Painting Computer part

[Mercutio]

Alright. I know at least Clocker has done this. I don't feel like looking around for info so...

What do I need to do to paint computer parts? Should I just buy a can of Krylon and go to town or is there something special I need to do?

Reason I ask: I have a small number of removable IDE disk trays sitting around my office. They're only two or three years old, but they aren't beige any more. They're turning kinda yellow.

I was thinking I might paint them black.

 

[jtr1962]

Any lacquer-based paint should be fine (Krylon is lacquer-based). Just clean the surface with alcohol prior to painting, use light coats (too heavy and you can dissolve the plastic), and don't inhale. Better yet, use a mask. The junk that gets up your nose when you spray takes a few days to come completely out.

 

[Buck]

Is Merc old enough to buy spray paint? :wink:

 

[blakerwry]

I've used laqeur based paint and automotive paint. If you want a glossy black finish then la black laquer based paint will look better than the finish on the sonata.

For a whole mid-tower computer case, expect to use atleast 3 cans. Not sure how your drive trays are constructed, but I would think you'd be able to do atleast 5 of them with 1 can... 2-3 coats.

 

[Clocker]

I just use Krylon or similar.

Make sure you thoroughly sand and clean your plastic parts before you spray them. When plastic parts are molded, there is lubricant on them to facilitate removal of the part from the die. Alternatively, you could probably use some sort of degreaser but I recommend both sanding and then degreasing so that the paint strongly adhere's to the plastic and you have a nice smooth finish free of any burrs that might be present from die lines.

Clocker

 

[Clocker]

BTW, I think you should be able to get by with one coat depending on the color and if you apply it correctly. It depends on how good you are at spraying and how different the the spray color is from the base plastic color.