dying wetsuits

[ajwaverider]

I took my old diving wetsuit that was black with baby blue stripes
starting from the wrist to the ankles and dyed it all black. I figured on clear days it might help me not to stick out so much on the bottom.I bought a new 7 mil oneill for winter for $79 dollars
but the collar has light blue on it so I wanted to test out the dye
on my old suit.I also dyed the 300# mono I bought that was smoke colored.You can really tell the difference between the two.
The dye used was rit liquid dye in black and a half a bottle of white vinegar.

 

[Baur]

Hey AJ nice dying job looks immaculate. Why dont you go for some camo dye for your new suit?

Safe Diving

Baur

 

[ajwaverider]

Originally posted by Baur
Hey AJ nice dying job looks immaculate. Why dont you go for some camo dye for your new suit?

Safe Diving

Baur

I thought about that,but I would have to find a very light colored suit to use .The only white suit i've seen are made by hotline.If I
ever run across a used one I would like to try it.

 

[defofthecrown]

Albert

I thought about dying a suit of mine but notices a warning on the RIT package. They containe sulferous componds that effect rubbers. I called their 800 number to check and they said wetsuits are a no-no.

At this point I'd really like to know how it works out. Check the rubber and see if it loses strech or becomes brittle. I'd like to find out if it's actually bad or if there just covering their @$$es.

Found cheaper mono at a fishing store huh?

 

[fuzz]

There was an isue in Hawaii Skin Diver & it was talked about before that textile paints & a sponge are great tools for making camoflauge patterns. Use the textile paints in beige color to start as a base, then sponge on some other colors for pattern.

I bought the stuff, but haven't had the time to play with it.

 

[GALADION]

I was interested myself to camo dye my diving wetsuit and I was wondering if the dye would affect the neoprene of the suit.
It semms Fuzz that you have the solution to my problem. Could you share with us some more infos about the dye you bought?
What is it made of and where did you find it?
Thanks in advance

 

[ajwaverider]

Originally posted by defofthecrown
Albert

I thought about dying a suit of mine but notices a warning on the RIT package. They containe sulferous componds that effect rubbers. I called their 800 number to check and they said wetsuits are a no-no.

At this point I'd really like to know how it works out. Check the rubber and see if it loses strech or becomes brittle. I'd like to find out if it's actually bad or if there just covering their @$$es.

Found cheaper mono at a fishing store huh?

I noticed on the rit dye sight they said not to dye rubber backed material but I tried it anyway. I haven't noticed any problems so far, I let the suit soak in the dye for 1 hour or so then rinsed it in cold water pretty well and let it dry.I think it will be ok . The mono I bought is jinkai 300# it cost about $37 dollars at a high class fishing store, i guess thats about what i should pay . I going to go to a local craft store and see if the have any fabric paint and I'll post some pics when i'm done.
Did you get to go spearing in S.C. ?

 

[fuzz]

This is what Travis Kashiwa wrote in the hawaiiskindiver message board:

hi man,
I think sterling wanted me to write small kine abouit painting my picasso. first of all, a diver before me taught me how, so thanks kurt.
first go to a craft store and by this textile paint. it comes in a small plastic bottle. since my suit was black, I chose a sandy color to put on as the bottom layer. Also a forrest green, and a browninsh color. another thing that you have to get is a another liquid that you mix into the paint. I foret what was called though. Try ask the sales people they should know.
anyway I sponged the sandy colored paint first, then the rest of the colors. I tried to concentrate most of the paint on my back areas, because when you shoot fish you staay lying down so no need too mcuh painton your front part. the other colors were also sponged on too. the reason I used a sponge was because I thought that it would make the paint look blochy. at first I didn't think that the suit looked too nice but, I guess the suit works because, I've had my dive partners tell me that the only thing that thye can see is my gun and fins.
the purpose of painting your suit is to break up your body. Making it look smaller than it really is.
hope this helps

Also, $37 ??!!! That's a lot! How much line do you get for that? I believe it's about $15 for 100yards of 300# at hanapaa. They ship.

 

[ajwaverider]

Originally posted by fuzz
This is what Travis Kashiwa wrote in the hawaiiskindiver message board:






Also, $37 ??!!! That's a lot! How much line do you get for that? I believe it's about $15 for 100yards of 300# at hanapaa. They ship.

Like I said high class fishing not a store for the everyday fisherman. They sell mostly to rich fisherman with like megayahts,
and they had a cheaper mono that was less than the one I bought. 100 yards of the plain 400# mono was $23 the mono
i got was 300# premium . The suit I dyed was older but not used very much so it still fills strechy. Here is a pic of the camo job .I think I might add some light color maybe white with a little brown mixed in for tint.You probaly need to match the surroundings in your particuler area.Let me know what you think!

 

[GALADION]

Very good job aj !! It looks very professional. As for the colours I have no opinion since I don't now your hunting enviroment.
Fuzz, thaks a lot for the info man!

 

[ajwaverider]

finished suit

This is the finished suit with the white color applied.

 

[uluapoundr]

I used Delta Ceramcoat Acrylic Paint and Delta Ceramcoat Textile Medium (added for flexibility). Mix two parts paint to one part textile. Then use sponge to print pattern. I used black and brown on my Green Picasso.

 

[uluapoundr]

The back

 

[fuzz]

Nice break-up of solids. Where's the escape hatch for your uhu-technique

 

[uluapoundr]

Hahaha. I did cut the long johns to pants style for those unexpected urges.

 

[ajwaverider]

It helps to break up the solids. What do you mean by sudden urges?

 

[uluapoundr]

It's just a long time joke from another spearfishing forum. The uhu (parrotfish) will crap just before he takes off and runs. One of my friends likens me to the uhu. I've always talked about a zipper or velcro hatch for divers who need to relieve themselves while diving, that's the unexpected urges .

 

[elewton]

Hey. I just want to check how the dying went for everyone.

I'm thinking about getting a new wetsuit (I'm currently using my father's old one, which is a little... old).

It's Portwest, and I know the guy who owns the shop, so he'll sell it to me cheaper. Is this an OK brand?

 

[ajwaverider]

I never heard of portwest. But if you need a suit and you can get a deal on it go for it. Try the suit on and make sure it feels ok before you buy it.The suit I dyed was a dacor and it cost $100 new so it was cheap. I bought it in 98 and barely used it.More info in my post above about dying and painting .Any questions just ask.

 

[elewton]

Thanks. It fits perfectly.
Anyway, just to clarify, if I buy the underneath and mix it with half a bottle of white vinegar, then soak the offending bits of my wetsuit of it for an hour each, they should be dyed black?
I realise that you can't guarentee it will work or anything.

http://www.createforless.com/products/productDetail.asp?ProductID=37739&GCID=C10601x061

Sorry to be so cautious, but I'm a student with little money. Paying for a wetsuit is going to hurt and I don't want to make some of it into brittle crackly rubber.

Thank you very much.