Plasti Dip

Has anyone considered a plasti dip? That spray on vinyl stuff. I think that's my winter project

been looking into plasti dip myself going to play about on a old car wing first  

I'm sure someone posted a message on here ages ago, but I can't find it. Reckoned they could restore bike back to stock in 20 minutes!  I think the trick was to snick the plastidip with a scalpel, then just peel it off like a second skin.

There's quite a few youtube clips of it, mainly on cars, wheels etc.

Yeah I have been watching the youtube vids. Gonna buy a front and rear fender and tank and spray them off the bike I think. Masking a motorcycle would be a real pain

Here's an intruder to whet your appetite

  

  

      
Yes - that is an interesting look ....I guess -as with many things - preparation is everything.

Nice black on grey ghost rider... 

The satin colours really blend well together, excellent work   

Well, I usually like lots of chrome on a bike but that looks really  !

I did some plastidip on chrome parts of my bike. very easy. The nice thing abouth platidip: you always can go back to original look.

Hi ClimbX,
I appreciate what you say .... & the new 'look' is very effective ...... but how easy is it to remove 'Plasti Dip' ?

I've never used it myself but apparently.....

Cheers Mal,

That kinda looks simple enough ..... but using a heat gun (sparingly) might be fun around the fuel tank !

I suppose this guy has done the 'Plasti Dip' thing before as you just would not post such a clip if something went wrong. peeling the film off the door appears to be by 'manual manipulation' wearing rubber (or 'specialist') gloves .... so transferrable skills there then !

The heat gun is only shown on the bonnet - & I guess that is to soften the film (& possibly cause it to blister) to aid initial removal. Over zealous use of a heat gun could of course damage the paint work, so I guess reasonable caution is needed here.

Still looks an interesting product though !

Cheers for the clip !     Yam

Ii wonder if the bonnet section is harder to remove because the heat of the engine has baked it on?

Hi Mal,

Possibly - but he starts from the scuttle corner & then once initiated it seems to remove fairly easily. The main area for excess heat would be to the centre of the bonnet. I would guess it was just a convenient way of starting off in one corner which was not as 'accessible' as the door edge in the initial shots.

Then again if you use a heat gun to remove the film will bonnet temperatures be an issue ?
It seems to need the combination of heat & 'manual manipulation' to 'lift & seperate' (remove) the applied film layer. .... Sorry - couldn't resist the choice of words there ! 

Thinking about it - the vinyl film will be a thermoplastic - so will always become pliable with the application of heat - which will/should prevent the 'baked on' effect of a thermoset type plastic.

But - nevertheless - it remains an interesting product.

  Yam

where can we buy this stuff in the UK at a reasonable price? Anyone no of a cheaper alternative than the branded stuff maybe?

Hi Dave,

The information below is cut & pasted from e-bay. It seems the paint nozzles in the aerosol cans can vary. this supplier is charging £10.25 + £4.99 P&P ... & are based in High Wicombe

See item number - 191276309945

MATT BLACK 400ml plasti-dip spray

over 5000 cans sold on ebay

BRAND-NEW

( we only sell original and genuine plasti dip BY PERFORMIX)

BUYERS BE AWARE

USA imported dip does not have the same adjustable nozzle AS ORIGINAL PLASTI DIP

( you will notice on dip your car website in the usa they sell the nozzle as extra)

OUR DIP COMES WITH ORIGINAL ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE FOR THE BEST RESULTS

genuine plasti dip


Plasti Dip is an air dried flexible liquid matt coating for use on virtually anything!

Plasti Dip resists alkaline, acids, salts, moisture, abrasion, and most chemicals, and is an insulating dielectric coating.It will not crack, chip or peel, and will remain flexible even under severe conditions (-34ºc to +93ºc).

Plasti Dip can be dipped, brush coated and sprayed. Add more layers for greater protection and grip.

WOOD: Seals and protects from weathering, and prevents splitting.

METAL: Reduces vibration, deadens sound, and prevents corrosion.

GLASS: Shatter proofs glass objects (available in clear).

Also... PLASTIC, RUBBER, FIBREGLASS and CONCRETE SURFACES!

NOTE: Surfaces which are non-absorbent such as metals should be primed using our recommended Primers, which are available in Clear and Grey.

FOR THE BEST RESULTS AND ADVICE CHECK OUT

DIPYOURCAR.COM

Thank you Yam, info much appreciated.

