Easy Painting Guide

Author:  Michael Lynch Date:  2007.04.23 Topic:  Case Mod Provider:  TechwareLabs Manufacturer:  TechwareLabs

Today we are going to show you the simple way to paint a computer part, though my directions are merely guidelines, and some steps may need to be repeated to be perfect.

NOTE: When performing any of these steps, especially painting, make sure you are in a well ventilated area. A paint mask is suggested so you don't inhale any harmful particles.

You will need:

1 can of KILZ primer (original or odorless)
1 can of your favorite color spray paint
1 can of Krylon acrylic clear coat (available at Wal-Mart)

We are going to use the case side panel from our Spiderman 3 Venom case as an example.

Here's a picture of the side panel before we tinker with it.

We decided to make a red to black fade, but instead of using the current black, we decided to start off fresh. The first step in all painting projects is to sand the item. We used 220 grit sandpaper on an electric sander, but you can use whatever you're comfortable with. Note that the lower grit rating, the rougher the sandpaper gets. You don't have to sand it down to the metal, but sand it enough that the top sheen of clear coat is gone. Afterwards, wipe the panel down with a wet rag or a tack cloth if you have one.

Now that we've sanded and wiped down the panel, it's ready for a layer of primer. We prefer KILZ brand, but any will do. You can choose to get odorless or not, it depends on you wanting to smell it. A thick coat is not needed because it will dry quickly, and adhere to almost anything. We recommend 10-15 minutes to dry.

After the panel is dry, choose a paint to use. We used Krylon red gloss paint available at Wal-Mart. Do not apply a thick coat at first. Start with a thin coat, allow it 5 minutes, and apply a thicker coat until you reach the desired intensity of color. We used 3 coats total, fading the red towards the back since we will be applying the black next. Allow this paint to dry for about an hour if you want it to be perfect. We were able to get away with 30-45 minutes in a breezy area.

Now that you've given ample time for the red to dry, it's time to apply the black coat. We wanted it to look like the black was taking over the red, so we painted the black second. The same rules apply: start with a thin coat, getting thicker. We painted the panel solid black almost halfway with a thin coat, spraying farther away from the panel towards the middle, and applied thicker coats towards the back to achieve our fade. We then allowed an hour for this to dry. NOTE: The panel should be completely dry before applying clear coat. If it isn't dry, you run the risk of the clear coat bubbling up.

Once the panel is dry, apply a thin layer of clear coat using a sweeping motion. Continue to apply thicker coats, but do not allow the paint to run. Apply layers of clear coat until the panel looks shimmery when dry. It took us 8 solid coats to achieve this.