What is "hydro dipping"

[glassman]

Just recently i've seen this explode. One of my employee's just ordered a hardhat with a "camo-dip"....

how does this work? hydro=water.....inquiring minds just gota now....:hairpullout:

[garickman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwGEH7f1eiw

[glassman]

Greg, that was awesome. I knew when i typed it out it didnt sound right. Its "hydro-dipping". Hydro-forming is done with cold rolled steel i believe.

I just wonder how somebody came up with this, to place that sheet on water....and then "dip", wait, clear....little bit of body english.....

I've seen somebody on NastyZ28 do that to his intake manifold....cooll stuff

[garickman]

Let me know if you want something done. I have a friend who does fiberglass work for me and the guys he shares his shop with does hydro dipping.

[Sieg]

Greg, that was awesome. I knew when i typed it out it didnt sound right. Its "hydro-dipping". Hydro-forming is done with cold rolled steel i believe.

I just wonder how somebody came up with this, to place that sheet on water....and then "dip", wait, clear....little bit of body english.....

I've seen somebody on NastyZ28 do that to his intake manifold....cooll stuff
Fixed the title for ya Mikey.

Here's a little insight on hydroforming from Akrapovic:
http://www.akrapovic.com/en/technology/hydroforming/Pages/default.aspx

[69x22]

It's pretty neat stuff. Can handle up to 250 degrees.

[waynieZ]

That's impressive stuff. Is it super expensive?

[samckitt]

When I was a kid I can remember coloring Easter eggs with some paint floating on the surface of water, stir it around a little & dip the egg into it. Not much different other than the paint on the water surface has a print to it. I don't know how it is done, assuming there is some type of backer that the ink/paint is on that dissolves in either water or with whatever is sprayed on the print. Then dip the egg (or guitar, gun, car part, etc) & the print is on it. Pretty cool!

http://www.henryhappened.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/AZ0A7356.jpg

[Che70velle]

That's impressive stuff. Is it super expensive?

I have a guy local to me that will do an LS intake for $100.00
He can put anything you want on it. I mean anything.
I have seen a couple he did in a carbon fiber pattern, and they looked terrific.
You can pretty much dip anything, granted it fits in their vats.
Very cool technology!

[69x22]

That's impressive stuff. Is it super expensive?

$275 for intake, valve covers, and valley cover. So far it still looks new.

[glassman]

Fixed the title for ya Mikey.

Here's a little insight on hydroforming from Akrapovic:
http://www.akrapovic.com/en/technology/hydroforming/Pages/default.aspx

Thanx siegster, that also explains why Akra's exhaust system's for our bikes is soo pricey. DSE uses this process in their frames too i believe...

But, back to hydro-dipping, how is the paint "laid" onto the water? thats the part of the process that puzzles me, i understand random things like camo or the easter egges, but the patterns???? wow. good stuff...

[Sieg]

Thanx siegster, that also explains why Akra's exhaust system's for our bikes is soo pricey. DSE uses this process in their frames too i believe...

But, back to hydro-dipping, how is the paint "laid" onto the water? thats the part of the process that puzzles me, i understand random things like camo or the easter egges, but the patterns???? wow. good stuff...

Akra's car systems are very impressive!

Here's the video Greg posted that shows the "paint sheet" and the entire process start to finish. Very cool process.

GwGEH7f1eiw