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Post by windmill on Oct 28, 2022 20:04:18 GMT -5
Hello
I am putting together a parts guitar and would like to artificially age some white plastic parts to a cream colour.
Has anyone here done this and have any suggestions on how to go about it ?
Thanks
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Oct 28, 2022 20:09:47 GMT -5
brown shoe polish can do it sometimes. A little hard to do with brand spankin' new parts because the high polish of the plastic kinda rejects everything that hits it. If you have some lying around, give it a shot. It won't go cream, but it'll tone it down a bit.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Oct 28, 2022 22:26:09 GMT -5
I've done a few using a bath of strong coffee, tea or both. Some have taken it, others have come through unaffected. I think it depends on what kinds of plastics are used. But even the ones that came out ok eventually wear clean with contact.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Oct 29, 2022 11:25:43 GMT -5
As I'm thinking about it now, new plastic has a sort of oily texture to it. I wonder if washing with soap and water prior to a coffee/tea bath would help it "take"?
If you're going for full on distressed, lightly abrading the surface first will help the tinter of your choice be more permanent, and also add the relic look. I'm not sure what would work best, though. Scotch-brite? Magic eraser? Steel wool would likely be too aggressive. Sometimes a coarse buffing compound rubbed in by hand gives a hazy look, too.
Curious what some sun tanning would do to it, too. In late October you'd have to be in a southern climate, though.
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pdf64
Wholenote
Posts: 556
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Post by pdf64 on Oct 29, 2022 11:59:09 GMT -5
That seems plausible.
As per the advice on the Kinman website, I used super strong instant coffee to ‘age’ my white Kinman pickup covers, over 15 years ago, and they’re still looking a good colour match to the aged scratch plate on my 62RI Strat.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Oct 29, 2022 13:11:55 GMT -5
For white pickguards that I've aged I've always deglossed them first.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Nov 5, 2022 13:03:27 GMT -5
Most vinyl formulations will not take stain no matter how hard you try. ABS, however, will. That is why some knobs and covers will not stain, and some will.
I'm not a chemist, but years ago I did some reading on plastics and came up with the following trick: when using a water- or alcohol-based stain (coffee, tea, etc.), add some white vinegar to the mix. It's a mild acid and it allows the stain to bite into the surface of some plastics that are difficult to stain.
About the only plastics staining widely done at the non-industrial level that I'm aware of is in the RC car community: many parts are cast or injection molded in plain white thermoplastics and thermoset plastics. Car builders like colors, so they stain the parts. Thermoplastics are softer and will re-melt with heat. Thermosets will not re-melt; they burn and turn crispy. But both can be stained, and there are a few companies that make stains specifically for this purpose. Check your local RC hobby shop for products and advice.
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