It has become very popular to paint your own discs at home and this new hobby among many disc golfers is also called Disc Dye. In this mini-series, you will find an introduction to Disc Dye, and you will learn how to quickly and easily get started with dyeing your own discs.
We take you through the various basic techniques and give a thorough review of which materials you can use to get started with putting your very own stamp on your discs - because as we all know, colored discs fly better!
In this article you will find answers to:
- What is disc dye?
A brief introduction to Dye Discs - Which discs are good for dyeing?
An overview of which types of discs are good to start with - Do you have to remove the license stamp - and how do you do it?
You can dye discs with and without stamps. If you want to stamp off it is very easy and can be done in a few minutes. - What do you need to start dyeing?
A description of the various things you need to get started - Get your paint ready - this is how you mix your dye
Paint can be advantageously prepared a little in advance so that it can stand and dry. - What different techniques are there and how do you do them?
An overview of different techniques, with links to our step-by-step guides to help you get started! - Get started
Finally, you get a short review of tips and tricks, and then you are otherwise ready to get started.
What is disc dye?
Disc Dye is a popular hobby among many disc golfers, and to "dye" your disc means that you color the disc so that it becomes completely unique. Disc dye is therefore a method of personalizing your discs with a completely unique visual expression. You have probably seen the professional players with many types of disc in all sorts of colors, where some of them are colored from the factory and others have received a custom touch from a round of dye.
Can you paint your disc and still use it for tournaments, do you think? The answer is yes, you can. As long as you make sure to use a color that penetrates the plastic and thus does not change the shape or surface of the disc.
Which discs are good for dyeing?
In principle, all discs can be coloured, but it is very different how well the various plastic types are able to accept colour. As a newbie to the dye game, stay away from basic plastic (the really cheap discs). These discs do not accept the color very well and almost all color is therefore washed off in the end. If you stick to discs premium instead, you will get better results. Our experience says that the following types of plastic are really good for dyeing:
- Throwaway plastic K1
- Latitude 64 Royal Grand
- Discmania S-Line
- Discraft ESP
- Innova Star
- Axiom/MVP Neutron
In addition to the type of plastic, the shade color also has a lot to say about the result of your dye. As a rule of thumb, stick to white or light colored discs for the best color reproduction. In fact, many of the disc golf brands make do-it-yourself (DIY) discs specifically for dyeing. You won't go wrong with them in the city and you will find a large selection of DIY Discs on this page .
When you become more comfortable with your coloring process, you can easily dye on other colored discs than white. You just have to remember that the color of your disc and the color you choose mix and give a different color. For example, if you color a yellow disc with blue color, the result will be green.
Do you have to remove the license stamp - and how do you do it?
Most discs come with a stamp on the top side. When dyeing your disc, it is important to decide how you would like the finished result. The color from your dye does not penetrate through the disc's stamp, and the stamp will therefore also be there when you have dyed your disc.
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If you do not want to have a stamp on the finished result, you can choose to "wipe" it. To wipe a stamp means to remove it, and instead get a completely blank surface on the disc. Whether you remove the stamp is in most cases completely up to you. In the individual guides for different dye methods, it is described if there is anything you should be aware of. In this mini-series, you only have to pay attention to the stamp when spin dyeing.
If you want to remove your stamp, you can easily wipe it. It just requires some paper towel, cotton wool or the like and pour some acetone on and then "wash" over your stamp. In some cases it disappears completely and in other cases you will be able to see a shadow after it, it depends on how the manufacturer has printed it.
What should you use to dye your discs?
The different methods require different equipment, and here you will find a list of the things that generally need to be used to get started with dye. The individual methods may require additional materials, and this is of course described in the guide to the individual method.
- A dish to color the disc in
You can use an old kitchen dish, an aluminum mold, an old ultimate frisbee or similar. The only requirement is that the disc you want to color must be able to lie down in the dish. If you use a kitchen dish, it is NOT recommended that this be used for cooking again afterwards. - Cover for your workstation
The colors for coloring discs are very penetrating, so it is recommended that you cover well with newspapers, wax cloth or something else. - Polyester color
It requires a very special type of paint/dye to paint your discs, as the paint must penetrate the plastic. We recommend iDye Poly which you can find here . Alternatively, colors from Pro Chemical dye can also be used. - Gloves
Naturally! To take good care of your fingers. - Kitchen roll or old tea towel
To quickly clean up and wipe off if you spill.
The more different colors you have to choose from, the more creative you can be with your dyes and your patterns. How you use your color and how you mix them, I will get into later in this guide.
Get your paint ready - this is how you mix your dye
When you receive your dye, it comes in powder form, so in some cases you have to mix it up before you are ready. With the "Shaving foam method", which you can read about in the guide further down, the powder is used directly. For other methods, you need to mix the color up with either lotion or acetone, and for this you need some containers.
