Hydro Graphics Video, Dipping a 2D Maglite - Flames, Camo and Skulls?

looks cool thanks for sharing.

Didn't know this existed..

Thanks for showing!!! And yet another helpful video.

Thanks for sharing, this is a really nice method to get patterns on everything…
I just googled a bit and one of the big benefits is that it’s durability is up to the clear coat used. So if you use car 2K clear coat it will be the same as any other painted thing. There are people which dip their rims and stuff in it.

why have you used a white base?
Could you please make a picture of the imperfections on the knurling you mentioned? I am interested because the most lights have even more knurling and fins than a Maglite…

Do you think that the ink or whatever it is will hold up to the oven temps required for powder coating? I have some powder clear coat that I've never used if you would like to find out, though I have my doubts regarding how well the powder coating would stick. It has to be super clean and I wonder if the powder would stick to that stuff at all.

I will try to get a close-up. The white base is what is called for. I believe it’s because on the lighter colors, the white makes them stand out a little more and there are spots where the white shows, like white hot flame. I imagine any color could be used, but it would show through in places, so it might not look too good if they were black, or gray, or a color like blue.

I did put the light in the oven at 175 degrees, to help set the clear coat, but it’s just the oven in the kitchen and not ideal for that. I doubt powder coat would stick to the ink, but it might. I just don’t know if the ink would run from the heat. If I had the place and the equipment, I would do epoxy or some other clear coat paint that is tough as nails, but without the proper set-up, that stuff is killer on the lungs.

If anyone was going to come up with something new and
totally out of the box for a Mag light.

Great Job….O-L

Looks Great !

I sound like everyone else, but really: thanks for sharing. I know you weren’t totally thrilled by the outcome, but it looks pretty damned awesome from where I sit.

If this one goes up for sale, I’m gonna be sorely tempted.

It's hard to photograph, but you can see a little of the white spots showing through. In person, they are there in many of the low spots in the knurl.

One word……Awesome!

OL, I know you were not supper inspired by the finish, but I want to be along with the many here.

Dam good job. I have a few things I have been considering getting Dipped recently (stocks for firearms). This just added a few more things to the list.

Do you think there is any good way to remove the anodizing with out killing the light? I am ok with out having HAIII, I can always have it Cerakoted if I need a durable finish. :slight_smile:

You can remove the anodizing. I do it with greased lightning, from lowes or home depot. Others use drain cleaner. The problem with removing anodizing is that bare aluminum forms a film on it the second it’s exposed to air, so it’s hard to prime it fast enough to work. I think sanding the anodizing worked well enough.

That is most awesome OL! The flame skin is wicked cool!

I said I would update with photos of the finished light. I have two of them to show. Here they are.

I am not able to dip the tail caps. They need to be dipped the same time as the light and in the same orientation, but then there's no way to hold the light, so the tail caps don't have pattern on them. On the flames light, I left the bezel and tail polished. Also the top of the head, where the grooved ring is. The dip won't cover that right. For dipping, parts need to be smooth. Roughness causes the ink to not get in the low spots. Both lights are done the best I can. I think the Camo actually looks better than the flames.

I am going to do 2-4 of the 3rd Gen Maglites. The heads are smooth, so they might be better to dip.

Buddy of mine owns a company that does professional hydro-dipping and cerekoting. I have had him do a few things for me in the past. Had him dip a computer case for a Modding competition last year.

Nice work! i really like the camo MT-G2 Mag above.

The camo is more subdued. But the way you build Maglites, I think the flames are pretty darn appropriate. :party:

Not the powder coating resins they make at the chemical factory where I work sometimes.

It is made to stick via static electricity to the barest, cleanest of metals, where it lies gently and softly until it can be baked on forever.

I would LOVE to know how to make decorative patterns like this in powder coat!!! (I mean, with my piss-poor “artistic” “”skills”“)

Dim

I don’t know if you could do patterns like that, but some patterns you could probably do. I know they mask parts for powder coat, so it would be mask, coat, oven, mask that, coat, oven… I imagine somewhere it’s being done for some kind of parts.

Interesting stuff OL!

EDIT: Also they look good. Forgot to mention that. I don’t have many camo items myself, but between those two lights I do like the camo best.