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Twin Cities Maker ordered 5 lbs of white abs along with our makerbot.  I’m aware that the MakerBot Store currently sells colored abs, but 5 lbs of white is nearly a lifetime supply and my method allows for more colors.  While Rit dye is relatively safe don’t use any cookware that will be used for food ever again, and be careful as it will stain just about anything.  I’m told that bleach will remove it from white sinks, counter tops, etc. but I can’t guarantee it will, so try to be careful.

Tools used:

• 1 MakerBot
• 1 cheap crock-pot (I found one for $9 at my local wal-mart)
• 1 Microwave oven
• 1 box Rit dye powder

My original plan was to purchase an electric burner and small saucepan, but wal-mart’s lack of burners and the crock-pot for 1/3 of the price I was going to spend changed my mind. Since we have a microwave at the hackerspace the crock pot doesn’t actually need to do the work of heating up the water, just keeping it hot.  A quick glance at the manual showed that the ceramic pot was indeed microwave safe.  I filled it about half full (4 cups) of water and put it in the microwave until it boiled, about 5 minutes.  Then using oven mits I transferred it to the crock-pot and set it on high.

Added one package of Rit powder and mixed with a plastic spoon.

I then added my first of 3 test pieces.  I dyed one for 20 minutes, another for 30, and the last for 45.  After the pieces were removed I rinsed them first in hot water and then cold.  I believe the cold rinse is somewhat essential to setting the dye.

There wasn’t much of a difference between 20 and 30 minutes.  The 45 minute block came out much darker.  My initial reaction is that the dye bath got a lot hotter and the piece actually sank towards the end.

There are still many variables I haven’t tested.  The pieces I tested floated in the dye so additional stirring/submerging may have darkened them more.  The orange color is light and longer times may effect darker colors more.  Some of my research indicated that certain plastics may need to reach a critical temperature before they take the dye.

If you’ve given this a try, please share your results.