Custom Hydrographics

The next question is usually, why is it so expensive? The short answer to that is that it is time consuming.

      Step 1: cleaning. Each item must be completely free of any dirt, dust, grime, oil, paint residue, etc.

      Step 2: sanding. Each item must be sanded, at least lightly, to give the primer a surface to adhere too

      Step 3: cleaning....see step 1...must be clean...including from sanding dust

      Step 4: preparing and taping. Each item must be prepared for painting and dipping. Areas of the item that are not to be effected by either the painting and/or dipping process, must be protected by covering the area with some kind of protective covering

      Step 5: primer painting. Each item must be primed with an automotive grade primer

      Step 6: base coat painting. Each item must be painted with an automotive grade base coat. The base color will depend on the pattern chosen and desired effect

      Step 7: Dipping. Once dry from base coat painting, a pre-printed film is floated on the surface of water and actived with a solvent based activator. The activator dissolves the film, leaving the ink floating on the water. The item is dipped through the floating ink and the ink is now stuck to the item.

      Step 8: Rinsing. Each item is placed into a rinse tank where any remaining film is rinse away

      Step 9: Clear coating. Once dry from dipping, each item receives at least 2 coats of automotive grade clear coat to protect the finished product