Ok, so i've dyed about 5 skeins with the olive stocks - my question is about the dye bath.

I test the tap water for the pH level.

I add the glauber salt and A.set.

Then i tested the pH with a new strip.

It's very acidic so i add vinegar to lower the acid. Test with strip. still too high

Added a little more - test again, now too low, then i added the sodium acetate to bring it up again.

Is it true that I wouldn't even need to add the sodium acetate if i added the correct amount of vinegar?

or do i always have to have some portion of all 4 additives in my dye bath?

 

Comments

Wed, 03/23/2011 - 15:58

Karren K. Brito

Best to add all 4 additives.  Add the Glauber's salt, the A.SET and a small amount of acetate, then start testing the pH.

I'm confused by this statement:

It's very acidic so i add vinegar to lower the acid. Test with
strip. still too high

Adding acid should make the pH lower, say go from pH6 to 5.  Adding acetate, in this case a fair amount, should make the pH go higher, say from pH 6.0 to 6.4.  If it is too acidic adding acid would make it even more acidic!

Wed, 03/23/2011 - 20:24

Mary Rios (not verified)

I think i just wanted to verify that if my water is too high on the pH chart, I would add vinegar -

I ordered the new strips -

are these the right strips? and if so, did i acheive the correct pH?

This is the discharge from the 3rd attempt. I was dissapointed to see all the red - The second attempt had yellow left over, my first attempt was almost clear.

Getting there!

Wed, 03/23/2011 - 21:46

Karren K. Brito

The strips are good, the pH looks like 4.4 in the pic. You're getting good at color matching and if you say its 4.5 I'll believe it.

The exhaust on the other hand leaves something to be desired.  But are the more recently dyed skeins level?  Cathie is now getting good exhaust with a 50 min. dwell time at 85°C.  How does your process compare to hers?

Thu, 03/24/2011 - 01:00

pjdoney (not verified)

My first dye job is in the process of cooling down.  I used a quart jar and 300 mL of chemical water for my skein to live in.  By the end of the cooking time, I had lost a lot of the chemical water so I doubt that I have an even dye job.  I should get a microwave set up so I can heat the reserved chemical water and add it or just put in 500 mL to begin with.  I was heating water with the tea pot and replenishing the bath water frequently.

I was having fun with thermometers - not.  I couldn't get the thermometer inside the jar to ever register 203 F/ 95 C but the thermometer monitoring the temp oustide the jars was doing fine with just over 200 F/ 95 C.  I was also having issues with a new-to-me cook top that I'm not used to dyeing with at all.  My session took a long time from start to finish but now we've had our first dance together.  I do think I would like to get a Celcius thermometer, possibly digital.  Karren, do you have any suggestions?

 

Thu, 03/24/2011 - 01:53

Karren K. Brito

I have celcius thermometer, I'll get a picture.  There is always a lag between the time the water bath gets hot and the temp inside the jars matches the water bath.  The only important temp is the one inside the jar.  What ever is the max. temp out there in high country is fine and definately reproducible. The lower the temp. the longer it can take to exhaust.

Peggy sounds like you need a lid on the pot to cut down on evaporation. Best is one that just sits on the pot like a normal lid- easy to take off, and put back.  But in a pinch aluminum foil will do. Low humidity in CO eh?

Thu, 03/24/2011 - 01:57

pjdoney (not verified)

I kept the lid on the pot almost the entire time.  When I couldn't get the temp to go up higher is when I covered it.  I forgot to mention that bit of information earlier!