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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: captain on Sat, 07 April 2012, 14:40:15

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: captain on Sat, 07 April 2012, 14:40:15

(http://img.tapatalk.com/a6f9c146-98d7-5580.jpg)(http://img.tapatalk.com/a6f9c146-98e7-1f8b.jpg)


Today was the big day. I put the darker keys in Kelly Green, the lighter keys in Chartreuse.  I'll post more as results come in.

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: captain on Sat, 07 April 2012, 16:43:25

After 3hrs soaking, time for heat.
Microwaving to ~190F

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: captain on Sat, 07 April 2012, 16:49:05

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: captain on Sat, 07 April 2012, 16:59:28

It is looking like an epic fail. :-(

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: captain on Sat, 07 April 2012, 17:08:20

My pants, on the other hand...  ;-P

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sun, 08 April 2012, 13:40:26

Those pants with the right hat and attitude....

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: keyboardlover on Sun, 08 April 2012, 17:50:01

...STILL belong in the 80s.

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: Soheil on Mon, 09 April 2012, 12:23:41

So what were the results?  Can you post pictures of the keys as fail as they may be?

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: captain on Thu, 26 April 2012, 07:00:08

I'll have to go hunt them up again. The only difference between brand new keys and these dyed ones is a slight green tint to a couple of stems. The keycaps didn't take any dye at all. I'm pretty sure this is because we used an acid dye, which is designed to work on wool and other natural fibers. Dharma makes many different types of dyes, and I believe they have one that is designed for synthetic fibers which is probably ideal for dying PBT keycaps.

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: captain on Thu, 26 April 2012, 07:05:05

Rinsing revealed nary a splotch, which is a good thing because now I have a second chance to try with the correct dye!  

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: dorkvader on Thu, 26 April 2012, 18:22:19

Why are you dying the bottom half of the two-piece keycaps?

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: WhiteFireDragon on Sat, 28 April 2012, 06:26:47

I'll post my results shortly. I've spent nearly $50 on dye alone, most from Dharma, and no results were good.

Title: Dye PBT keycaps with Dharma pro dyes
Post by: keebler64 on Sat, 28 April 2012, 23:37:51

Quote from: WhiteFireDragon;584705

I'll post my results shortly. I've spent nearly $50 on dye alone, most from Dharma, and no results were good.

Your results sound like mine, minus the burning/melting. Tried Dharma and RIT on my NEC keys (I think they're PBT) for over an hour. RIT had the best results, except thr black turned my keys brown, then charcoal.

Good luck.