Radial streaks when dyeing wheels

[Spksh]

Rit Dyemore for synthetics, stovetop method, fully submerged.

Love the colour I got, interested to know if I can avoid the radial streaking in the future.

The streaks were almost immediately apparent, and didn’t fade the longer the wheels were in the dye bath.

To me, it almost looks like the dye picked up flow marks or currents from the molding process where the plastic is just a slightly different density.

Am I missing something?

 

[WickedFog]

View attachment 271081

Rit Dyemore for synthetics, stovetop method, fully submerged.

Love the colour I got, interested to know if I can avoid the radial streaking in the future.

The streaks were almost immediately apparent, and didn’t fade the longer the wheels were in the dye bath.

To me, it almost looks like the dye picked up flow marks or currents from the molding process where the plastic is just a slightly different density.

Am I missing something?

You're seeing the ribs molded into the bsck side of the wheels. The dye only penetrates so far, and it will penetrate more in internal corners, and less were the plsstic is denser.

You can try filling the pockets in the back of the wheels with dye and let it sit in there for a few days and see if it penetrates into the spoke more. But it may just make the triangular shapes on the face of the wheel even darker. Put a tire on one and see if it kinda blends everything in a little better.

 

[Spksh]

Yeah, I don’t think that’s it. The patterns vary between wheels, and they don’t line up with the spokes.

 

[CertifiedMike]

The color is great! I am not sure if the lines would bother me or not. Pretty subtle in the pics.
They look like a union jack flag design sort of.

 

[Spksh]

The color is great! I am not sure if the lines would bother me or not. Pretty subtle in the pics.
They look like a union jack flag design sort of.

Yeah, I don’t think it bothers me. Just interested in whether anyone had seen similar before.

 

[RustyUs]

Team Associated has had different wheel plastic compositions/suppliers over the years. Some "white" wheels have more of an off-white lil' translucent look to them. Do you have a before photo of the wheels?

 

[Suburban_Hooligan]

possible contamination from mold release?

 

[Spksh]

Do you have a before photo of the wheels?

And if I play with sliders…

So yeah, in the right light, I can see the same flow patterns that the dye picked up. Maybe the shot wasn’t hot enough.

 

[Spksh]

possible contamination from mold release?

…or it could be this simple I’ll degrease the next batch more thoroughly and see if it makes a difference.

Do I want to go “sandstone” this time?

 

[Spksh]

A thorough Simple Green degrease before dyeing didn’t make a difference. Still seeing that interesting radial pattern.

I don’t hate the look, and the beat-up test dye job wheels from a different manufacturer came out fine (minus the superglue marks of course).

So I guess these ones will just have some added flair. I’ll act like it’s a trade secret if anyone asks me how I achieved the effect.