Good info on the plasti dip guys   Interesting how well the stuff gets hold without being permanent, a very useful product!

So who's going to do the first Suzuki 800 'Iron' ..... though in fairness the one nearer the start of the thread can probably lay claim to that honour. ....

.... Though I guess that is a USA/Canada bike ..... so maybe I should re-phrase that to 'who's going to do the first UK Suzuki 800 'Iron' then '


As Sim says - looks like an interesting product.

The only bit of the blurb that concerned me was the bit that said "non porous surfaces such as metal should be primed with our primer, available in grey or clear".  I for one wouldn't want to paint my lovely m800 with even a clear primer.... The whole appeal of this stuff seems to be that you can strip it off, but you would still have the clear primer left on I should think.


..... Unless they reckon a painted finish like our bikes is a tiny bit porous so doesn't need priming. 

Still clever stuff, just a bit wary,,,

Hi Mal (et al),

I too wondered about that - so I looked at the website ... sounds as if you are OK on paint (Note ! - 'New' paint heeds to be cured - say a couple of months old) - but grey primer is recommended if spraying over white (& other colours) for best coverage etc.

I've skimmed through the FAQ section - which I've pasted below as it has some good information. It sounds like you need about 4 coats to ensure it peels off easily. It should last about 3 years .... BUT one drawback is being solvent based it is not petrol resistant ..... so you would have to be careful if contemplating doing your tank .... as you can always get a minor splash when filling up !

Here's the FAQ's from the manufacturer's website :-     Yam

How long does Plasti Dip last?  If properly applied, Plasti Dip will last as long as 3 years without having to be retouched.  It is very durable and will not lose it's bond.  The spray distance when applying as well as the amount of coats applied will heavily determine the longevity of the product.  After 3 years, or during the three years if desired, a new refresher coat can be easily applied.

- Will it hold up to the elements (sun, winter)?  Plasti Dip is extremely resistant to the elements, including sun exposure, winter ice, cold, salt etc.  A lot of customers actually dip their wheels and cars specifically to protect the original surfaces from the winter season.  Please keep in mind however that Fluorescent and Blaze products are subject to fading after prolonged UV exposure.  This only happens with these two items due to the fluorescent pigments utilized.

- Will it hold up to heat and racing?  Plasti Dip is heat resistant up to 200 degrees F.  Dipped wheels have a great record holding up to the heat and abuse from racing or rally events.

- How does Plasti Dip hold up to gasoline?  Plasti Dip is a solvent based coating and does not hold up to gasoline!  Please be careful when filling your tank or working with gasoline around a dipped surface.

- Can I dip my brand new or newly painted car?  DYC has personally dipped new cars within 2-3 weeks off the showroom with great results - however this does not mean every case will be the same.  Newly purchased cars can benefit from not only a 2-3 month waiting period before being dipped, but also a small test area before the entire vehivle is dipped.  Different manufacturers use different types of paint, and have different curing times.  When considering dipping a new car, please test a small area and remove the dip after 3-4 weeks to ensure the new paint is cured enough to withstand the removal process.  As far as newly repainted cars, please proceed with caution.  Repainted cars can vary drastically between the quality of paints and clear coats used.  Testing is always suggested before dipping a repainted or repaired car.

- Does it really peel off?  Yes, Plasti Dip really does peel off.  We always suggest a minimum of 4-5 coats, not only for durability, but to make sure it peels off in large pieces when you are ready.  Check in our videos section and you will see a video showing how it peels off of wheels, etc.

- How many coats should I put on?  DipYourCar.com always suggests a minimum of 4-5 coats.  Winter wheels, etc. may benefit from an extra couple coats for good measure.

- How should I prep my wheels or car before dipping?  DipYourCar.com always suggests using PreDip Spray and paper towels to prep the wheels or car before dipping.  This will eliminate and grease, oil, dirt, debris or wax that may hinder the dip's ability to bond. Allow the surface to dry completely, any moisture (even if it is not visible, behind body panels or trim) could negatively affect the bonding process and lead to bubbling. A clean and dry surface is essential.

