RE: Dyeing filaments - PETG, PVB, Nylon, PLA ?
Also, I dyed my project after printing. So I did not have to dye extra filament.
RE: Dyeing filaments - PETG, PVB, Nylon, PLA ?
Yes lot's of good information out there on dyeing plastics and post prints on the stove. This thread is about dyeing filaments and PVB in a Sous Vide seems to have a better result than the stove, this method is also for reasons other than color such as not warping the filament diameter 🙂
RE: Dyeing filaments - PETG, PVB, Nylon, PLA ?
I forgot a couple tips for dying PETG.
I could not suggest dying unprinted filament, because
0. If you simmer filament, you are assuring maximum moisture content! Soaking filament then drying it would take forever. If you dye after printing, no drying necessary.
1. If you dye too little, you can't dye filament more later. You will never get the color right. (If you dye after printing, you can keep dunking until you like the color. It will probably be too light. If so, you can heat the dye and dunk it some more.)
2. If you dye too much, they you wasted filament and the time to dry it before printing.
3. You won't know if you like the quality of color until after you dye, dry, and print.
If you think keeping a few gallons of water at a fixed temperature will be a problem, don't worry. That much water has a great deal of thermal mass. Stand there the whole time, watching the candy thermometer. When it dips a degree to two. Turn on the heat briefly. Not difficult.
If you want to make life easy, buy a 30 quart tamale pot for $25 at an American Walmart. Cheaper than a sous vide gadget. Fabric dye is supposed to be nontoxic, but some use a pot only for dying. It will discolor aluminum guaranteed.
Candy making requires constant monitoring and exactly precise heat. A candy thermometer is widely available basic kitchen equipment. Your filament dyeing will use almost exactly the same process candy makers have used for centuries: exact temperature and constant attention.
I hope that helps. 🙂 🙂
Tom