Rit dye and keys

[Chloe]

I found some colour recipes:
http://www.theclothshoplondon.com/fabric_dye/ritdye/with_rit_dye_powder.htm

[xsphat]

Nice find Chloe, thanks. I'm no artist so that will help me decide what to do.

[wellington1869]

Did you add vinegar to the water? I have read that it helps when dyeing nylon so maybe it would work for other plastics too.

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that adding salt has the same effect. I think that was for dyeing clothes tho.

[Chloe]

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that adding salt has the same effect. I think that was for dyeing clothes tho.

I remember the Dylon instructions said to add salt in the drum, I think to fix the dye. Vinegar increases the acidity of the dye.

[wellington1869]

Nice find Chloe, thanks. I'm no artist so that will help me decide what to do.

For me the challenge will be to avoid having it wind up looking like a children's keyboard

Trying to choose some classy colors. Charcoal keys with red or yellow escape key is the standby scheme, I guess. (A baby blue escape key might be neat and unusual too.)

As an alternative to basic charcoal, khaki green looks pretty cool for the main keys, maybe with a "camoflauge" scheme (khaki tan escape key?).
Forest green might be neat too.

Blue spruce would be unusual, a kind of "subdued" blue. Not sure what color escape key would go with that. Maybe we need a color wheel like they have to match colors on websites, lol.

[iMav]

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that adding salt has the same effect. I think that was for dyeing clothes tho.

I added salt to the dye every time (as that is in the instructions).

[lam47]

I'm surprised that the dylon did not work as it seems to be the same stuff as the rit.
A powder you add salt too.
I will have a go with the rit when it gets here. Might be a while, Chrimbo and all.

[Chloe]

Laurie, did you use the machine dye (box) or the little disc packet?

[cchan]

For me the challenge will be to avoid having it wind up looking like a children's keyboard

Trying to choose some classy colors. Charcoal keys with red or yellow escape key is the standby scheme, I guess. (A baby blue escape key might be neat and unusual too.)

As an alternative to basic charcoal, khaki green looks pretty cool for the main keys, maybe with a "camoflauge" scheme (khaki tan escape key?).
Forest green might be neat too.

Blue spruce would be unusual, a kind of "subdued" blue. Not sure what color escape key would go with that. Maybe we need a color wheel like they have to match colors on websites, lol.

With a subdued blue keyboard, I'd go for a darker blue or yellow Esc key.

[lam47]

Laurie, did you use the machine dye (box) or the little disc packet?

They have changed the range. They make the machine dye in a box and the hand wash dye as a powder in a sachet. I used the hand wash dye.
It had no effect at all on a white cherry mx key.

[lam47]

Im going to be using brown and red to match my Ubuntu

[cchan]

lam47, I want that wallpaper? Download link plz!

[lam47]

I dont recall the link but pm your email address and I will send the file.

[lowpoly]

http://blackeri.cgsociety.org/gallery/

[wellington1869]

With a subdued blue keyboard, I'd go for a darker blue or yellow Esc key.

ok, here are the three schemes I'm thinking of for my three boards. On all three I'm dying the frame as well.

1) smk85: charcoal: frame and all keys. baby blue: escape key.
2) dell at101w: "camouflage" scheme. chocolate brown: frame. khaki tan: auxiliary keys. khaki green: main letter keys.
3) ibm m: charcoal: frame. blue spruce: all keys. orange or yellow: escape key.

hmmm, I dont have a red escape key! maybe I'll do that on a fourth board.

[cchan]

ok, here are the three schemes I'm thinking of for my three boards. On all three I'm dying the frame as well.

1) smk85: charcoal: frame and all keys. baby blue: escape key.
2) dell at101w: "camouflage" scheme. chocolate brown: frame. khaki tan: auxiliary keys. khaki green: main letter keys.
3) ibm m: charcoal: frame. blue spruce: all keys. orange or yellow: escape key.

hmmm, I dont have a red escape key! maybe I'll do that on a fourth board.

Well, I'm thinking of:

IBM Model M (once I get the damn 5.5mm socket): All stealth black, red Esc key
Dell AT101W: Charcoal frame, light purple keys, darker purple Esc key
Focus FK-2001: Olive drab frame and keys

[wellington1869]

IBM Model M (once I get the damn 5.5mm socket): All stealth black, red Esc key

thats sounds good, maybe I'll do that too for the M, tho with charcoal and red.

I'd like to do something in blue spruce tho, I like that 'subdued blue' color.

