Dyeing Space Bug Junior Fuel Tanks - Black & Purple

iamplanecrazy2 Sun May 23, 2021 3:03 pm

I know I'm not the first to do this and it has likely been discussed before. I did a search but but didn't find
any previous post so thought I'd post my experience dying tanks.

Several years ago I dyed a Space Bug Jr fuel tank black. Boiled it at a low boil in undiluted liquid Rit dye
for about 10 minutes and it came out beautifully. After boiling I let the tank sit in the dye until it cooled
to room temperature. I then rinsed it well and blew it dry. Then gave it a bath in denatured alcohol for
about 20 minutes. The alcohol did take on some color but after drying it was obvious that the dye
definitely penetrated and it does not rub off.

Grocery shopping last week I spotted the Rit dye on the shelf and picked up a bottle of purple to see how it
would look on another opaque tank.
Results were the same but I was a bit disappointed at the resulting color because it looks very close to
the black one unless light is passing thru it. Got me thinking about installing an LED light inside the tank.

I have one more opaque tank that I may try green dye on.

I read in the Cox Model Engine Handbook by Tim Dannels and Dan Sitter that the black tanks are fake.
Having created one myself I definitely believe that to be true and hope this might also keep anyone
from being duped by an unscrupulous or ignorant seller.
This is the purple one