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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: Xerobasix on Sun, 05 August 2012, 19:18:38

Title: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Xerobasix on Sun, 05 August 2012, 19:18:38: As promised I"m making a little thread to go over what I've done recently with my CM Storms.

I didn't take pictures of the entire process, but basically I followed these steps:

1. Remove top panel (warning: this voids your warranty do so at your own risk)
2. Wet sand (200, 400, 600 in that order)
3. Clean with 70% rubbing alcohol
4. Hang (I used fishhooks and a derelict jungle gym)
5. Paint. I used Krylon Fusion and applied several thin layers... Use your best judgement here... don't paint too thick or it will run
I applied layers every 10 minutes or so, about 5-7 times total.
6. Dry. Let your paint dry a full week. Don't put it on. Don't play with it. Let it sit.
7. Put the top back on and enjoy your hard work

finished CM Quickfire with brown switches

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k305/xerobasix/IMG_1017.jpg)

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k305/xerobasix/IMG_1018.jpg)

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k305/xerobasix/IMG_1019.jpg)

here is my hanging apparatus:

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k305/xerobasix/IMG_1021.jpg)

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k305/xerobasix/IMG_1020.jpg)

and the finished blue... I just painted it today so it's not dry yet

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k305/xerobasix/IMG_1022.jpg)

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k305/xerobasix/IMG_1023.jpg)

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k305/xerobasix/IMG_1024.jpg)

The blue seems pretty bright, but there is some glare with the direct sunlight. It's actually just a bit darker.

Anyway, let me know what you think :)
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: thegunner100 on Sun, 05 August 2012, 19:25:54: Very nice! I prefer my red painted quickfire though. How do you actually post pictures here? >.>
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Xerobasix on Sun, 05 August 2012, 19:34:56: I upload to photobucket and use image links. I'm sure there are other sites/ways though.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Sifo on Sun, 05 August 2012, 19:35:55: That's a nice blue!
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Acanthophis on Sun, 05 August 2012, 19:43:36: No protective coat?
How scratch resistent is the paint?
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Xerobasix on Sun, 05 August 2012, 20:22:15: I'm not sure how scratch resistant it is to be honest... the brown one just finished drying so I haven't really smacked it around much.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: absyrd on Mon, 06 August 2012, 09:42:28: Came out great. Especially nice work on the patience part!
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Xerobasix on Mon, 06 August 2012, 10:47:42: Quote from: absyrd on Mon, 06 August 2012, 09:42:28
Came out great. Especially nice work on the patience part!

Thanks!
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: boost on Mon, 06 August 2012, 10:48:44: very nice...
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Christown on Mon, 06 August 2012, 13:17:38: Looks great, good work.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Djuzuh on Mon, 06 August 2012, 15:45:45: Quote from: DeathAdder on Sun, 05 August 2012, 19:43:36
No protective coat?
How scratch resistent is the paint?

The paint is pretty scratch resistant. By applying protective coat you will only make the cot thicker (and thus harder to worn down), but not more resistant.

At least that's what I read somewhere.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: ekw808 on Wed, 08 August 2012, 20:05:05: Hmm, I was planning on doing the exact same thing with my Race, does anybody recommend using anything else on TOP of Krylon Fusion for plastic?? So far from what I've read most people just apply a couple coats of that after sanding, and nothing more. Looks great by the way, please let me know if the paint holds up over a few "rougher" encounters, thanks.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: absyrd on Thu, 09 August 2012, 06:49:31: Quote from: ekw808 on Wed, 08 August 2012, 20:05:05
please let me know if the paint holds up over a few "rougher" encounters, thanks.

My Fusion coat on a g9 mouse body held up for a long time. My Rustoleum for plastic (textured) has held up from me bending/prying the case off of a cm storm qf rapid quite a few times; so it does flex plenty without chipping or cracking off. I haven't dropped it or anything to test that. :P

It is all about the prep and following the paint instructions!
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: malibubts on Sun, 12 August 2012, 19:56:22: Looks awesome! Would love to hear a report on the durability after some use.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: rockylafreniere on Sun, 12 August 2012, 20:36:08: This might be a stupid question but what exactly do you mean by wet sand? And what do the numbers represent after it?
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Potato on Sun, 12 August 2012, 21:07:51: Wet Sanding:http://cobrafan.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Wet-Sand (http://cobrafan.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Wet-Sand)

And then the number on the sandpaper is how many little pieces of sand are on the sand paper per some unit. A really high number would mean that it is not very rough. Typically you start with a low number sandpaper and work your way up as you add layers/ get closer to finishing.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: rockylafreniere on Sun, 12 August 2012, 21:20:06: Thank you so much, im thinking about attempting this with my quickfire rapid. If i end up going through with it i will make a post on geekhack with my results!
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: alaricljs on Sun, 12 August 2012, 21:51:35: If you've never wet sanded before, try it on some piece of crap you don't care about.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Potato on Sun, 12 August 2012, 22:08:22: Quote from: rockylafreniere on Sun, 12 August 2012, 21:20:06
Thank you so much, im thinking about attempting this with my quickfire rapid. If i end up going through with it i will make a post on geekhack with my results!