[xsphat]

I've always wanted to do a camouflage keyboard, but I've never been a redneck, so I haven't yet (that and nothing every worked for dyeing keyboards before)

[lam47]

Hey.
Got my rit today.
Just tried a couple of keys.
One has got some blotchy patches I'm not sure why.

Also I am not sure how I am going to fit a whole case on the hob?
I dont have a baking tray big enough.
Dose anyone think it will work if I dont keep the water heated and just do it in a large plastic basin?

These are MX caps from a g81 3000.
Cooked for 10min with a spoon of dye and some salt.

[bigpook]

Thats a nice looking red. I take it you want to do the whole 'board that way? I am thinking fire engines : )

[Chloe]

They look good. Did you clean them with isopropyl alcohol first? For the case, one of those huge catering baking trays that can sit on stove hobs would be ideal.

[andb]

I don't think anyone has mentioned dying the index finger home keys. I'm thinking to make a whole board charcoal with just "F" and "J" as mix of grey / red. The purpose being to possibly make it easier to drop my fingers on the right place when I start touch typing (which I'm still terrible at).

This is the only practical need for dying keys that I can see outside of gaming. I'd consider making a custom dyed keyboard for Startcraft, but then Id have to dye just about every key, lol.

[lam47]

OK I think, I think the temp might have been just a little too high. Im not sure I will let you judge.






Its a shame as the colour has come out lovely.
The plastic must have been softer.
The keyboard is unusable quite upset now.

[bigpook]

wow, thats too bad. the color is *****in' though.

I take it the water was boiling? How long do the keys have to stay in for the color to take?
Hopefully, this was a sacrificial keyboard.

[Chloe]

Do the keycaps from the G81-3000 fit? Maybe the plastic can be remolded.

[lam47]

They don't fit no. They are far too shallow to even push onto the switches.
Re moulding I did try in some more hot water bet the space bar just cracked.

I will try again but off the hob.
Not sure if the colour will take so well though.

[lam47]

wow, thats too bad. the color is *****in' though.

I take it the water was boiling? How long do the keys have to stay in for the color to take?
Hopefully, this was a sacrificial keyboard.

Not boiling no just almost boiling as per instructions on the site.
It took about 20min to get to this colour.
If I had pulled them out 5min earlier they would have been OK.
The heat just got too much I guess.

I want to do my Goldtouch but am afraid

[Chloe]

Some plastics are softer than others. Maybe it would be better to not use the hob? Or dye them in 5-10 minute stages?

[andb]

Some plastics are softer than others. Maybe it would be better to not use the hob? Or dye them in 5-10 minute stages?

Stages could help to get a darker color. It would probably mean that the color wouldnt penetrate as deeply.  I think dying is going to be popular here, so hopefully we can learn tips about what 'boards plastics can handle what level of heat...

Sorry to see that board of yours damaged, but thanks for sharing the lesson,  lam47.

[wellington1869]

OK I think, I think the temp might have been just a little too high. Im not sure I will let you judge.

LOL!!

(By the way thats a really nice color. )

Dose anyone think it will work if I dont keep the water heated and just do it in a large plastic basin?

Yes it will work; i've done t-shirts that way (and only with hot tap water and salt, no boiling) and it does stick (even if color is not as deep, you can still do it multiple times).  Obviously anything would be better than melted keys...

The keyboard is unusable

put it up on ebay, see what happens  (kidding, but would be funny though!)

It took about 20min to get to this colour

IIRC from the instructions, 20 minutes is on the very long side; I remember even for t-shirts I think they only say about 10 minutes. I'll go out on a limb here and say what all geekhackers learned from this tragedy is to do it in short stages!

One has got some blotchy patches I'm not sure why.

IIRC, blotchy patches if not enough stirring (same thing happens with t-shirts; have to stir *continuously* else will get blotches...

[lam47]

No worries. I wont melt the next one.

[lam47]

put it up on ebay, see what happens  (kidding, but would be funny though!)

I might do.
Not sure anyone would want it though.
Its a shame as I liked this one. I used it as my Linux board as a lot of mine dont have windows keys.

Never mind.

I will do the Goldtouch tonight and post the results.
Plastic is very pale so I think will take the colour quicker.

Cross everything for me.

[wellington1869]

I might do.
I will do the Goldtouch tonight and post the results.
Plastic is very pale so I think will take the colour quicker.

I'm still really amazed at how incredibly well RIT works on plastic keys. Its like it came out of the factory that way (minus the melting of course).  Sooooooo much better than painting.  RIT basically turns all our keyboards into a canvas.

