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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => DIY Discussions ARCHIVE => Topic started by: megarat on Mon, 24 August 2009, 23:09:12
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I haven't seen much talk on this forum of vinyl dye, in spite of the fact that others seem to be using it with some success, especially for projects like case-painting.
I've been in the passive market for an Alphasmart Neo for a while, and happened across this web page (http://vancefry.com/projects/red-neo/) showcasing a Neo with a Ferrari-red dye job. In the past couple of weeks, I stumbled into an opportunity to pick up some retired surplus Neos and Neo2s super-cheap. I grabbed three: two Neo2s and one Neo1; one of the Neo2s was dead and largely unsalvageable, but the others, in spite of some case scuffing and marks, worked fine.
Since the cases were Sharpied up with lots of school ID information, I figured this was a natural opportunity for some dye-work, so I gave it a shot. I bought two cans of SEM Color Coat: Burgundy and Satin Black, and I went to town. The result is below.
As usual, my amateur photography is glaring out the colors quite a bit. Here it looks more tomato-red, but in real life (or, at least, as I personally perceive it in the visual spectrum) it's more brownish in that true-burgundy kind of way. I used the black for the case bottom, which makes a nice contrast.
(Also, I mixed up the keyboard with black key caps from a Neo2, and army-green key caps from a Neo1. I'm not sure if I like this two-tone mix, or if I'll go back to all-black.)
I wish I'd taken a "before" photo, as this thing looked pretty gnarly initially. There were lots of identification marks in indelible black ink that are now invisible. You can still faintly see the "Neo" logo if you pay attention. It might have gone away with a few more coats, but I think it looks fine and I didn't want to chance it.
My impressions of vinyl dye are, currently, positive. Or at least, my impressions with using SEM vinyl dye with this type of plastic. YYMV, I suppose. It applies like spray paint, which means there's a lot of room for error, but it seemed to drip less and wasn't that difficult to use, as long as you're not being an idiot (as I was during my first experiment). If you're wondering about the "dye" part, this isn't a true dye, per se, in that it doesn't permeate the plastic like Rit dye does, but it does apparently make a deep bond with the plastic, for better color penetration, and it's also flexible, which can make it more durable to abuse.
I'd be curious to hear about the experiences of others with vinyl dye, if there are any. Likewise, if you're looking to recolor some keyboard/computer/etc. cases, I would recommend giving this stuff a try. (Although I highly recommend first practicing on a disposable object of similar material, (a) to get the hang of the spraying motion, and (b) to assess its color.)
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Nice I like it. I haven't gotten to dying yet I'm still in the collecting mode. In about a month or so I should be switching over and will give this a try. Now the question is what do I want to dye fist the keys or the case? That is going to be a hard choice to make I think.
Oh BTW I have to say I love the dye job you did on that HHKB Pro I got from you.
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Oh BTW I have to say I love the dye job you did on that HHKB Pro I got from you.
Nice, thanks. I'm glad you're enjoying it. I still have my "mobility" HHKB with effectively the same color scheme and I love it as well. There are no plans to get rid of that guy in the near future.
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I highly recommend first practicing on a disposable object of similar material, (a) to get the hang of the spraying motion, and (b) to assess its color.)
Disposable object? Like one of these (http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?t=534703)? :lol:
Looks like you can do wonders (http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/6994/17zj6.jpg) with this stuff.
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Disposable object? Like one of these (http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?t=534703)? :lol:
Looks like you can do wonders (http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/6994/17zj6.jpg) with this stuff.
I honestly can't tell what the difference is...
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I'd be curious to hear about the experiences of others with vinyl dye, if there are any.
I used Dupli-Color Vinyl and Fabric Coating on one of my Model M Space Savers:
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:6759
I'd seen some debate on one of the case-modding forums as to whether the Dupli-Color product was vinyl dye or paint. When I used it the overspray was absorbed back into the plastic, unlike regular spray paint, so I'm guessing it's closer to dye than paint. In any case, I'm pretty happy with the results.
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Has anyone tried the scratch test yet (maybe with a spare key or something)? I'm a little skeptical that this stuff actually soaks much into the plastic.
From what I've read it doesn't soak well into shiny plastic or plastic with any kind of coating on it. It seemed to take well on the Model M case after I prepped it with a light sanding and a couple coats of "adhesion promoter", so maybe the prep is the key. I don't think it'd work too well on keys, though.
When I get some time I'll try it on a cheapo keyboard case I've got laying around here and then cut it open and post some photos.
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I absolutely love the dark grey / army green key combination, it resambles the space-cadet keyboard.
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The real test is if you can scratch off the paint with a credit card. If so then "vinyl dye" may not be the most accurate name.
I just tried scratching the back of my Space Saver with a screwdriver. I had to use a decent amount of pressure before the original color showed but it doesn't seem to have penetrated as deep as, say, Rit Dye. Maybe "vinyl coating" (which is the wording used on the Dupli-Color can) is a more accurate term, however this stuff is definitely different than normal spray paint.
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The real test is if you can scratch off the paint with a credit card. If so then "vinyl dye" may not be the most accurate name.
Likewise, of the two Alphasmarts I "painted" with the stuff, I gave the one I don't plan to keep a round of innocuous scratch tests.
I was only able to see the "army green" color of the original plastic if I went pretty deep with a jeweler's screwdriver. I can't say that this is a true dye, but it definitely keeps its coat much better than spray paint. I've been told that this stuff bonds with the plastic rather than just coating and drying, and that seems to be an accurate description.