Heat Stippling Polymer (A Tutorial)

[AEnemaBay]

Since I'm new to this forum I figured I'd contribute what I can. So here it is!

So you want one of your polymer pistols stippled, eh? Or maybe a synthetic stock, or a handguard? Well if you're like me you don't want to spend upwards of $150 for a polymer heat stippling job, so I'm going to show you how to do it for about $15! First of all you're going to need some materials.

You'll need the following (everything is available at Lowes Hardware):
Weller 25 watt soldering iron (I use the SP23L model)
An assortment of 10-24 x 1/2" BRASS machine screws (screws that are already flat on top are best)
A Dremel with cutoff wheel
A needle file
Masking tape
A polymer victim



Next we'll have to checker the top of one of our brass machine screws. To do this I simply used the existing Philips slots in the screw as my starting lines. I then took my Dremel with cutoff wheel and began to checker my brass screw. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT! I personally use an assortment of screws that range from very deep checkering to very shallow checkering. This, of course, creates either very aggressive stippling or not so aggressive stippling. I also use the tips that come with the Weller soldering iron kit for fine points and edges.

Once you have done both your vertical and horizontal lines on your screw, break out your needle file and carefully point the tops of the pyramids to gain a more uniform pattern. Or don't if you want a crazy pattern. After you're done thread it into the soldering iron.



Now, take your victim and begin mapping out where you want it stippled with your masking tape. Take your time here and make sure everything is where you want it in the design that you want it. It would be a PITA to remove the stippling once it's been applied. Our victim for this tutorial is my first generation Ruger P95DC.




Now with the soldering iron all heated up you can start stippling. If you're still unsure of your abilities I'd suggest practicing on some scrap pistol grips and the like. Take your time and get used to the pattern that your particular screw makes. Twist the iron as you go to change up the direction and blend the dots together. Occasionally check your screw head for melted polymer sticking to the checkering. If this occurs just take a brass brush and brush it out of the screw.

That's it, it's that simple! You just saved yourself $150! Now if you want a deeper more uniform pattern you can use a soldering tip that you slightly round off. This will give you a "golf ball" like pattern. Here is our victim after only 25 minutes of work.






I hope this tutorial helps you all. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!

 

[krs]

OK, that looks good. But did you mention your method of applying the prepared stippling tool to the work?

Do you press the tool into the polymar and wait for a melt, or does it have effect quickly enough that you can tap it against the material in a bouncing kind of action, or what?

 

[AEnemaBay]

OK, that looks good. But did you mention your method of applying the prepared stippling tool to the work?

Do you press the tool into the polymar and wait for a melt, or does it have effect quickly enough that you can tap it against the material in a bouncing kind of action, or what?

It all depends on the texture you want. In my examples I pressed the iron on the frame for about half a second. On projects that I've done for other people I've left it there for a whole second to get a deep EXTREMELY grippy surface.

 

[krs]

Good, thanks.

I didn't really think that some kind of tapping motion would work in plastics, but in your photos the finished surface doesn't appear to have been treated with a checkered screwhead. Looks more like centerpunch marks like stippling in steel usually has.

 

[22lr]

That looks great, might have to try that.

 

[nitetrane98]

Not bad at all. If only the steel stippling was that easy. Gives me the idea to grind a punch similar to that but don't know if the thinner steel parts would take the extra force needed print a larger area without deforming the frame. Prolly better stick to the one stroke at a time method.

 

[AEnemaBay]

Here's an example from BREAKER1021 that he showed me on AR15.com:

...i find that you can also buy a extra med sized flat head screw driver, use a dremel to cut it off from the handle and then insert that into the iron. then you can get really neat flat burns...

like this:

And you don't have to limit yourself to guns either:

 

[AEnemaBay]

...in your photos the finished surface doesn't appear to have been treated with a checkered screwhead. Looks more like centerpunch marks like stippling in steel usually has.

I didn't want a perfectly symmetric pattern like with traditional stippling for this pistol. That's why I said it doesn't matter if the "checkering" on the screw head is perfect. But some people have shown me examples of their work where they actually used a checkering file to do the screw head and they got great results too.

 

[krs]

LOL! That stereo or joystick or whatever it is made me start thinking about what it would be like to stipple some certain "toys" that one of my old girlfriends kept in her drawer.

(good thing my wife never reads this forum!)