Vat Temperature

Q: I have a question about vat temperature. I would like to prepare a vat that I can keep for quite some time. While I understand that in initially preparing the vat, reduction is quicker with hot water - do I also have to raise the temperature of the vat every time I dye? Can I store my vat in a cool space? I would like to store it outside and the temperature can easily drop below 50 degrees.

A: Yes, this vat style (the ferrous vat) works well for a large range of temperatures. I've definitely used mine when it was in the 50s with good success but I am not sure that dyeing will go very well in a vat much colder than 50 degrees - although I’ve never tried!

Most traditional dyeing happens between 70-110 degrees. Almost all indigo dyes better when the temperature is raised (110 or so). So while you can dye in a colder vat, you may need to use longer dips at lower temperatures.

It is nice to be able to raise the temperature of your vat. When initially making your vat, it is ideal to begin with water that is near simmering. And, because you are wanting to prolong the life of your vat you will likely need to “sharpen” it over time and you will need to raise the temperature again during this process. You can find information about the sharpening process here: http://www.grahamkeegan.com/indigo-vat-basics/.

I recommend investing in an inexpensive 30-40 quart stainless steel pot which would give you the option of heating up your vat if need be. If you are going to be storing your vat in a steel pot, and not just using the steel pot for heating, it is good to find a pot with a tight fitting lid as this will also greatly prolong the life of your vat by minimizing its exposure to oxygen. If you already have a pot that does not have an ideal lid, you can always put a little bit of gasket material (like a door or window sealer strip) on the lid so when it sits there is a tighter seal.

Another option is to get some sort of heating element or bucket wrap like this to heat your vat right in the bucket: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OYEABGQ/ref=biss_dp_t_asn

It may seem "expensive" but it's amazing how much better a warm vat performs!