If you are not so crafty and want to try something a little more simpler, you can order some of this stuff to cover your keyboard: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005C517DC/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: DaClownie on Fri, 17 August 2012, 14:44:58: Or this...

(http://www.rumblebee.org/files/plasti_dip_198.jpg)
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Rafen on Fri, 17 August 2012, 20:17:29: Quote from: DaClownie on Fri, 17 August 2012, 14:44:58
Or this...

Show Image
(http://www.rumblebee.org/files/plasti_dip_198.jpg)

I would watch using that stuff. I painted the handle on my fishing reel and got some crazy bubbles and it turned out really bad. I would hate to see you do that to a keyboard.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: DaClownie on Fri, 17 August 2012, 21:19:48: Quote from: Rafen on Fri, 17 August 2012, 20:17:29
Quote from: DaClownie on Fri, 17 August 2012, 14:44:58
Or this...

Show Image
(http://www.rumblebee.org/files/plasti_dip_198.jpg)

I would watch using that stuff. I painted the handle on my fishing reel and got some crazy bubbles and it turned out really bad. I would hate to see you do that to a keyboard.

Overclock.net had a couple pictures of someone doing this to their keyboard... and I'll be trying it on a Razer Blackwidow, I'll post pics of the outcome when I finally get around to spraying it :)
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: telepete on Fri, 17 August 2012, 22:30:34: I plasti dipped a rosewill. Looks amazing and is as durable as they say.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: hashbaz on Fri, 17 August 2012, 22:59:34: Pics please telepete. I'm going to do this to the Filco case I got for my Phantom!
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: demik on Sat, 18 August 2012, 12:58:57: moister also kills plastidip if im not mistaken.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: peachesenregalia on Sun, 26 August 2012, 12:09:16: How did you remove the top of the case? The tabs on the top and bottom were no problem, but there's something else securing it there by the top row.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: absyrd on Sun, 26 August 2012, 12:18:08: There is a single screw under the white circular "warranty" sticker, peaches.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: peachesenregalia on Sun, 26 August 2012, 12:27:44: I thought I might need to take that out but they went over the screw with plastic, which I was hoping I wouldn't need to destroy.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: peachesenregalia on Sun, 26 August 2012, 12:43:45: Welp, after drilling a hole in the case I can confirm there's no screw behind the serial sticker... lol.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: absyrd on Sun, 26 August 2012, 12:47:16: The white sticker above that and to the right. :P
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: peachesenregalia on Sun, 26 August 2012, 13:32:59: I haven't even noticed the warranty sticker until now. My brain filtered it like it filters sidebar ads.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: shogrran on Mon, 10 September 2012, 10:39:26: i'd like to paint my cmstorm too...but i don't even know how to disassemble the thing. I only see one screw... is there any dissassembly guide?
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Rafen on Tue, 11 September 2012, 11:26:18: Quote from: shogrran on Mon, 10 September 2012, 10:39:26
i'd like to paint my cmstorm too...but i don't even know how to disassemble the thing. I only see one screw... is there any dissassembly guide?
There should be one screw under each leg and one in the center of board. I think that is all of them. Someone here can verify.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Rafen on Tue, 11 September 2012, 11:28:20: I used the Krylon Patriot blue on my Poker and it looks amazing. I didn't have to wet sand like you said because the instructions on the can say that you don't have too. I cleaned the case really good and put light coats on about every 10 mins. I did this about 5 times. The paint looks amazing, I will post pictures when I get a chance later.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: boost on Tue, 11 September 2012, 11:30:01: looks great. Ever thought about plastic dipping the cases? They do that method on rims and can be peeled off at anytime.
Title: Re: Painting the CM Storm Quickfire
Post by: Xerobasix on Tue, 11 September 2012, 11:30:42: Quote from: shogrran on Mon, 10 September 2012, 10:39:26
i'd like to paint my cmstorm too...but i don't even know how to disassemble the thing. I only see one screw... is there any dissassembly guide?

It's just the one screw under the sticker. Then, there are four plastic tabs evenly spaced on the top and the bottom edges. You just need to run something under there (ID card, credit card or precision screw driver) be careful not to damage the plastic body.