READER TIPS V
Reader Tips I / Reader Tips II / Reader Tips III / Reader Tips IV / Reader Tips V / Reader Tips VI / Reader Tips VII / Reader Tips VIII / Reader Tips IX / Stick Tech

We picked ten reader tips for publication this month! And we're giving the authors E-Lacrosse Tech Team 2000 reversible Tanks!

WARNING: Ovens, lighters, matches, knives, and other tools called for in this tips section can be dangerous when not properly used. If you intend on trying any of these tips at home, you must tell your parents exactly what your plans are before proceding. Improper use of some of the tools suggested can result in cutting, burning or staining yourself or your family's property. So ask FIRST, and be careful!


THE TOP TIPS
(in no particular order)

Submitted by Dave

I recently dyed my proton from last season using the glue gun technique and navy, red and white rit dye. I am so happy with it. I have one of the neatest designs on my team. I had trouble removing the glue, especially when I got to the little bits and pieces left over. I then decided to use Goo Gone, which stripped away all remaining glue. This may be helpful for dyers who have encountered the same problem.


Submitted by Jack Carroll

Instead of useing a glue gun to create that "splatter look" use rubber cement. This will allow you to be able to remove it more easily, and it also won't melt your stick.













Submitted by Taylor Mason of Silver Spring, MD

Here's some good tips when making a confetti dye job on any head. First start off bye going to any hardware store and get Electricians Wire Marking Stickers. They work great because they have a really strong adhesive and stick really well. (Remember to heat set them, with a blow dryer or holding it over the stove. It should work well if you do it properly. It did for me and it was my first time!




Submitted by Dan Moss and Alec Corliss

To get perfect mesh, use acrylic spray paint and spray the mesh with it. If you don't want to have cool colors in your stick just spray it white. The acrylic mesh has much better control, like soft mesh and the durability of hard mesh. To get it 2 colors (only 1 color per side by ncaa rules) hang the mesh piece on a clothes line and spray it then when it dries spray it from the other side.

To dye a cool fade just submerge your whole stick in the dye then VERY slowly (over about 3 minutes) pull it out so that the color is dark then fades to white.

To get really cool balls just use a low temp glue gun and splatter glue all over the balls then put them in the dye. To remove the glue run it under cold water and peel it off.


Submitted by unknown

If you're going to dye a head, use electrical tape. Don't use duct tape. The strings in the duct tape will absorb the dye and leak through to the head below. This leaves you with checker board pattern that I think looks terrible.


Submitted by Matt Spurgeon

Hey this is a tip for all of you out there who dye your heads. I dye my heads frequently in various colors. last week I had a little accident and turned what should have been navy into a strange purple color. Well the next day I got alot of crap at practice. I had to do something but I didn't know what. I went to the grocery store I wasn't sure how much I could do because it was so dark. I discovered that RIT the makers of the dyes, also makes this great product called Rit over color (or something very similar it come in a white box) Basically you follow the standard dyeing procedure using the over color. For me it turned my head to a very very light hardly noticeable blue that I dyed over in yellow and now it's looking good. Hope this helps you people out with your dyeing.


Submitted by Paolo Perna

I was doing a hot glue dye job and I found that if you take an additional small piece of glue and make it run off the edge of the stick it makes a little tab so all you have to do is pull that to start the peeling process and you will have no need for a razor blade.


Submitted by Adam Yamamoto of Fairfax, Virginia

I string sticks for Advantage Lacrosse, in Burke, VA, and have strung many Sure Shot Brine pockets. If you are stringing a sure shot, keep this in mind: the diamonds must be tighter than normal, or else the nylon "leathers" will bunch up and will create terrible "wip" that can't be taken out. Think of it as stringing a girl's lacrosse stick. Keep the pocket tight until you're done stringing. Then stretch it out using a pocket screw (the best invention ever). The pocket screw is made my Debeer lacrosse...find one!


Submitted by Charlie Cullum of Dallas, Texas

For an excellent traditional stick, after stringing, dip the head in water then throw around with it and adjust the strings to the way you want it to throw. Once you are finished throwing around, leave the head out to dry. This makes the nylons "set" into the leathers, which will give you a better performance with ball control and shooting, due to the strings not moving around.


Submitted by Bill of Ricmond, VA

Everyone always talks abou RIT dye, but in my store they carry something called Tintex. Just wanted readers to know there was another brand they could use.








Thanks to all for participating. Keep sending your tips and we'll pick another ten in a few months! Send them to john@tonabricks.com!