# RIT Dye for plastics... **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [January 2, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654 "2014-01-02T20:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smethubd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/smethubd/32/1349_2.png) [@smethubd](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/smethubd)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/1 "2014-01-02T20:34:00Z")
I was wondering if anyone has used RIT to dye any parts of a yoyo. Another question about the dye is: Powder mix or liquid dye? I want to dye my red theory caps black to have an all black theory, but I haven not used RIT before and do not know what works the best. Regarding the theory specifically, do the caps have an adhesive underneath? I would not want the hot powder mixture dye to loosen that staying power. _I know RIT is powerful and will stain anything, I do not need a lecture on safety processes_ Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![PlasticWhip](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/plasticwhip/32/896_2.png) [@PlasticWhip](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/PlasticWhip)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/2 "2014-01-02T22:32:21Z")
Unfortunately, RIT changed their formula, and it can no longer be used for dying plastics. I’ve tried with many different plastics and it just doesn’t work. At least it was cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Yummy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yummy/32/14065_2.png) [@Yummy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yummy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/3 "2014-01-02T23:18:05Z")
> [@Mrcnja's Mods](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/mrcnjas-mods/19865/149): > > My first real roadblock was that I could not get this yo-yo to take dye. I spent a full day trying everything I could, but still could not get any results. As it turns out, in 2011 Rit created a new dye formula and started phasing it in on some colors. I suspect that by now they have moved their entire product line over to the new formula. The new stuff is supposedly way better for dyeing natural fabrics like cotton, but it is horrible for plastics, especially delrin. With some late night research I discovered this fact and also read that iDye Poly works great. Armed with this knowledge, I bought the right dye and had success the next day ---
**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/4 "2014-01-03T00:05:00Z")
Normally, using Rit dye requires mixing it with acetone to work properly. The acetone softens the plastic and let’s it absorb the dye. Note that this does not work with delerin/celcon yoyos, only polycarbonate plastics. Making a red yoyo black is not real hard. You can make a yoyo a darker color but not lighter. Note that timing is critical, acetone melts the surface to let the dye take. Too long and your yoyo will melt. [How to dye a yoyo.](http://yoyoexpert.com/forums/index.php/topic,2077.0.html) Some people recommend heating the acetone/water dye solution. Not recommended, as acetone is very flammable. ---
**Author:** ![smethubd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/smethubd/32/1349_2.png) [@smethubd](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/smethubd)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/5 "2014-01-03T04:09:23Z")
What are the theory caps made from? I guess I will not be trying RIT… ---
**Author:** ![smethubd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/smethubd/32/1349_2.png) [@smethubd](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/smethubd)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/6 "2014-01-03T04:29:06Z")
Also, it would be helpful to know how the caps are held in. I contacted YYJ, but I haven’t gotten a reply. ---
**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/7 "2014-01-03T04:35:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Theory not only spins amazingly well but also features a slick celcon cap Ref: [YoYoJam – YoYoExpert](http://shop.yoyoexpert.com/product/895/YYJ-Theory) ---
**Author:** ![Yummy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yummy/32/14065_2.png) [@Yummy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yummy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:42am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/8 "2014-01-03T06:42:17Z")
> [@smethubd](#): > > Also, it would be helpful to know how the caps are held in. They look like a pretty similar setup as the Classic. Thus, I present [another post from my mods thread](http://yoyoexpert.com/forums/index.php/topic,21494.msg687697.html#msg687697). ---
**Author:** ![PlasticWhip](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/plasticwhip/32/896_2.png) [@PlasticWhip](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/PlasticWhip)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/9 "2014-01-05T01:59:15Z")
> [@jhb8426](#): > > Normally, using Rit dye requires mixing it with acetone to work properly. The acetone softens the plastic and let’s it absorb the dye. Note that this does not work with delerin/celcon yoyos, only polycarbonate plastics. Making a red yoyo black is not real hard. You can make a yoyo a darker color but not lighter. Note that timing is critical, acetone melts the surface to let the dye take. Too long and your yoyo will melt. > > [How to dye a yoyo.](http://yoyoexpert.com/forums/index.php/topic,2077.0.html) > > Some people recommend heating the acetone/water dye solution. Not recommended, as acetone is very flammable. This would work if RIT still used the old Formula. ---
