Welcome back to the LaxAllStars Dye Lab. Today, we’re going to address basic safety and heating procedure for dyeing lacrosse heads. We’ll go through a number of the different options that you have when it comes to heating water up when dyeing a head head, all the different tools you can use, and of course we’re going to talk a lotta bit about dye safety.
First things first, we’ll check out some of the pots and pans you can use to dye:
- traditional stock pot
- party buckets
- foil roasting pans (available at any dollar store or grocery store)
- glass casserole dishes (perfect for a front and back dye)
- giant glass beaker, which I love to use for getting the bottom of a lacrosse head with a perfect line right where the dye ends
There are plenty of other pots and pans to use when dyeing a lacrosse head, but those are a few favorites.
If you don’t have any water, you could buy some boxed water from Amazon… but that would be kind of weird. We’d highly recommend taking a voyage down to your local watering hole – literally, a creek is okay – and retrieving yourself a bucket or two full of free H2O.
Here the options we recommend for heating the water:
- An electric stove – We recommend doing dye projects outdoors, if you can. If you have access to an electric stove like this, it’s perfect. Set it on a table outside and you’re good to go.
- A stove top
- The almighty camping stove – Propane fuel, three grill spots, and wind guards. Perfect for your outdoor project.
- Your standard barbecue – A true favorite of Lacrosse All Stars worldwide.
- Anova circulator – Typically used in the kitchen by a chef.
Never forget to wear rubber gloves. Basic safety precaution! Otherwise you’ll turn you hand red. Tongs are also a must have for every lacrosse project – They make controlling the lacrosse head within the dye really easy.
When it comes to other tools of the trade, the sky is the limit. Just remember: Basic safety is crucial.
To further recap, here’s a checklist of necessities for dying lacrosse heads from our “How To Dye Your First Head” episode:
- It’s good to start with an old or cheap lacrosse head.
- One or more bottles of DyeMore from Rit Dye, Rit’s new formula specifically designed for plastics, or whatever other kind of dye you prefer
- One stock pot or large pot 3/4 full of water
- A stove top, BBQ, or camping stove for heating the water
- Rubber gloves
- Dish soap
- Tongs
- Optional, but worth having on hand: Vinyl adhesive sheets or duct tape sheets
- Optional, but worth having on hand: X-Acto knife
- Optional, but worth having on hand: Scissors
That’s it from the LaxAllStars Dye Lab. Catch you next time.