Hydrographic Printing by Hydro Print Services

Frequently Asked Questions:

We hope this list covers the majority of your questions, but if you have specific questions that aren't covered here, please feel free to contact us.

*Can you print on my <insert item>?* Nearly any surface or part that is a hard (non-flexible) surface that can get wet will be able to be printed. A wide variety of flat or 3-D shapes with compound curves, and the majority of manufacturing materials (plastics, metals, wood, glass, ceramics and much more) can be printed. One of the significant advantages of water transfer printing over traditional decorating methods is that it does allow printing of dimensional and curved surfaces without leaving seams or voids. My shotgun/rifle/whatever has some surface rust on it. Can you fix that? Yes! Most new condition materials will need minimal preparation. Heavily weathered/oxidized/rusted or otherwise compromised materials and certain types of plastics will likely need additional preparation (some plastics such as ABS don't need any prep at all!). We can provide restorative services for even very heavily rusted surfaces, but additional charges may apply. If you aren't sure about your particular application we invite you to contact us and we will help you determine the best materials for your project. What is the cost? Water Transfer Printing is economical and overcomes problems faced by conventional methods such as hot printing, screen printing, transfer printing, and conversion coating. Please see our price list for more information. Is Water Transfer Printing durable? We like to let our product speak for itself. Some of our clientele are automobile and boat manufacturers and military and law enforcement, all of whom demand the highest standards of quality and durability. Many parts we manufacture spend the majority of their lives in direct exposure, such as boat instrument panels. The clear coat we use is automotive grade, designed to withstand nature and time.

Can you print on my <insert item>?
Nearly any surface or part that is a hard (non-flexible) surface that can get wet will be able to be printed. A wide variety of flat or 3-D shapes with compound curves, and the majority of manufacturing materials (plastics, metals, wood, glass, ceramics and much more) can be printed. One of the significant advantages of water transfer printing over traditional decorating methods is that it does allow printing of dimensional and curved surfaces without leaving seams or voids.
My shotgun/rifle/whatever has some surface rust on it. Can you fix that?
Yes! Most new condition materials will need minimal preparation. Heavily weathered/oxidized/rusted or otherwise compromised materials and certain types of plastics will likely need additional preparation (some plastics such as ABS don't need any prep at all!). We can provide restorative services for even very heavily rusted surfaces, but additional charges may apply. If you aren't sure about your particular application we invite you to contact us and we will help you determine the best materials for your project.
What is the cost?
Water Transfer Printing is economical and overcomes problems faced by conventional methods such as hot printing, screen printing, transfer printing, and conversion coating. Please see our price list for more information.
Is Water Transfer Printing durable?
We like to let our product speak for itself. Some of our clientele are automobile and boat manufacturers and military and law enforcement, all of whom demand the highest standards of quality and durability. Many parts we manufacture spend the majority of their lives in direct exposure, such as boat instrument panels. The clear coat we use is automotive grade, designed to withstand nature and time.

	How long is your turnaround time? We currently quote a 10-15 business day turnaround. While it may not actually take the full 3 weeks to produce your piece, we like to give plenty of time for rework if necessary, but more importantly for the curing of our top coats to provide maximum durability. We also need to schedule around jobs that have come in the door ahead of you. Rush service may be available (for a slight premium) and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis if requested. Can items that are not correctly printed be reprinted? Yes, items that are not printed to our satisfaction can in most cases be reprinted. This can be especially important for our OEM clients to reduce waste. We strive for a level of quality that both you and we can be proud of. How scratch resistant or durable is the final product? Durability of the finish is largely dependent upon initial surface prep and clear top coat. We have several different options for the top coats we use depending upon the application. The most common product is a 2 part urethane similar to that used on auto exteriors. Other products may be used where circumstances such as high heat or other environmental concerns may apply. Do you have to cover a decorated part with clear coat? The clear top coat is an important and integral part of the process. It assures optimal results for scratching firmness and longevity and adds minimal surface thickness to the print. It also allows us to give you the desired level of sheen for your project - from matte/flat to high-gloss and everything in between.

How long is your turnaround time?
We currently quote a 10-15 business day turnaround. While it may not actually take the full 3 weeks to produce your piece, we like to give plenty of time for rework if necessary, but more importantly for the curing of our top coats to provide maximum durability. We also need to schedule around jobs that have come in the door ahead of you. Rush service may be available (for a slight premium) and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis if requested.
Can items that are not correctly printed be reprinted?
Yes, items that are not printed to our satisfaction can in most cases be reprinted. This can be especially important for our OEM clients to reduce waste. We strive for a level of quality that both you and we can be proud of.
How scratch resistant or durable is the final product?
Durability of the finish is largely dependent upon initial surface prep and clear top coat. We have several different options for the top coats we use depending upon the application. The most common product is a 2 part urethane similar to that used on auto exteriors. Other products may be used where circumstances such as high heat or other environmental concerns may apply.
Do you have to cover a decorated part with clear coat?
The clear top coat is an important and integral part of the process. It assures optimal results for scratching firmness and longevity and adds minimal surface thickness to the print. It also allows us to give you the desired level of sheen for your project - from matte/flat to high-gloss and everything in between.

