Water Printing

[Texas_Signmaker]

 

[unclebun]

Apparently hard to make a living at it. We've had several places have a go at it around here and none survived longer than 6 months.

 

[ams]

Thought about trying it, but only as a side job to add to my services, never full time

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Any vehicle customization that doesn't have utility sounds ridiculous to me... I just won't understand spending tons of money customizing an older car when they could of just used that cash to buy a newer nicer one to begin with.

But some people love to waste $$$.

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

This was all the rage in the import car scene in Australia 10-15 years ago.
I think I can recall one shop still doing it, but all the others have gone the way of the dodo.

 

[letterman7]

Hydrographics is cool stuff. There's a place not too far from me that does that process, mostly gun stocks from what I understand. Find a niche and some good money can be made.

 

[equippaint]

Any vehicle customization that doesn't have utility sounds ridiculous to me... I just won't understand spending tons of money customizing an older car when they could of just used that cash to buy a newer nicer one to begin with.

But some people love to waste $$$.

The people that love to waste money usually don't have much of it. Bad crowd to cater to.

 

[equippaint]

I would think this would be an environmental nightmare with high disposal costs if you did it on the up and up. Just like any sort of electroplating shop, you cant just pour this stuff down the drain after your done with a batch.

 

[GAC05]

I would think this would be an environmental nightmare with high disposal costs if you did it on the up and up. Just like any sort of electroplating shop, you cant just pour this stuff down the drain after your down with a batch.

But just imagine how awesome the sewer trout would look dropping out of the storm drain.

 

[MikePatterson]

We looked into it. It was about like getting into the printing industry, cost wise. Professional stainless tank with filters and heater (think hot tub) , auto dunking machine, post washing machine was all expensive. Not counting a paint booth and all the tools associated with that side of it. We already own the paint and body equipment. Doing research on it we decided not to proceed without being able to print our own films. Thank goodness we didnt get into it. There are 3 guys around us doing it with cheap water tanks for cheap prices. Race to the bottom.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I'm reminded of car club decal customers. ::Shudder::

 

[burgmurk]

Such a cool technique, but yeah the only people prepared to pay for the service seem to be "make everything camo" Hunting nerds.
You can buy 'slide-off' decal type prints from china and do small stuff in a sink/bucket for a reasonable price (as long as you want camo, carbon fibre or flaming skull type graphics).

 

[chromira]

The process is very popular with skateboards and surfboards.