- Should I mask my tires or spray Dip directly onto them? Plasti Dip, for most customers, will peel directly off the tires.  How easily the dip will peel off the tires depends on how dry your tires are.  If your tires look or feel dry, we suggest applying a very thin layer of tire shine on your tires before applying the dip.  This will make sure the dip releases easily from the tires.  Make sure not to get any of the tire shine on the surface or edge of the wheel!  Tire shine stops dip from adhering to your wheel surface, so if you choose to apply it, apply it very carefuly.

- Will Plasti Dip work exactly the same on every car, every surface?  Although Plasti Dip works and behaves exactly the same for most users, there are certainly specific circumstances in which the Plasti Dip could not behave as expected.  The age of the car, the condition of the clear coat, if you have already done a DIY paint job on the surface, etc. are all possible factors that could effect the way the Plasti Dip bonds, peels, or the covers.  Although most users will have a predictable and trouble free experience with dip, we suggest you do a small test spot on the surfaces you will be dipping before you begin your project.

- Could Plasti Dip damage my clear coat? DipYourCar.com has been using Plasti Dip on cars for over 5 years, and we have experienced zero damage to the cars we have dipped, peeled and redipped.  However every car, and every situation is unique.  Even with Plasti Dip's great track record, we still recommend dipping a small test spot on your car before dipping the entire thing.  Especially consider longer test phases with cars that have been re-painted.  Every paint shop will use different types and amounts of clear coat - and Plasti Dip can't possibly guarantee the exact same result on every unique paint job.

- Do you ship internationally?  DipYourCar.com does NOT ship Plasti Dip products outside of the continental 48 states to Do-IT-Yourself customers at this time.  DYC only ships Plasti Dip products internationally on a Wholesale level to International DYC Installers or Resellers.  DYC does however ship all other non Plasti Dip products internationally including DipPearls and DIpCoat.  Please email Dan@dipyourcar.com to inquire about international shipping of non-hazmat items.

- How/Can I wash the dipped areas of my car?  Dipped items/cars can be easily hand washed with regular car wash soap.  We highly recommend our well known DipWasher and DipWash combo here available at DipYourCar.com.

- Can I use Plasti Dip as a clear protective bra for the front of my car?  Of course!  We have hundreds of customers that use the Original Clear Plasti Dip as a protective clear bra.  Works great!

- Can I Plasti Dip over head lights and tail lights?   In our experience, we have found that Plasti Dip peels easily off of most lights.  However, we have found a few types of head lights or tail lights do not respond well with Plasti Dip.  Our suggestion, to be safe, is to always mask off head lights and tail lights to ensure there is no negative reaction.

- How far away should I spray Plasti Dip?  The usual recommended spray distance is between 4-5 inches away for aerosol cans and about 8-10 inches when using our DipSprayer System.  For visual reference, watch Fonzie spray here: www.YouTube.com/DipYourCar

- Will Plasti Dip protect my wheels from winter salt/snow?  Plasti Dip is extremely resistant to the elements, including winter ice, cold, salt etc.  A lot of customers actually dip their wheels and cars specifically to protect the original surfaces from the winter season.  

- Do you sell Plasti Dip in Gallons?  Yes!  We sell Plasti Dip Gallons individually. You can also save by purchasing multiple gallons in our Gallon Bundles section.

- Can Plasti Dip be sprayed out of a spraygun?  Of course!  We have shops and customers all over the country who spray our Plasti Dip through all kinds of sprayers and spray guns.  Pre-thinned Plasti Dip is available through DipYourCar.com in Gallons!  It comes ready to spray.

- How many gallons would I need to dip a whole car? Every vehicle will require a specific amount of Plasti Dip and this amount can vary depending on the size of your vehicle, its current color and the color you would like to Dip it. We suggesting contacting one of our technicians at (855) 847-5825 or Customerservice@dipyourcar.com to give you the recommended amount of product for your vehicle.

- How can I get the best results with Plasti Dip Aerosol? When using cans of Plasti Dip, make sure to shake well before use. The cans should not be stored below room temperature before application. Hold the cans upright and do not point lower than a 45% angle to the ground to avoid drips and splatter.

- Do I need to use base coats? We always recommend Gunmetal Grey base coats for white vehicles. Gunmetal Grey can also improve the the coverage of Yellow, Red, and in general can help extreme color transitions (a darker paint to a light Dip or light paint to a dark Dip). If you have any questions about base coats, please contact one of our technicians at (855) 847-5825 or at Customerservice@dipyourcar.com.