How to use lotion to mix up your color
There is no fixed recipe for mixing up your color and you can adjust the recipe over time so that you get exactly the result you want. To mix your color in lotion, we recommend that you use a clean plastic bottle, possibly a "dressing bottle".
You take your plastic bottle and add about a teaspoon of dye. Then you take a small amount of warm water approx. 1 cl and shake around so that the color dissolves. You can also use acetone for this but water works just fine too.
Now you are ready to add your lotion. Start with about one deciliter and shake well until you have a good viscous consistency. There can be a slight difference between different types of lotion, and you therefore have to experiment a bit. The finished paint must not be too thin as it will flow out when you make your pattern. At the same time, it must not be too thick either, as it is difficult to work with and becomes a "sausage" when you make your pattern. You adjust the consistency by adding either more lotion or more water. Add only a little water at a time.
You repeat the process for each of the colors you want. When you have mixed your colors they are ready to use, but you can leave them for an hour or more before use to get some slightly clearer colors. If you use iDye Poly, a small letter is included with some liquid color enhancer that you can add a little to your paint.
How to use acetone to mix up your color
If you must use a more liquid paint, then mixing in acetone may be the way forward. Remember when working with acetone to take the precautions required for this type of work. When you make your acetone paint, it must be done in a container that is suitable for it, preferably a glass bottle or container.
The acetone paint can be advantageously made the day before you need to use it, as it gives a better result when the color has time to dry a little. If you are in a hurry, you can use it right away.
It is somewhat a matter of taste how much color you should mix in the acetone. A good starting point is to use approx. half a teaspoon of dye for 20-30 ml. acetone and then you can adjust it until it has a satisfactory color and viscosity.
When you have mixed your color with acetone, shake it well and let it sit for a few hours to a day. You will probably find that there is some sediment. It simply means that the acetone is saturated with color and rather that you get a thin color mixture.
What different techniques are there and how do you do them?
There are countless methods to color your discs and it is almost only your imagination that sets the limit to how you can do it. In this mini-series some of the most common methods are introduced which are also quite affordable to get started with.
For each individual method, you will find a complete material list for what needs to be used to get started, as well as a step-by-step guide with pictures. The methods that are reviewed can be found below.
The shaving foam method for Disc Dye
On a base of shaving foam and with color in powder form, you can quickly start with your first dye. It is cheap and easy to get started with, while the possibilities for the completely wild expressions are a little more limited.
- Advantages : Inexpensive, easy to get started and difficult to destroy
- Disadvantages : Limited stylistic expression, risk of mixing brown.
The Lotion Method for Disc Dye
With a base of lotion (cream) and a mixed paint, the lotion method is a favorite among many. There are many possibilities for making special patterns on your discs.
- Advantages : Very versatile method, many color options and design options
- Disadvantages : Slightly more expensive method, more color and materials needed, risk of mixing brown.
Glue bed (glue base) method for Disc Dye
If you can't get enough and you want almost endless possibilities, then the glue bed method is the way forward. It requires a lot of glue, but the results speak for themselves.
- Advantages : Very little color is needed, many design options, your bed can be reused, colors do not mix together to become brown.
- Cons: Glue can be a bit expensive, not all colors work equally well
The spin dye method for Disc Dye
You may have seen the perfect circles painted on discs and wondered how they were made. Spin dye requires a rotating substrate, e.g. an old record player, and with it you can make some incredibly beautiful patterns on your disc.
- Pros: Very little color needed, many options for design, almost no drying time.
- Cons: You'll need a turntable or old record player
Get started on your next disc dye project
With the various guides in this mini-series, you get guidance and tips on how to get started with dyeing your own discs. The series has been created in collaboration with Troels Ellehammer, who runs disc.dye.dk on Instagram . On his Instagram page you can find even more pictures and be inspired for your next project.
There are lots of little tips and tricks to improve your dyes, many of them you find out over time and the more experience you get, the more tricks you learn.
There is plenty of opportunity to use several methods on one disc, it can give a really nice result if, for example, you choose to finish your disc with a spin dye around the edge so that it becomes completely sharp or color the back of your rim to give a more finished look.
With spindye, it is incredibly important that you do not push your disc along the way, it is almost impossible to hit exactly the same position of the disc again.
If you have a disc with a bottom stamp, you can use a cotton swab or brush to color the letters in your stamp with a little lotion dye. You can also draw freehand with lotion dye on your disc and leave it for a few hours before washing it off.
Remember that air bubbles in all methods are your enemy and you must do everything you can to get rid of them as they can ruin an otherwise excellent dye job. You must also pay attention to the design of your disc, if you have a flat disc such as a zone, it can sometimes almost curve inwards. If it does, you must be extra careful to get it all the way down into your dye, otherwise there will be a void in your pattern. Alternatively, you can hold it under the hot tap and see if you can manipulate it a bit until it doesn't bulge inwards.