Overclock.net banner

Keyboard DYE customization guide!!!

202K views 188 replies 77 participants last post by  Jixr 
#1 ·
Thanks to Manyak for turning me on to using RIT dye to customize keys! After reading up on the webs about the process...I figured I would share my findings and my first attempt


Using dye to color your individual keys and board work much better than paint, because the dye gets infused with the plastic, and won't ever wear off.
As far as I can tell, the most widely used and most effective dye for this process is RIT dye, which you can find at your local drugstore (Rite Aid) or department store (Wal-Mart).

The Rit dye comes in several colors, and is available as a powder or a liquid.


I chose royal blue, cocoa brown, and scarlet for my next few projects. So lets give it a shot ...first with some Scarlet!

I try to use a highly concentrated batch of dye/water. I'd say what I used was 6 parts water to 1 part liquid dye... I am sure this is overkill, but I wanted results

There are different types of plastics used by different keyboard manufacturers. Some are harder to dye than others. The melting points are different, so you have to be careful!
For reference, melting point of ABS is 105°C, PBT is 221°C.

Make sure you clean the keys with soap and water..and then a light wipe with rubbing alcohol before attempting to dye...we want EVEN colors!

Salt seems to be good for setting the colors in stone. I have also read that adding vinegar to your dye solution can raise the acidity of the dye, allowing it to penetrate the plastic easier. All things worth trying out! I will be experimenting over the coming weeks and will let you all know what I find to be the most effective at getting the job done.

Here is the dye I picked up:


And for the first attempt, we will be dying the enters, esc, arrows, and w-a-s-d of a logitech multimedia keyboard that happens to have a Brazillian layout :0


My original plan was to use a strainer to suspend the keys in the solution for easy access to them in case they got too hot. I abandoned this after the first dip...my keys didn't melt



I added a couple of tablespoons of salt and made sure to bring my solution to a boil, which I hear is good to "activate" the dye.



Once I had reached a rolling boil, I removed the pan from the hat and dropped the keys in...stirring constantly at first so they did not hit the hot metal bottom and melt.
These keys seemed to be of the difficult sort. After their first 15 minute soak, I ended up with salmon-pink keys. Being the determined individual I am...I rinsed the keys while returning the solution to a boil again to repeat the process. After three 15 minute baths....here are the results!




So i think I am getting the hang of it
Stay tuned for later this week when my Cherry G84-4100 Mechanical Mini arrives...I will be doing a full-mod on it!



UPDATED shots of original mod board with brown added



G84 Dye PICS:
http://www.overclock.net/computer-pe...ml#post6891706



Other OCN'ers DYE job LOGS!
Jrice00
http://www.overclock.net/computer-pe...board-dye.html

theCanadian
http://www.overclock.net/computer-pe...ml#post6842468

StretchNuts
http://www.overclock.net/computer-pe...ml#post6955448
 
See less See more
21
#4 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by catmmm View Post
i want to do this lol
what be ye awaiting for then ma lady?

Edit:

I did my own.

I rubberized the frame with undercoating and did the keys with a dark green. I didn't think to dye the key's until after I rubberized the frame or I would have dyed the frame as well to make the color match.

Edit: I have since colored in the beige part with green Sharpie. Much better




 
#8 ·
I...

Will this work on a keyboard with Black keys?
 
#14 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by catmmm View Post
uhh not sure

OT: Is it bad, that when, I look at your profile pic I think of Kakarot? /OT
 
#16 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by VCheeZ View Post
I'm sure it would "work" but you would never see what it did.

:O

I wonder if i can throw some old keys in it.
BRB

EDIT: Sadly i cannot
 
#17 ·
Wow rep+ I will have to try this out some time


EDIT: Damn, can't give you reps haha
 
#18 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Cerberus View Post
:O

I wonder if i can throw some old keys in it.
BRB

EDIT: Sadly i cannot

The keyboard I dyed in the OP was from a 5-pack of boards I payed .99 cents for on e-bay. Like 6 bucks shipped


Quote:

Originally Posted by cgg123321 View Post
Wow rep+ I will have to try this out some time


EDIT: Damn, can't give you reps haha
Issok
 
#19 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by VCheeZ View Post
The keyboard I dyed in the OP was from a 5-pack of boards I payed .99 cents for on e-bay. Like 6 bucks shipped


Issok

:O link?
 
#21 ·
does the dye bond well enough so as to not stain your fingers or wear off from excessive WASD usage?
 
#22 ·
another old trick of the r/c hobby bleeding over to computers


Another note, you will get deeper, and sometimes darker colors if you leave the parts in longer. Also you can use those large disposable "turkey pans" an bake them in the oven if your oven will allow you to drop down to about 90*F. Multiple short soakings work best, with a rinse after each one, to make sure the color is what you want before it gets too dark.
 
#23 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by grishkathefool View Post
does the dye bond well enough so as to not stain your fingers or wear off from excessive WASD usage?
Good question. As far as I have read, this is a non-issue. The dye actually penetrates to become part of the key. I was reading where one fellow did not like a certain color and tried to sand it off to no avail. He said after cutting the key in half, he was amazed at how deep the dye had penetrated into the plastic.
 
#24 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by grishkathefool View Post
does the dye bond well enough so as to not stain your fingers or wear off from excessive WASD usage?
It will never wear out, it's permanent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by StretchNuts View Post
another old trick of the r/c hobby bleeding over to computers


Another note, you will get deeper, and sometimes darker colors if you leave the parts in longer. Also you can use those large disposable "turkey pans" an bake them in the oven if your oven will allow you to drop down to about 90*F. Multiple short soakings work best, with a rinse after each one, to make sure the color is what you want before it gets too dark.
The problem is that ABS plastic which most keyboards are made of (one notable exception being the IBM Model M which uses PVC) will deform very easily if it's too hot or you leave them in too long. So you always want to do multiple short baths, or your keyboard might end up unusable.

Edit: Here, look at what happened to the spacebar and arrow keys during my first ever dye attempt:
 
#25 ·
Rit dye is great for plastics and cloth. Many people use it in the RC car scene to customize their rides. The nice thing about dye as opposed to paint is that the dye soaks into the plastic. The longer you soak, the deeper it goes. So when you are wearing down your keys on the keyboard, you will still have that sweet color.

Great job!!!
 
#26 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Manyak View Post
The problem is that ABS plastic which most keyboards are made of (one notable exception being the IBM Model M which uses PVC) will deform very easily if it's too hot or you leave them in too long. So you always want to do multiple short baths, or your keyboard might end up unusable.

Edit: Here, look at what happened to the spacebar and arrow keys during my first ever dye attempt:
Yes I know. Many R/C car parts are also ABS plastic. I have dyed many sets of wheels. It also seems like the cheaper quality the product, the easier it takes to the dye.

Edit: Some ABS plastic will take the darker colors (like the blue you used) without even heating the dye or keys. The result is alot more even color, and easily controlled tint as it doesnt enter the plastic pigment as fast. The downside is that it doesnt go as deep. Dont see a problem with keyboard keys, but on r/c wheels if you used the "cold method" the deeper scrapes and nics would show white underneath.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top