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Heat Stippling Polymer (A Tutorial) (Page 1 of 8)
Posted: 12/7/2008 11:17:39 AM EDT
[Last Edit: AEnemaBay][Edited]
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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! |
| Well, it's better than Dusty's abomination. |
"Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.''
Winston Churchill, October 1941
Winston Churchill, October 1941
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Originally Posted By Colt45guy:
works for other things too 
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w19/Colt45guy/pics/shooter008.jpg HAHA! |
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Originally Posted By BREAKER1021:
that is totally awesome. 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... not to hijack but like this: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v203/HAL_5555/Guns%20and%20Knives/Pistolas/picture334.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v203/HAL_5555/Guns%20and%20Knives/Pistolas/picture328.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v203/HAL_5555/Guns%20and%20Knives/Pistolas/picture330.jpg Oh man that is sweet! I'm definitely going to have to give that a try! If anyone else has different examples please post them! |
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Here are a couple submissions. I finally figured out a use for all those stock A2 grips that never get used from LPK's. Great practice material!
This one, installed on my Remington 870, took no more than 15 minutes to do, that includes reshaping and stippling: 
Also notice my custom JPoint mount made out of 6061 billet aluminum. It's pretty big so I'm not sure if it will stay attached or not... 
#2 resides on a 9mm AR. Took about 35 minutes with reshaping and all. Pretty rough and not super comfortable without gloves but she sure stays in your hand!! 
#3 and #4 are early ones I've done and have some Marine Tex on the front and back to help with shaping. 
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Originally Posted By skebe:
http://files.getdropbox.com/u/9870/G19/DSC01242.JPG http://files.getdropbox.com/u/9870/G19/DSC01243.JPG G19 Nice! I bet that feels better in the hand. Also, I sent my P95 to Ruger because my trigger bar was really worn and it's a part that I just can't order. The technician said that when he opened the box he thought that it was a newer production P95 until he picked it up. He said that I did a great job on it. 
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Originally Posted By JonLSU:
Nice write up. I decided to try a little on my PMags and XTM panels... http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c229/jwhit37/001-3.jpg Great job! Keep 'em coming guys! |
Did my first test panel last night using the AEnemaBay method. Very effective...I want to stipple everything I see now. I'm thinking of doing my mouse and XBOX controller after I finish my rails. The panels are much less slippery even when wet or greasy. Using AEnemaBay's method you get a random texture that is much closer to the pattern on Magpul’s MIAD grip than if you simply use a soldering iron to poke holes. This method doesn’t deform the rail and takes much less time since you are covering a larger area than when you use the straight forward soldering iron technique. Thanks for the tutorial. |
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Originally Posted By mPisi:
Hmmm, I think this thread is going to cost me alot of time... looking for a first victim now. Someone needs to machine little punches for this. Magpul logos, scull & crossbones, BFLs, FBO, gadsden snakes, etc. I've been experimenting with this already. Update coming soon.
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Go Ordnance!
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Just installed steel sights, sandblasted the worn parkerizing off the Glock slide and my home grown stipple job.
Tennifer should still be intact and it shouldn't rust. I was gonna have it hard chromed, but I think this is even better. 
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Brian Fantana: That was one crazy party. I am hung over.
Champ Kind: I woke up on the floor of some Japanese family's rec room, and they would NOT stop screaming.
Champ Kind: I woke up on the floor of some Japanese family's rec room, and they would NOT stop screaming.
| I made a couple of magpul stippling punches by taking the anvil out of a small rifle primer, hammering it flat, and then bending it to shape, its small and a total pain in the ass to make, but it looks just like the magpul "M". I tack welded it to a shaft to use on a soldering iron, but it would probably be easier to have a jeweler make one if you are dead set on having a real one. |
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Originally Posted By SecretSquirell:
Thought I'd give it a try on some pmags. A little time consuming, but worth the effort. http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/3839/cimg0998.jpg Was that pattern made by the dremel brass screw? Just wondering if you could post the photo of your soldering tip. |
illegitimi non carborundum, post proelia praemia
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Originally Posted By Ryo:
Originally Posted By SecretSquirell:
Thought I'd give it a try on some pmags. A little time consuming, but worth the effort. http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/3839/cimg0998.jpg Was that pattern made by the dremel brass screw? Just wondering if you could post the photo of your soldering tip. I just used the small pointed tip that came with the soldering iron. You'll damn near go blind and your hands will hurt by the time you get one done. Just take your time. |
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Hey guys, here is an alternative to permanent stippling that I tried. I think it works pretty well and if I don't like it or if I need to sell that gun I just cut it off.
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=5&f=4&t=90410 |
"If someone is so fearful that they are going to start using their weapons to protect their rights, it makes me very nervous that these people have weapons at all." - U.S. Rep Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Good tutorial. I've tried the golf ball type stippling with the included tips, but I like the OP's method better. Much grippier:   I'm working up to the whole frame.  Also did some KAC rail panels that turned out just like Devilock's. The golf ball pattern did not make a big difference on the rail panels, but the OP's method sure does. ETA: Finished the front strap stippling:   |
"It seems that even Allah's promise of paradise loses a bit of it's luster when there's a dude reigning death on your buddies from 600 meters out." - John_Wayne777 on Battle for Al Najaf 04/04/04
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I did some KAC panels last week.
Here are some mock-ups. 