Cross everything for me.

Crossed...  Just remember you are providing an invaluable service to Science

[Therac-25]

This is a part of a discussion I had with this guy a while back (for those interested), first his experience, then an overview of some of the stuff I researched. He tried it, and it wears/chips off after a while.

Wow, it was kind of creepy to click on one of those links ( http://www.jonlee.ca/how-to-diy-das-keyboard-using-a-model-m/ ) and find a post from myself from like a year and a half ago from when I was trying to paint my old Customizer 101 with Krylon (it was fail)...

I had two Customizers, but I don't seem to know where the other one got put.  My mom was using it before she got her Mac, so it might still be at her house.  If I can get ahold of it, I'll try doing the whole thing black (unless a more awesome colour scheme comes to mind).

There's not much I can do with the brown shaded keys.  Either I have a matching dark/light colour scheme, or just do the whole thing black.

[iMav]

I don't think the water has to be all that hot.  Better to try lower temps first.  

That red looks very nice, BTW.

[bigpook]

"In the blacksmith´s home, the knives are made from wood."

nice quote

[wellington1869]

"In the blacksmith´s home, the knives are made from wood."

nice quote

nice quote but I confess I dont get it!

[wellington1869]

I'm thinking to make a whole board charcoal with just "F" and "J" as mix of grey / red.

I think thats a really neat idea.

[Chloe]

nice quote but I confess I dont get it!

I think the meaning is the same:
http://www.answers.com/topic/the-shoemaker-s-son-always-goes-barefoot

[xsphat]

Oh great, since I'm a writer, my kid won't be able to read?

[lowpoly]

As fort plastic melting temperatures, I just mentioned in another thread that I melted the upper case of an Ambra Model M in the dishwasher using the 50 degree Celsius program. First time that happened and I'm sure they used a soft low melt plastic here but that seems - for now - to be the point where melting starts.

Of course I don't know how precise the dishwasher temperature is.

[bigpook]

Oh great, since I'm a writer, my kid won't be able to read?

I am sure they will be able to read, they just may not be able to write, dang...fail.

En casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo

I don't have an children, but I do program telephone systems for a living. When I get home, I don't answer the phone when it rings. I actually hate ringing telephones. I let my wife answer the calls. Everyone of importance to me will email me anyway.

btw, that quote is in iMav's sig. I thought it was interesting.

[lam47]

Well Its not right yet.
These are keys from my Goldtouch.
The water was kept at just bellow boiling and still the dye did not take.
On the handle however it looks OK.
Any advice on rescuing this salmon pink monstrosity?

[lowpoly]

Maybe try it again with more dye? Be careful with the temperature.

Any plastic identification for ex. in the space bar?

Edit: Would be good to start with a single key, for ex. Escape.

[xsphat]

Wow, don't take that keyboard to a LAN party or they'll think you're a frag!

[Chloe]

I would try black dye. Any shade of grey would be better than that pink.

[lam47]

Wow, don't take that keyboard to a LAN party or they'll think you're a frag!

GTT-L
>ABS<

The MX caps were a lot better to dye.
I will order some more red and have another shot at it.
I feel I might just have to spray and lacquer them though.

[lam47]

I would try black dye. Any shade of grey would be better than that pink.

This might be my best bet.
I should have just done the one key for sure.
Stupid impulsive me!!!

[andb]

Anyone here done woodworking or painted a car? Layers and patience are the keys. I think that as shown with Lam47's salmon keys, this approach may also work. Lam, how about trying it another 20 times on those same keys? I'm laughing, but serious at the same time. I mentioned that the dye may not go as deep, but then again, we dont crack open the keycaps so often do we? We may have to make a list of keyboards and optimum dyeing temperatures

Lam, you mention you were using this as your linux board, what do you need the "Super" key (proper name for the 'windows' key in Linux parlance) that couldn't be remapped to something else? Its  really easy to set up alternatives for Compiz's  effects. I have maybe 1 keyboard with a 'Super' key, and never missed it.

[andb]

Oh great, since I'm a writer, my kid won't be able to read?

The quote is more that those who work in a specific field aren't interested in doing such work for themselves. The cobblers children often go barefoot or the blacksmith's horse is often unshod are two typical ones in English. So extending the idea, as a writer, its more likely that you won't bother writing anything for yourself or your family. There is still hope for your kids

I see this often in firms doing web consulting, the ones who have done the most amazing work for clients have sites themselves that look like something from 10 years ago.