First try at case painting/modding

M

MaxGhz

Weaksauce
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Messages
97
Getting case ready for 1Q07 build. Painted inside case burgundy that with case lights on matches red garnet outside trim. Modded case and hard drive cage for front window to show off the windowed Raptor. May do something to the bay sides where window located. All coats wet sanded and clearcoats rubbed out (took a long time as first try at case painting).
http://xs.to/xs.php?f=ligts456.jpg&h=xs104&d=06316
http://xs.to/xs.php?f=overview455.jpg&h=xs104&d=06316
http://xs.to/xs.php?f=IM000134.JPG&h=xs104&d=06315
http://xs.to/xs.php?f=IM000107.JPG&h=xs303&d=06291
http://xs.to/xs.php?f=IM000128.JPG&h=xs204&d=06314
http://xs.to/xs.php?f=IM000123.JPG&h=xs204&d=06302

Site has two resos so left click on pic to get the lower clear resos shots

Current system will be gutted and case disasembled and modded a little wilder once build on new system completed.
http://xs.to/xs.php?f=IM000030.JPG&h=xs104&d=06310
http://xs.to/xs.php?f=IM000032.JPG&h=xs53&d=05446
 
How did you paint the case? I have a Stacker as well and want to paint it Gloss black on the outside and gunmetal on the inside.

Did you use anything special for the gloss?
 
Used duplicolor auto paints for trim and Krylon paints for interior. The auto paint color is garnet metallic red and the case is burgundy (with red lights on it matches trim color). Disasembled case and sanded with 400 sandpaper. Used duplicolor self etching primer on all parts (not plastic trim ring. Used duplicolor primer on that and over the etching primer on the side trim pieces so the prime coat is same color on both. If you don't do that your finish coat will come out slightly different color) . Then put several base color coats on wet sanding between coats with 400. Then used clear coats (sanded 600 between coats). The final clear coat was sanded first with 600, 800, 1000 but cut through on the trim panels. So started over on the trim (sharp edges where cut through) and used 1000 all the way (took a lot longer but didn't cut through. Then used a 3m light cut rubbing compound and then Maguiars paint glaze (will wax after 30 days) to finish.Actually toward the end of painting the case got the technique down on how to and how much paint to lay down and those pieces needed little sanding/rubbing to gloss. Metallics are not sanded down on last color coat (ruins metallic effect). So try to get the color coat down as smooth as possible (I used nails through a board and put the side trim attachment holes on the nails so I could get a faily heavy coat without running on the trim from all angles). I filled the rivit holes on the hard drive cage with plastic body putty as well as around the window frame and sanded smooth before painting. The sanding betwen coats has given a pretty tough finish that is fairly resistent to chipping. I still used plastic strips (those used as carpet guards when painting house floor trim) to slide the bay covers on so they would not scratch the inside of the trim.

One reason I used Krylon for interior (have to be careful and keep spray head clean by tipping over and spraying till clear every so often and shake it good all the time or you get paint blops) is they make a plastic paint that matches. After seven days the plastic paint is bonded so good you can spray a wire and the paint stays on when you bend it. Planning on spraying some SATA WD lock on HD wires where I can't get the right color (come in blue). Have already sprayed the plastic wire router that am using to hide the case wiring.
 
Yikes! That's a pretty good write up. Thanks for the info...I'm not that good at painting so I'll stick with my plain old grey for a while till I practice up on my soon to be media PC.
 
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