Wheel Dying Tips Updated 10/02/2003 Rev. 1

It's easy to customize your robot by dying the white nylon wheel rims. Be careful, this process involves using a hot plate to heat up water to around 180 degrees. Kids, get adult help for this project.

What You'll Need

You will need a set of nylon rims to dye, a container of liquid RIT Dye of the color you want, a hot plate, and small pan, stirring stick, tongs for getting the rims out of the dye, and an eyedropper to mix colors if wanted.

Clean, well lit work area

Make the Soup

Start by putting enough water to cover the rims into the pan. If you are doing a simple color, then pour the entire contents of the RIT Dye into the pan. If you are making a special color mix then start with the lightest color, then ad drops of the other color till it matches what you want. It will look darker in the pot than in the finished product. My first attempt to make a "School Bus Yellow" resulted in an Orange. I put the entire contents of the yellow dye, and 30 drops of scarlet into the pot. These rims will be dyed black. On my next attempt I am planning on adding 5 drops and testing with some cheaper nylon parts till I find the right mix. I will post the correct mix here when I have it.

Figure 1.

Add the Rims

Allow the water to heat up. It does not need to boil, just be heated up. When it's hot add the rims. It will take literally only a few minutes for the dye to saturate the nylon. If the rims float push them down with a stirring stick or set of tongs. Stir the mix every once in a while.

Figure 2.

Check the Progress

After a few minutes, pull a rim out of the liquid to check the color. Wow, that's orange. Be careful not to splash. The dye will ruin your clothes, carpet, tile, dog or cat fur, etc. Use tongs, not a stirring stick as I have done.

Figure 3.

Dying is Done

Pull the rims from the pot when they are finished being dyed. Dry them with a paper towel. They will dry quickly as they are warm from the heated water. Yup, they're still orange.

Figure 4.

Save your Dye

You can reuse your dye. Wait till it is cool and pour it into a container. It's a good idea to do this over a sink incase there is a spill.

Figure 5.

Wheel Dying Tips Updated 10/02/2003 Rev. 1 It's easy to customize your robot by dying the white nylon wheel rims. Be careful, this process involves using a hot plate to heat up water to around 180 degrees. Kids, get adult help for this project. What You'll Need You will need a set of nylon rims to dye, a container of liquid RIT Dye of the color you want, a hot plate, and small pan, stirring stick, tongs for getting the rims out of the dye, and an eyedropper to mix colors if wanted.	Clean, well lit work area
Make the Soup Start by putting enough water to cover the rims into the pan. If you are doing a simple color, then pour the entire contents of the RIT Dye into the pan. If you are making a special color mix then start with the lightest color, then ad drops of the other color till it matches what you want. It will look darker in the pot than in the finished product. My first attempt to make a "School Bus Yellow" resulted in an Orange. I put the entire contents of the yellow dye, and 30 drops of scarlet into the pot. These rims will be dyed black. On my next attempt I am planning on adding 5 drops and testing with some cheaper nylon parts till I find the right mix. I will post the correct mix here when I have it.	Figure 1.
Add the Rims Allow the water to heat up. It does not need to boil, just be heated up. When it's hot add the rims. It will take literally only a few minutes for the dye to saturate the nylon. If the rims float push them down with a stirring stick or set of tongs. Stir the mix every once in a while.	Figure 2.
Check the Progress After a few minutes, pull a rim out of the liquid to check the color. Wow, that's orange. Be careful not to splash. The dye will ruin your clothes, carpet, tile, dog or cat fur, etc. Use tongs, not a stirring stick as I have done.	Figure 3.
Dying is Done Pull the rims from the pot when they are finished being dyed. Dry them with a paper towel. They will dry quickly as they are warm from the heated water. Yup, they're still orange.	Figure 4.
Save your Dye You can reuse your dye. Wait till it is cool and pour it into a container. It's a good idea to do this over a sink incase there is a spill.	Figure 5.