**Author:** ![smethubd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/smethubd/32/1349_2.png) [@smethubd](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/smethubd)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/10 "2014-01-05T02:17:32Z")
Yeah, I gave RIT a shot and it didn’t work. I was just being hopeful, but it literally took none of the dye. I believe that I am out of luck if I want to dye the celcon caps. I can’t think of any other way to color them the way I want to so I will have to deal with black on red. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Yummy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yummy/32/14065_2.png) [@Yummy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yummy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/11 "2014-01-05T02:25:00Z")
> [@Yummy](#): > > to;dr: Rit doesn’t work. iDye Poly works just fine. Delrin and Celcon dye with heat, not acetone. > [@smethubd](#): > > Yeah, I gave RIT a shot and it didn’t work. I was just being hopeful, but it literally took none of the dye. I believe that I am out of luck if I want to dye the celcon caps. I can’t think of any other way to color them the way I want to so I will have to deal with black on red. Oh well. Do you even read? ---
**Author:** ![smethubd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/smethubd/32/1349_2.png) [@smethubd](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/smethubd)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2014, 3:15am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/12 "2014-01-05T03:15:47Z")
Yes, I do. I appreciate the help. I wanted to try anyhow, so I did. It was old dye lying around the house that I used, so I figured it might be the old stuff. I guess it wasn’t. I don’t have the idye poly. ---
**Author:** ![TurboChicken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/turbochicken/32/1311_2.png) [@TurboChicken](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/TurboChicken)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/13 "2014-01-06T19:23:14Z")
The problem is the material that your trying to dye… not the new dye forumla Rit is selling. Quoted from the Rit Dye website "It will also not dye certain plastics, such as polyethylene, which are found in golf discs and components in RC Cars, and polycarbonates, which are hard plastics such as those found in eye glass frames. " The plastic brand “Celcon” is Acetal… more specifically Acetal Copolymer. There are two types Acetal; Homopolymer/POM-H and Acetal Copolymer/POM-C. POM-C is more resistant to water than POM-H. It’s more resistant because it is less porous than POM-H. What does all that mean. Assuming (because i didn’t look it up myself) the caps are made of Celcon which is POM-C. It’s not a very porous material. Therefore it is extremely difficult for pigmented water to penetrate and dye the material. I’m not suprised it didn’t take any at all… I have dyed several different things that are Delrin/POM-H/Acetal Homopolymer. Heat, Time, and concentrated pigment is the key and higher quantities than you’d expect you would need of each. Even then the pigment doesn’t go very deep into POM-H. ---
**Author:** ![jbritter3](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jbritter3/32/1265_2.png) [@jbritter3](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jbritter3)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 7:34pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/14 "2014-01-06T19:34:52Z")
Find someone with black caps and trade them lol ---
**Author:** ![Yummy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yummy/32/14065_2.png) [@Yummy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yummy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rit-dye-for-plastics/62654/15 "2014-01-07T00:25:59Z")
> [@TurboChicken](#): > > The problem is the material that your trying to dye… not the new dye forumla Rit is selling. I have experience dyeing delrin and celcon as well as experience with the new Rit formula and iDye Poly. I can safely say from a position of experiencing it firsthand, the new Rit formula is worthless for dyeing both acetal variants. Both delrin and celcon do a very poor job of taking the new Rit formula from a heated dye bath. You will simply get little to no color change. Both delrin and celcon dye very quickly and easily in a heated dye bath when I used iDye Poly. If you are using the post 2011 Rit formula, you are wasting your time. You don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at what others are saying about the new Rit formula: [1. New Rit Formula = No Dying Discs](http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38339) [quote=“”] [2. RIT dye not working…](http://discgolfer.ning.com/forum/topics/rit-dye-not-working) [quote=“”] [3. Rit dye](http://www.etsy.com/teams/7722/discussions/discuss/9430347/) [quote=“”] [4. RIT’s change of dye formula](http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53764) [quote=“”]