Painting/Re-finishing computer cases...

Larry Anderson & Diane Hare wrote: Thinking again, eh? Well we all know what kind of trouble THAT sort of activity can lead to, but since you asked... POWDER COATING Powder coating is way cool. The stuff is damn near indestructable (take my word for it). Many colors are available and it should be fairly inexpensive if you don't mind waiting for them to run a line with the color of your choice and slip your piece in. The process uses an electrostatically charged gun to shoot a polymer pigment (powder) with compressed air to a target charged with the opposite polarity (no VOCs, less material waste). It then runs through an oven to reflux (melt) the powder resulting in a (usually) SMOOTH finish (depending on the surface preparation of the target). Previous finishes should be removed for best results. I usually bead blast them with glass bead media. Obviously this will not work on non-conductive or low melting point materials like plastic. You are also limited to monochromatic, non-mettalic finishes so forget about the metalflake splash graphics if that's your thing. (Disclaimer: Before anyone jumps my ass, this description is highly simplified and slightly inaccurate from a technical standpoint. Meant for general background only but I think you get the picture.) SPRAY PAINTING Nix on Imron. It's iron age technology and more poisonous than swimming pool full of pit vipers. Also REAL tricky to shoot well. A much better choice ,IMNSHO, is DuPont ChromaBase. Available in every color in the rainbow an then some (ever seen a pearled, metalflake, clearcoated rainbow?). This requires spraypainting equipment (preferably HVLP [High Volume Low Pressure]) and, being a polyurethane enamal, respiratory equipment is MANDATORY! Your local bodyshop should be able to do this for a reasonable amount if you lack the proper hardware. Good ones will be able to do about any trick graphics that you can dream up limited only by your imagination and bank account. For a classic like that, I'd suggest flames. I flamed the frame on my monitor and it gets more looks than a polka dotted Vette. Kids, don't try this one at home but if you do, pull the guts out first (the overspray can play hell with sensitive electronics). And watch out for that big fat red wire ;-). I use DuPont VariPrime acid based self etching primer for the base coat after wiping the case with lacquer thinner to promote surface adhesion. Sticks tighter than an ugly dog. If Hammertone is the thing that feeds your need, you might want to try HammerTite (TM) which is retailed in spray bombs. I did a Kennedy toolbox that was donated my way after the previous owner finished "customizing" it by running it over with his pickup. Not "quite" as good as my other Kennedys in terms of finish but pretty clean for a rattle can job. I'm using it to store my "computer specific" tools after tiring of making all them trips to the garage everytime I wanted to pull a board or solder up some leads. I'm thinking about blowing a couple of lightning bolt accents on the cover of the THE COLISEUM SLAVE one of these days. Might improve my benchmarks some (:-8 (hee, hee, hee) Good luck Larry et al, and good hunting. -- Mark W Kuefel kuefel(a)sky.net and THE COLISEUM SLAVE (Netwrecker II)