well the first time around), so I'm wondering, how can I practice? Would dipping my rims be a good idea to start practicing considering the ease of taking it off? Thanks

dP3NGU1N

Start with small things first. Scuff up a plastic water bottle and practice on that. Try to get an even coating, close enough not to get overspray everywhere but far enough not to cause runs. Find out how many coatings you want to apply for best coverage, etc. figure out proper drying times for your area. See if dust gets on it easily, if it does, you'll want to cover it with a cardboard box or something.

Remember, if you mess up, let it dry first. You'll cause a bigger mess if you try to fix it before the paint has dried.

Make sure you do it in a wide open area or, if you're going to construct a make shift paint booth, make sure to wear a mask. Actually, wear a mask (with proper filters, not those cheesy paper masks) anyway, they're $30 at homedepot.

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JARblue

It's not always easy to remove. In fact, it can be incredibly difficult sometimes.

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louiey370z

I saw a video by dipyourcar and they say that it is difficult after spraying on the glossifier, but if you don't then it can be easily peeled off. I could be wrong though and heard him wrong

LAVA

Yea, The thicker you put it on the easier it is to remove. Lots of light coats. Also the longer you leave it on the harder it is to remove.

JARblue

Ease of removal also depends on how clean the applied surface was, the length of time it stays on there, and the thickness of the application.

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louiey370z

I've watched videos from DipYourCar on how many coating is good for rims, etc. but my worry is maybe it being uneven?? I mean, it sounds simple to do, but if it were really that simple, why don't people dip it themselves? And yeah I planned on doing it in my driveway. I might give it a shot. If I end up ******* up, should I continue spraying to get a heavier coat for it to be easier to peel off?

kenchan

step1: move car to neighbor you dont like's house.
step2: spray liberally (very important)
step3: done!

dP3NGU1N

It doesn't need to be that even. plastidip self levels rather well. What you really want is coverage, as in none of the original color showing through (the water bottle is good for this since you can shine a light through it and see where you might be thin). The other thing you need to make sure of is to avoid runs. This is why light coats are better than a single thick coat. Not only does the thick coat take exponentially longer to dry, you also run the risk of runs as well as welling (gathering of material) near corners.

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louiey370z

Do you suggest I get it professionally done and pay a lot more than me doing it? Is it a rather easy task or should I get it professionally done? I could save good money if I do it myself, however, I want it to look nice. Thing is, I'm making less than 10$ an hour, and on top of that, I have school work to do, so me saving money is my top priority now in customizing my car.

dP3NGU1N

It's really easy. Just go practice on a bottle and you'll see how easy it is. Just make sure, as you're spraying, each pass goes from one side of whatever you're spraying, all the way to the other before you let go of the trigger. A lot of people who don't paint a lot tap the trigger or stop spraying in the middle of the part, this is how you get uneven spray patterns. You want to go all the way across, overlapping your spray each time.

It's not hard, just need to take your time. If you rush, you will fail.

Once you spray the bottle, you'll also get a sense of how easy it will be to remove. If your material layer is too thin, it's actually a little difficult to remove. So make sure to do 3 or 4 passes.

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dP3NGU1N

Also, don't spray close to other people's car or your own car. Overspray is a thing and it flies everywhere. You can really mess up someone's paint job if you're within 15-20 feet of their car and the wind carries.

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louiey370z

Oh yeah I won't be near any car other than mine when I do it. I heard I should spray 5-6 inches away from my rims, so I plan on doing that

dP3NGU1N

Now go forth and trial and error. ON A WATER BOTTLE FIRST.

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louiey370z

Yeah I plan on buying a few cans either tomorrow or Saturday and will start then unless I happen to find an amazing deal from a plasti dip shop that will do my rims for a great price lol.