*Can you do <insert pattern> camo?* Our supplier is the largest supplier of camouflage films worldwide. They are the exclusive distributor for several camouflage companies including Backland Outdoors, Brush Country, Crye Precision, Cowboy Camo, GameGuard Camouflage, King's Outdoor World, LongLeaf, Lynch Outdoor Products, Mathew, Montana Camouflage, Mothwing, Next Camo, Rocky Mountain Camouflage, SnakeSkin Illusions, Tiger Stripe Products, Toadbak, TruWoods, Vanish Camo and others. Take a look at our pattern selector, we have nearly 300 different patterns to choose from! Can you create a custom film or pattern? Yes we can, but it is often cost prohibitive for anything other than OEM applications due to the minimum amounts of film that would need to be purchased. Artwork can usually be taken through to prototype film within 4-6 weeks. If you want something different than the stock patterns, many of our patterns can be further customized by changing the color of the base coat! Take a look at our gallery and you can see some examples. HPS-299 water drops is a perfect example of this, as are many of the carbon fibers.

Can you do <insert pattern> camo?
Our supplier is the largest supplier of camouflage films worldwide. They are the exclusive distributor for several camouflage companies including Backland Outdoors, Brush Country, Crye Precision, Cowboy Camo, GameGuard Camouflage, King's Outdoor World, LongLeaf, Lynch Outdoor Products, Mathew, Montana Camouflage, Mothwing, Next Camo, Rocky Mountain Camouflage, SnakeSkin Illusions, Tiger Stripe Products, Toadbak, TruWoods, Vanish Camo and others. Take a look at our pattern selector, we have nearly 300 different patterns to choose from!
Can you create a custom film or pattern?
Yes we can, but it is often cost prohibitive for anything other than OEM applications due to the minimum amounts of film that would need to be purchased. Artwork can usually be taken through to prototype film within 4-6 weeks. If you want something different than the stock patterns, many of our patterns can be further customized by changing the color of the base coat! Take a look at our gallery and you can see some examples. HPS-299 water drops is a perfect example of this, as are many of the carbon fibers.

	Why do similar sized parts vary in price? HPS Pricing is within industry standards and is not a reflection of the size of a particular part, but rather how much labor is involved with and the peculiar challenges of printing each piece. Do you offer a warranty? Yes, HPS will warranty dipped products for 1 year for any failure that is determined to be HPS's responsibility. Negligence and improper care are not considered warranty circumstances. We will include information relating to warranty and product care with your return shipment. Non warranty touch ups service is available at a slightly reduced rate. Revolver cylinders are not warrantied for cylinder ring wear, nor are flexible surfaces such as rubber butt pads or flip-up scope covers. How should I prepare my piece before I send it to you? Most parts are fine as-is, but certain items need a little bit of work on your part. We're happy to do it, but will need to charge accordingly. All parts should be relatively clean. Automotive parts shoud be grease and grime free. Firearms should be cleaned and grease free - a light oil for preservation is fine, but if your gun is caked or soaked with grease or cosmolene, etc. you're better off to do the removal yourself. If it comes to us like some of the surplus guns we've seen, we will have to charge you for this extra labor. We will contact you for approval before we start the work if this is necessary.

Why do similar sized parts vary in price?
HPS Pricing is within industry standards and is not a reflection of the size of a particular part, but rather how much labor is involved with and the peculiar challenges of printing each piece.
Do you offer a warranty?
Yes, HPS will warranty dipped products for 1 year for any failure that is determined to be HPS's responsibility. Negligence and improper care are not considered warranty circumstances. We will include information relating to warranty and product care with your return shipment. Non warranty touch ups service is available at a slightly reduced rate. Revolver cylinders are not warrantied for cylinder ring wear, nor are flexible surfaces such as rubber butt pads or flip-up scope covers.
How should I prepare my piece before I send it to you?
Most parts are fine as-is, but certain items need a little bit of work on your part. We're happy to do it, but will need to charge accordingly. All parts should be relatively clean. Automotive parts shoud be grease and grime free. Firearms should be cleaned and grease free - a light oil for preservation is fine, but if your gun is caked or soaked with grease or cosmolene, etc. you're better off to do the removal yourself. If it comes to us like some of the surplus guns we've seen, we will have to charge you for this extra labor. We will contact you for approval before we start the work if this is necessary.