« previous next »
Pages:  [1]     Go Down

Author Topic: Rit dyed keycap longevity?  (Read 2642 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Jamesbeat

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 126
Rit dyed keycap longevity?
« on: Tue, 06 March 2012, 14:41:05 »
I read all 49 pages of the dyeing keycaps thread, but there seemed to be no concensus on the subject of how long the dye will last.

I received my Apple Extended Keyboard II today, and after a little work with a hacksaw, soldering iron and desoldering pump, I'm nearly ready to wire up the new matrix to fit the wireless controller I have.

I want to dye the keycaps, but not if it's only going to last for a short time, as this keyboard is going to be a lot of work, and the ALPS caps are not easy to just replace with a new set if the dyed finish starts looking shabby.

Has anyone used a dyed 'board for a long time?
How did the dye job hold up?
Logged

Offline Jamesbeat

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 126
Rit dyed keycap longevity?
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 06 March 2012, 18:00:54 »
I guess there are a lot of variables.
I'm making a tenkeyless, so I have some spare keys to experiment with.
Maybe I'll dye a few and slice them open.
I did see the photo of the key that had been cut open, but I bet there is a difference between manufacturers and plastic types.
The othe problem is that the space bar is ABS, so even if the other keys dye well, the space bar will still be a problem.
Logged

Offline discord

  • Posts: 5
Re: Rit dyed keycap longevity?
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 19 February 2013, 04:40:27 »
how did it turn out?
Logged

Offline Strelok

  • Posts: 139
  • Location: United States
Re: Rit dyed keycap longevity?
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 19 February 2013, 07:52:51 »
I used to dye the heads of my lacrosse sticks with RIT dye, that **** sticks. It's very similar to dye sub if the method is the same as what I used to do.
Logged

Offline fohat.digs

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 6535
  • Location: 35°55'N, 83°53'W
  • weird funny old guy
Re: Rit dyed keycap longevity?
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 19 February 2013, 16:38:00 »
My (1980s vintage IBM) PBT dye jobs have held up perfectly for a year of moderate use.

And somebody had a thread in recent weeks about dyeing ABS with the help of 15% acetone that looked pretty intriguing.

I am of the opinion that (penetrating) dye is preferable to almost any sort of (surface film) painting.
Logged
"Starting in 2011, the deficits again started to shrink. During Obama’s term  the deficit was reduced by $900 Billion  before finally in 2015 the GOP managed to wrangle a “reconciliation” bill out of Obama where he again cut corporate taxes, as well as made permanent some of George W. Bush’s original tax cuts. This is the year everything reversed. Before this, under Clinton, Bush and Obama the deficit in almost every year was gradually decreasing. The balance we had of taxes and the economy was bringing the deficit down, the money coming in was slowly catching up with the money going out until 2015. Trump’s subsequent tax cut has continued the new trend even after the rest of Bush’s cuts have since expired. Obama had an average GDP of 2.3%, with 11.6 million jobs created and unemployment peaking at 10% in 2009, then falling to 4.3% in 2016. If we had continued on that downward deficit track, we would have again reached balance and another surplus in 2017-2018.
– Frank V Walton 2025-07-01

Offline hoggy

  • * Ergonomics Moderator
  • Posts: 1502
  • Location: Isle of Man
Re: Rit dyed keycap longevity?
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 19 February 2013, 16:44:19 »
I dyed some keys on a compaq mx11800 quite a while back, at least a year - but most likely quite a bit longer.  Haven't used the board all that much, but the keys haven't faded at all by themselves.
Logged
GH Ergonomic Guide (in progress)
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54680.0
Pages:  [1]     Go Up
« previous next »