Bleaching a Disc

[petecarp]

Can a disc be bleached with the same process used for Rit dye to achieve a lighter color on a dark disc?

 

[Apothecary]

idk about all that...

i know theres a guy on here thats been messing with painting on a 50/50 water/bleach solution and has been getting some sweet results. one came out looking like jupiter.

 

[Doomie]

wouldn't the bleach take away from part of the plastic causing it not to be a legal disc for official play?

 

[skinner21]

it would do no more to a disc than dyeing would.

 

[agent_peebody]

speaking of removing colors...anyone tried the Rit "dye remover"? probably doesn't work, but it might be cool for screw ups

 

[zenbot]

it would do no more to a disc than dyeing would.

I have to disagree. Bleaching breaks up chemical bonds. Dying does not.


Please don't hit me.

 

[skinner21]

speaking of removing colors...anyone tried the Rit "dye remover"? probably doesn't work, but it might be cool for screw ups

I have never tried it, but I have heard on here that it doesn't do anything. That should go on that FAQ.

God, I wish someone would get on that... :wall:

 

[skinner21]

I have to disagree. Bleaching breaks up chemical bonds. Dying does not.


Please don't hit me.

I was under the impression that bleaching only affects the pimgents in the plastic, much like dye, but there is a distinct possibilty that I'm 100% wrong.

 

[zenbot]

Undiluted bleach can burn a hole in your t-shirts. Rit cannot.


I leave the decision to the fine people in the jury.

 

[Doomie]

I was also thinking that. Maybe a Water30/70bleach would be just enough to take off enough plastic to drop it by 1 gram. Much like you can't use a ton of acetone while taking off a stamp, since it DOES take off some of the plastic. Now i can only assume what the bleach would be worst than the acetone due to the bleach needing to be in a bath to work properly. Who knows. Maybe i will get around to testing this out.

 

[skinner21]

you're right, bleach is acidic... or basic, or something, I don't know. I'm no scientific man. Anyways, I guess it could affect the disc, in theory. but enough to be noticable, either in weight or appeance (despite the color change)? It would depend on length of time and the concentration, I suppose.

 

[sidewinding]

Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) is an oxidant just like the sun. Have you ever found a disc that's been laying out in the sun for a year or two? It's dye is a lighter color. The problem is, the same oxidation that removed the color also breaks down the plastic making it brittle and dry rotted.

If you're going to try bleach just dilute it to something like 10:1 with water and then leave it to soak for a few days. I bet it works a little. I have accidentally removed stamps with full strength bleach soaking them to get rid of pond stinch.

 

[The dude on the bike]

I have used bleach to remove years of pond stains and stink, it doesn't hurt the plastic. Did you know that bleach comes in plastic bottles?

 

[sidewinding]

HDPE (High Density Poly Ethylene) which is what bleach jugs are made of is one of the only plastics that bleach will not break down. I work in a dialysis clinic where we have to disinfect the PVC pipes that carry purified water to the dialysis machines and we have to use 1:100 bleach to water solution or it will eat through the pipes. Even at 1:100, studies have shown that microscopic pitting occurs with every disinfection. We also bleach the dialsysis machines with bleach and all the plastic parts of the dialysis machine that come in contact with full strength bleach get eaten up pretty regularly and have to be replaced.

 

[skinner21]

I can't speak for anyone else, I don't care about microscopic pitting. I'm gonna guess the PDGA doesn't either. I think that for the purpose of what we would be using it for, diluted bleach should be fine as long as it isn't for extreme periods of time.

 

[sidewinding]

I think that for the purpose of what we would be using it for, diluted bleach should be fine as long as it isn't for extreme periods of time.

That's exactly what I was trying to say. Don't assume that since bleach comes in plastic jugs that you can soak a disc in full strength for long periods of time.

 

[agent_peebody]

can't you bleach a certain orifice? maybe two...

 

[andrewkh]

i've heard of the one....but i don't think you can do 2

 

[apdrvya]

I have used bleach to remove years of pond stains and stink, it doesn't hurt the plastic. Did you know that bleach comes in plastic bottles?

^^disc diver in grand rapids. btw, doesn't call ones with ink...

 

[apdrvya]

i've heard of the one....but i don't think you can do 2

I've heard of both.