Dying nylon tubing for 0-rings

From: <mkirda_at_sbcglobal.net>
Date: 09 May 2014 11:46:31 -0700

Recently John Kagan turned me on to nylon tubing as source of O-rings for F1D.

I bought a roll of it and have used it ever since. However there is one issue with it: If you drop an O-ring, it disappears as it is very close to clear.

Someone mentioned that you could dye the tubing - I'm sorry, but I do not recall who told me this.

Today I tried it - First with some ink for an ink well (Doesn't work and difficult to clean afterwards), then with normal RIT dye.

Boil some water, maybe 1/2" in a 1.5 quart metal pot. Add about half a teaspoon of your favorite color RIT dye crystals. Stir to dissolve. Dip a cut length of tubing into the dye and let simmer a couple of minutes.

Color may not be entirely even - I suspect in my case the inside of the tube had an air pocket, so some is darker than other sections. Shorter lengths should solve this issue.

I now have signature orange o-rings.

Regards.
Mike Kirda
 

Received on Fri May 09 2014 - 11:46:32 CEST