Can you dye a rig?

[packerboy 3]

I assume that the material for rigs is dyed before the rig is made. Can you dye a lightly colored rig to make it... ahem.... less ugly?

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In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[piisfish 140]

are you sure it would be less ugly after ???

It might be possible, but I don't know how the metal would react. I wouldn't try it (without the advice of a specialist)

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[seal_S49 0]

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Can you dye a lightly colored rig

Yeah, but you might have a hard time finding an FAA rigger willing to inspect, repack & put his seal on it.

S49

[packerboy 3]

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I wouldn't try it (without the advice of a specialist)

That's what I'm looking for!

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In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[councilman24 37]

Dyeing a rig (in the u.S.) is a major alteration that must be done by a Master Rigger with approval of the manufacturer or field approval. The only dyeing routninely done half way succesfully was in the 50's (?), 60's and 70's. Old military surplus OD green containers were dyed black to have the "hot shit" rig on the DZ. Don't consider it, don't try it, either live with it or buy something else.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[packerboy 3]

sigh... that sounded pretty professional... Oh well, I won't be the only guy at the dropzone with a girly looking rig because it was a good deal.

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In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[councilman24 37]

Except for the spelling.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[Amazon 7]

My very first rig was Black... It was originally Olive Drab....

That was a Military Surplus B-4 conatiner and bellywart...dyed black it did not look toooo bad

course that was about 30 years ago or so..

[scottjaco 0]

I knew a guy who bought a used rig that was black/blue and had this Peach color along the sides.

He didn't like the Peach so he took a sharpie and colored it in. When he got it out into the sun, you could see all the pen strokes and that it was peach underneath!

It looked worse than if he had done nothing at all.

[chuteless 1]

Back in the days of cheapo canopies, I dyed several to hopefully, lower the porosity. I also dyed one container and harness.

I used commecial dyes, and they had to be very hot.

It can be done, but makes a mess of a tub (like washing machine style) and there is a lot of rinsing.

If you contact a commercial dye manufacturer, he will tell you the do-s and dont-s, and the how to, in order to get the best results.

Bill Cole D-41

[masterrig 1]

I wouldn't consider dying the container. I have to agree with Councilman... live with it or find something else. Look at it this way... it takes a manly man to jump those colors!

Chuck

[kingbunky 3]

i recently bought a used rig and during a pre-purchase inspection by a rigger, it was noted that the rig had been painted. i contacted the owner and here is what he told me:

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1. Touch-up paint
When I bought the rig from the previous owner, the colors on the container were beginning to fade. I wanted the rig to look brand new so I called the manufacturer (Sun Path) and asked how I could touch up the colors. They told me that I could use an acrylic-based paint and then to spray with ScotchGuard after it dried. This kind of paint is used by many rig owners to create custom paint jobs and other designs. You can't even tell by looking at the outside of the rig that the touch-up work has been done. I did test a little patch of the red paint underneath the main pin flap (which I'm sure is what Jimmy noticed). The acrylic paint doesn't affect the operation of the rig at all, and like I said before, you can't even tell it's been done. In fact, several guys at my DZ have started to do the same to their rigs because it works so well.

this didn't change the color of the rig, just brightened it up a bit but depending on the original/desired colors, you may be able to get a different look.

*disclaimer: this is second hand info, double check with sunpath before attempting this!*

"Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart."
MB4252 TDS699
killing threads since 2001