How to flock the plastic Asmus Gandalf hat!
Step One: get your flocking powder. I found Etsy to have the best/cheapest choices.
For $5.75 US you can get a rayon velvet nail flocking kit like this. (it doesn't take much)
Or you can buy larger bags if you want.
You can also mix the powders to get the exact colour you desire.
Step Two: set up
You will need a large bowl, Flocking powder, a glass, screw driver or dowel stick, adhesive, a sieve, alcohol,
soft paint brush, paper towels, and a plastic bag (or something slick) to work on.
CAUTION: The flocking powder is very fine, and can easily be inhaled.
If your worried I'd recommend you wear some kind of dust mask to prevent inhalation!
Step Three:
Wipe down the hat with the alcohol to remove any oils.
Step Four:
wet some paper towel and squeeze out the water. Jam it inside the hat- tightly,
then poke the screw driver (or dowel) into it, so it will firmly hold, giving you
something to hang on to.
Make sure it doesn't cover anything you want flocked.
Step five:
Open your bottle of adhesive. I used this-
Make sure it' remains "flexible" after drying.
Then with the brush, paint on a nice thin (but not too thin),
even coat on all surfaces you want flocked.
Do not let the glue puddle in the creases.
Make sure not to coat the little pad with the magnet on the inside front.
(I removed the screw driver for most of this step to make it easier)
Make double sure you get the edges of the brim!
Step Six: Flocking
Place the screw driver into the glass, and the glass into the bowl
(to catch the excess flocking powder).
Pour some flocking powder into the sieve...over your plastic bag/slick working surface.
and lightly shake/tap the side of the sieve over the hat, letting the flock rain down
onto it.
you will need to pick up the screw diver and turn it around, to make sure you coat all surfaces of the hat
as heavily as possible. Let the excess fly into the bowl (you can reclaim it when finished)!
Put it on way heavier than needed. Then when done, lightly tap it off over the bowl and repeat.
It should now look like this- with a too heavy coating... don't worry the excess will fall right off.
Step Seven:
Allow to dry for recommended time for your chosen adhesive.
Then come back and lightly tap off the excess.
I found that sometime I will get uneven colour patches (lighter spots).
To remedy I found that I could shake more powder onto those surfaces
(without additional glue), and lightly rub it in with my fingers, then
gently shake/blow on that surface and everything seems to even out.
Step Eight:
Admire your handy work!!
Finished product.
Now you can scrape, pour, all the leftover flocking from the bowl and the
plastic working surface, back into the container it came in, to use on another project.
Good luck and hope this helps?!
Also: I have not had any bleeding from the flocking
I used onto the hair/head of my figure.
I have wet the flocking in my hands, and my tools, rubbed it thoroughly, and have not seen any release of pigment.