I'll try to take a pic of them on the rifle tonight. ETA: 
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Please, call me Joe
There is definitely something perverse about two men who carry guns 24/7 being so happy that others are giving theirs up. -happycynic
There is definitely something perverse about two men who carry guns 24/7 being so happy that others are giving theirs up. -happycynic
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Originally Posted By TCBA_Joe: I did some KAC panels last week. Here are some mock-ups. http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/46207/2775247250058660536S600x600Q85.jpg I'll try to take a pic of them on the rifle tonight. ETA: http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/22094/2376791720058660536S600x600Q85.jpg http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/43473/2002508780058660536S600x600Q85.jpg How did you get rid of the ribs? |
"It seems that even Allah's promise of paradise loses a bit of it's luster when there's a dude reigning death on your buddies from 600 meters out." - John_Wayne777 on Battle for Al Najaf 04/04/04
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Originally Posted By topgunpilot20:
Originally Posted By TCBA_Joe:
I did some KAC panels last week. Here are some mock-ups. http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/46207/2775247250058660536S600x600Q85.jpg I'll try to take a pic of them on the rifle tonight. ETA: http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/22094/2376791720058660536S600x600Q85.jpg http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/43473/2002508780058660536S600x600Q85.jpg How did you get rid of the ribs? Dremel with a sanding bit. It'll come out looking pretty rough, but once you stipple it, it looks good. It was a lot more work than the ribbed ones, and you get little pieces of plastic everywhere, but when it's done it can look great. 
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Please, call me Joe
There is definitely something perverse about two men who carry guns 24/7 being so happy that others are giving theirs up. -happycynic
There is definitely something perverse about two men who carry guns 24/7 being so happy that others are giving theirs up. -happycynic
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Originally Posted By TCBA_Joe:
I did some KAC panels last week. Here are some mock-ups. http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/46207/2775247250058660536S600x600Q85.jpg I'll try to take a pic of them on the rifle tonight. ETA: http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/22094/2376791720058660536S600x600Q85.jpg http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/43473/2002508780058660536S600x600Q85.jpg I'd love to see what the stippling tip you used looks like. Did you file / dremel a screw or nail head like the first poster? |
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That's Titleist's rifles. He sent out for stimpling. Forgot who.
For my stimpling I just used a flat head on the soldering iron and poked holes.. quick tapping method. Came out way better than I would have expected. |
illegitimi non carborundum, post proelia praemia
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Here's my contribution.
I started with golf balls, and then used a small flat blade tip to "cut" the golf balls in half. The golf ball dimples really don't add much at all, but this pattern is grippy, but not too rough. It also looks pretty cool IMO. I also tried other patterns on an old AR grip, but this one is the easiest for me to control. 
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Originally Posted By magnum_99: Here's my contribution. I started with golf balls, and then used a small flat blade tip to "cut" the golf balls in half. The golf ball dimples really don't add much at all, but this pattern is grippy, but not too rough. It also looks pretty cool IMO. I also tried other patterns on an old AR grip, but this one is the easiest for me to control. http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/magnum_99/stipple2.jpg http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/magnum_99/stipple.jpg http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/magnum_99/stipple4.jpg http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/magnum_99/stipple3.jpg Damn, that's some nice looking tree bark pattern you got there! |
Go Ordnance!
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Originally Posted By AEnemaBay:
Originally Posted By magnum_99:
Here's my contribution. I started with golf balls, and then used a small flat blade tip to "cut" the golf balls in half. The golf ball dimples really don't add much at all, but this pattern is grippy, but not too rough. It also looks pretty cool IMO. I also tried other patterns on an old AR grip, but this one is the easiest for me to control. http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/magnum_99/stipple2.jpg http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/magnum_99/stipple.jpg http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/magnum_99/stipple4.jpg http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/magnum_99/stipple3.jpg Damn, that's some nice looking tree bark pattern you got there! Thanks. I'm pretty happy with it. I made sure to mask everything off, and only messed up once or twice on the edges, but was able to fix it with a little creative melting. I want to try some different patterns too. |
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Originally Posted By uscmCorps:
Originally Posted By TCBA_Joe:
I did some KAC panels last week. Here are some mock-ups. http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/46207/2775247250058660536S600x600Q85.jpg I'll try to take a pic of them on the rifle tonight. ETA: http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/22094/2376791720058660536S600x600Q85.jpg http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/43473/2002508780058660536S600x600Q85.jpg I'd love to see what the stippling tip you used looks like. Did you file / dremel a screw or nail head like the first poster? Yeah, I tried to do what the OP did. I can't take pictures though, I'm away from my stippling stuff for a few months. I took a barss philips head screw and cut a checkerboard into it. I then used a triangle file from a hobby file kit to sharpen it out. Then just went to town on the panels and kept going over it until it looked right. |
Please, call me Joe
There is definitely something perverse about two men who carry guns 24/7 being so happy that others are giving theirs up. -happycynic
There is definitely something perverse about two men who carry guns 24/7 being so happy that others are giving theirs up. -happycynic
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Does anyone carry a stippled gun concealed? I'm thinking of doing the checker board screw method but I'm worried about the stippling snagging my cover garment and causing printing. |
"During the second 100 days, we will design, build and open a library dedicated to my first 100 days." -Barack Obama, May 9 2009
Heat Stippling Polymer (A Tutorial) (Page 1 of 8)
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