Having dirty thoughts.... SSK & dye involved

[silas1128]

So I'll be getting my SSK back soon. And I keep thinking about popping the case off and dying it black and snagging an M13 black badge. Then I was thinking leaving the darker grey keys alone and dying all the other keys blue or green. Or maybe even better, getting blank black keys for most and just dye the main keys. Or I could just dye all the keys blue or green and the grey ones will just be a bit darker.

I'd grab an old model m or buy some keys to play around with first, to get the timing and everything. But I've read a ton and think I could pull it off.

dying thread for reference: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=35444.0

[dorkvader]

I thought the SSK badges were smaller than normal model M badges and thus the m13 badge won't fit.

You'd have to get an industrial SSK for a black SSK badge. Good luck!

[Xowie]

I recently conducted a lot of dying experiments and would be happy to answer any questions if you through with this....or at least try to 

[silas1128]

I thought the SSK badges were smaller than normal model M badges and thus the m13 badge won't fit.

You'd have to get an industrial SSK for a black SSK badge. Good luck!

Hmm, looks like you may be right, and it'd be impossible to get one of those. I'll have to see what else I can come up with. Could potentially trim an M13 badge.

I recently conducted a lot of dying experiments and would be happy to answer any questions if you through with this....or at least try to 

Thanks! I'll definitely keep you in mind as I think about this.

[Oobly]

AFAIK, the case is a different material to the keycaps and will not accept dye very well or easily, so be careful with that.

I believe fohat.digs has some experience with this and that he paints his cases rather than dying.

The keycaps accept dye amazingly well. The newer Rit dyes are apparently a different formulation and don't work as well as the old version. I have read that iDye Poly is a good one to use.

[fohat.digs]

I recently conducted a lot of dying experiments and would be happy to answer any questions

PLEASE - create a detailed guide.

Dyeing is a topic that many people are very interested in - especially if it involves ABS and successful results.

[silas1128]

AFAIK, the case is a different material to the keycaps and will not accept dye very well or easily, so be careful with that.

I believe fohat.digs has some experience with this and that he paints his cases rather than dying.

The keycaps accept dye amazingly well. The newer Rit dyes are apparently a different formulation and don't work as well as the old version. I have read that iDye Poly is a good one to use.

If I dyed them, I'd probably use the iDye Poly Blue. I like the way those look, maybe a green.

But I hope I can dye the case. If I can't I may give up this venture. I don't want to use paint of any kind.

[berserkfan]

I recently conducted a lot of dying experiments and would be happy to answer any questions

PLEASE - create a detailed guide.

Dyeing is a topic that many people are very interested in - especially if it involves ABS and successful results.

DO NOT try ABS. ABS will melt. I find it impossible to hold the temperature at any reasonable temperature for any dye to take on ABS. Unless you have some specialized oven or equipment I would say just leave ABS alone; not as if it is the preferred keycap material for most geeks.

[taylordcraig]

DO NOT try ABS. ABS will melt. I find it impossible to hold the temperature at any reasonable temperature for any dye to take on ABS. Unless you have some specialized oven or equipment I would say just leave ABS alone; not as if it is the preferred keycap material for most geeks.

Says you. Experience thick Cherry double-shots and be swayed.

[silas1128]

A quick search says that the cases are ABS. deffinitely not worth the risk of warping to try to dye, and I don't really like the idea of painting. But a blacked out SSK with just dark blue alpha keys and black everything else just sounds sexy. I'd still have to source a black IBM logo.

[Halverson]

I could be completely wrong here, but I think Wcass had some model M dye jobs that looked good. Perhaps shoot him a message.

[Halverson]

I could be completely wrong here, but I think Wcass had some model M dye jobs that looked good. Perhaps shoot him a message.

[fohat.digs]

I don't really like the idea of painting.

The charcoal gray Dupli-Color looks pretty sharp. Mine have held up pretty well but I do not abuse them.

[Xowie]

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