Just pulled my first three Floetrel dyes and I'm underwhelmed! Looking for some advic

[hisdudeness47]

The Album

- https://imgur.com/a/7E5wqPo

My Goods

- Yellow Champion Wraith F2
- Neon yellow Star Corvette F2 (previously dyed with worm dip)
- Glow Champion Valkyrie F2
- Floetrel (pictured)
- ProChem dyes (bright yellow, clear orange, pinkish red)
- Silicone oil

My Process

Champ Wraith

- silicone oil in yellow, no silicone in orange or pink

Star Corvette

- previously dyed disc (a simple neon yellow worm dip in a ziploc, was standard star yellow to begin with)
- silicone in yellow and orange, no silicone in pink

Glow Champ Valk

- silicone in yellow and orange, no silicone in pink

Time: 12 hours in a 90 degree bathroom

My Thoughts

I thought I used too much dye! Was a little muddied because I ****ed with the beds a little too much, but I still thought I was going to get some rad results. The cells looked awesome in the beds, especially the Valk bed! When I pulled and wiped the discs I was a little disappointed. None of the discs acquired the deep, vibrant colors of the beds. Hardly matched the bed's tones at all Pretty weak!

Where did I go wrong? Did I pull too soon? I've seen some people recommend just a few hours with Floetrel beds as to prevent muddiness and keep it sharp. I thought I had plenty of heat. I used a space heater to keep my bathroom at 90 degrees. Will be picking up a heat lamp soon but I was told this would work just fine.

These beds are ready to be reused and I may even put these same discs back in. I'm going to use darker colors now because there's some muddiness.

Any thoughts on how I should approach these next dyes? Same beds, same discs, gonna bust out the purple, blue, and green. How do I get the disc to more closely match the color depth/vibrancy of the beds?

Thanks!

 

[seedlings]

I've never used those particular products to dye… but… You didn't mention how you prepped the discs. I'm guessing you washed them with dish soap and wiped with alcohol, but if you didn't, look there.

Second, clear champ sucks to dye in general. Same to yellow colored anything (unless you use a super bright pink to get a crimson red).

 

[Jowie]

A heat lamp made all the difference for me with Floetrol. I create the bed in a pie tin and let the disc sit for one-two hours under the heat, depending on the plastic. However, some greasy champions are very difficult to dye.

 

[hisdudeness47]

I've never used those particular products to dye… but… You didn't mention how you prepped the discs. I'm guessing you washed them with dish soap and wiped with alcohol, but if you didn't, look there.

Second, clear champ sucks to dye in general. Same to yellow colored anything (unless you use a super bright pink to get a crimson red).

The Wraith and Valk were still relatively new, but I went ham on them with a magic eraser and hot water when I wiped the stamp. Did not use dish soap however. The Corvette is older and I cleaned that one with dish soap and magic eraser before the previous worm dip dye job. Then I wiped the stamp and cleaned it with magic eraser and hot water before this job. That one in particular definitely shouldn't have had any factory residue that would affect the dye process.

Is it necessary to use dish soap/alcohol when using a magic eraser and hot water?

I have to figure out a way to dye champ and make it BOLD... I have many that I would never throw on the course because of visibility. Hmmmm. I also have clear glue and shaving cream. I'll do whatever it takes! Please advise, internet!

 

[hisdudeness47]

A heat lamp made all the difference for me with Floetrol. I create the bed in a pie tin and let the disc sit for one-two hours under the heat, depending on the plastic. However, some greasy champions are very difficult to dye.

Yeah, I asked on Reddit yesterday whether a space heater heating up a bathroom would be sufficient in place of a heat lamp. The answer I received was "Yes". Now I'm not so sure... 12 hours at 90 degrees though! It was scorchin in there.

For these difficult champ plastics, is there anything you have done to make it work? I have clear glue and shaving cream ready to go as well.

 

[txmxer]

Might try preheating the disc. Just a guess.

 

[Jowie]

Yeah, I asked on Reddit yesterday whether a space heater heating up a bathroom would be sufficient in place of a heat lamp. The answer I received was "Yes". Now I'm not so sure... 12 hours at 90 degrees though! It was scorchin in there.

For these difficult champ plastics, is there anything you have done to make it work? I have clear glue and shaving cream ready to go as well.

Honestly, once I got the heat lamp I found an opposite problem. It is really easy to take it too far. Then it looks great when backlit, but dark when on a surface. Star is an easier plastic to work with, but my favorite is lucid/opto. It seems to take dye better than most champion and has a little more opacity to carry the dye well without getting dark.

Champion is tricky that way, not enough and it looks faded, too much and it is dark. I like to use bright color lotion/glue dyes with champion that leaves some negative space.

Definitely try some glue and shaving cream dyes. I am stuck on the floetrol dyes just because of how much faster it is with the heat lamp. 90 minutes vs. 24-48 hours.

I am sure someone with more experience than I can give further suggestions.

 

[seedlings]

Someone might know, but will magic eraser leave a residue?

 

[hisdudeness47]

Honestly, once I got the heat lamp I found an opposite problem. It is really easy to take it too far. Then it looks great when backlit, but dark when on a surface. Star is an easier plastic to work with, but my favorite is lucid/opto. It seems to take dye better than most champion and has a little more opacity to carry the dye well without getting dark.

Champion is tricky that way, not enough and it looks faded, too much and it is dark. I like to use bright color lotion/glue dyes with champion that leaves some negative space.

Definitely try some glue and shaving cream dyes. I am stuck on the floetrol dyes just because of how much faster it is with the heat lamp. 90 minutes vs. 24-48 hours.

I am sure someone with more experience than I can give further suggestions.

Did a second dye on these 3 discs and did a first dye on 3 others. Used my oven for these. Much improved (besides that damn champ) with much more room for improvement yet! Definitely going to get a couple heat lamps.

Here's the new dyes. Roast me!

https://imgur.com/a/LDScCt0

 

[hisdudeness47]

Someone might know, but will magic eraser leave a residue?

Nope! It's essentially just ultra fine sandpaper.

https://www.marthastewart.com/8034078/magic-eraser-tips