What's going on in this here thread ;D
What's going on in this here thread ;D
Mmm.... maybe not just flocking. I was thinking of giving my case a white dry-erase board coating. So you could mark it up, and then erase it, and then mark it up again. My flocking experiments are still underway, but nothing new to report, unfortunately.
What's going on in this here thread ;D
Mmm.... maybe not just flocking. I was thinking of giving my case a white dry-erase board coating. So you could mark it up, and then erase it, and then mark it up again. My flocking experiments are still underway, but nothing new to report, unfortunately.
I was looking at doing this yesterday! There is also paint for making chalkboards, that would be cool also!
It's going to be more epic than that pink / white furry keyboard, isn't it :)
krog you'd better watch out before people want to start sending I case tops to flock :P
krog you'd better watch out before people want to start sending I case tops to flock :P
I'll worry about that once I produce one! I will be sending you out a flocked space bar tomorrow. I hope you have a Model M to try it out on. I'm also throwing in some flocked mods.
Hilariously sad pics to come later.
Looks like maybe you just got too much paint on it at one time. But it's salvageable. Either sanding and/or combination of sanding and easy off oven cleaner as demonstrated by photoelectric.
Looks like maybe you just got too much paint on it at one time. But it's salvageable. Either sanding and/or combination of sanding and easy off oven cleaner as demonstrated by photoelectric.
How does the Oven Off cleaner work? Just spray and wait for the paint to drip off? I've heard of it, but not the specifics of how to do it.
Hilariously sad pics to come later.
As promised!
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
Ok, so my goal was a neon green case. I used clear Duplicolor Adhesion Promoter primer. I'm not sure if I screwed up the primer, or the spraypaint -- but likely it's both. The green paint just didn't seem to be covering in some areas, which led me (again, I suffer from Terminal Optimism) to attempt to put another layer of paint on to try to cover the 'holidays' (areas without paint) and this led to ... well, what you see here.
Criticism, laughter, it's all welcome. What do the pros think? Can this just be sanded back down and redone?
This doesn't mean I'm giving up, at all. I'm just regrouping.
Post your mistakes!
Ok, this is definitely salvageable :). You don't need to use EasyOff for this paint as oil enamel sands off pretty well with rough sandpaper once well dried. Get some good 200-grit sandpaper that can be used wet (always wet-sand for painting) and sand in gentle circular motion.
Are you going to use the same paint afterwards? If so, you just need to sand to smooth the surface well and follow with finer grit paper like 400-600 to smooth out abrasion lines from 200-grit sandpaper.
Then once washed and Thoroughly dried, you can proceed with the green paint again.
Regarding the primer, you only need a fine layer--not a few of them :). Just mist it on continuously all over until a very fine layer is over all the surfaces you want to paint. Then follow with normal paint in a minute or two. Do a very fine misty layer first, such that a lot of black plastic shows through. Then slightly thicker layers, allowing the paint to dry to light touch (only test if you are sure it looks dry, touch extremely lightly, and in safer less conspicuous areas, as you can lift / dent wet paint, which you can't easily fix with more pain. I go by paint loosing the wet look and then waiting some more).
I don't know what happened once you used too much primer--if it will continue to be a problem, however, if nothing is cracking anymore, I think you can just proceed with smoothing the green paint a lot with sandpaper and painting over that. Make sure you're only sanding dried /cured paint--sanding too early will not go well.
Let us know how the sanding goes. If any inner layers are still gooey and not cured, it's a good sign that too much paint was sprayed (always do thin even layers, avoid the saturated wet layers).
1. Yes, I'm going to continue to try to use this color. Ok, so get wet sanding 200-grit sandpaper, and using a circular motion grind down the excess paint. Then go over that with finer grain sandpaper. My ultimate goal was to give this nuclear green cover a coating of glow-in-the-dark paint, maybe with some interesting masking. I have access to a vinyl cutting machine, so I was thinking of cutting a GH logo in vinyl, and then applying it using transfer paper, and then weeding out the vinyl on the inside, leaving a nice mask.Quote from: PhotoelectricThen once washed and Thoroughly dried, you can proceed with the green paint again.
2. Ah, ok, so wash afterwards and dry it off.Quote from: PhotoelectricRegarding the primer, you only need a fine layer--not a few of them :). Just mist it on continuously all over until a very fine layer is over all the surfaces you want to paint. Then follow with normal paint in a minute or two. Do a very fine misty layer first, such that a lot of black plastic shows through. Then slightly thicker layers, allowing the paint to dry to light touch (only test if you are sure it looks dry, touch extremely lightly, and in safer less conspicuous areas, as you can lift / dent wet paint, which you can't easily fix with more pain. I go by paint loosing the wet look and then waiting some more).
3. Thanks Photo -- do you think I should re-prime after I sand it down, or is it likely good enough? I think I may have put down too much primer initially.Quote from: PhotoelectricI don't know what happened once you used too much primer--if it will continue to be a problem, however, if nothing is cracking anymore, I think you can just proceed with smoothing the green paint a lot with sandpaper and painting over that. Make sure you're only sanding dried /cured paint--sanding too early will not go well.
4. Yeah, those cracks in the directional area were very faintly visible before painting, which was stupid of me to think I could paint over. I'll sand and post some photos of how it went, and I'll try to be more patient. Thanks for the help Photoelectric -- I vote Photo gets some sort of award over and beyond the contest just for paving the way.Quote from: PhotoelectricLet us know how the sanding goes. If any inner layers are still gooey and not cured, it's a good sign that too much paint was sprayed (always do thin even layers, avoid the saturated wet layers).
5. I will. It seemed as though the paint was just not adhering at all to some areas. I'm going to shake the damn can until my hand nearly falls off next time -- maybe that was the problem?
1. Right, sand gently (avoiding oversanding any corners, as 200-grit will sand that plastic easily) to even out the surface back to flatness. Now, regarding the glow-in-the-dark paint, those exist, but you need to make sure you use compatible paints over each other. What paint is your green color? Oil enamel? (what brand/line is it?)
You can use oil enamel over oil enamel as a rule, but never acrylic lacquer over enamel. But you CAN use oil enamel OVER well-dried acrylic lacquer. So investigate carefully, and if your glow-in-the-dark paint of choice is acrylic, I'd use acrylic lacquer green as a base. Acrylic paints mostly the same as oil as far as general directions go. But you'd have to sand off all the base paint if it's oil and re-prime.
5. What do you mean by not adhering? How could you tell that? Do you mean it was bubbling up sort of?
It appears to be an oil-based formula, but not made to be sprayed entirely as a base. Seems to be recommended as a few thin top layers over white paint for maximum fluorescent effect. Many reviews say it's very thin and runny, which makes me think it's a bit translucent. From what I've read in the past, a lot of the fluorescent paints are not very color-fast either. I would use a normal bright green enamel paint. Like this (Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch 2X in Key Lime)Show Image(http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pACE3-15846398enh-z7.jpg)
This should go on very smoothly and not present you with the problems you've encountered. It should be at your local Home Depot. For any new and unusual specialty paint, I recommend looking for reviews and experiences on-line: some paints and lines are much worse or better than others.
Likewise, the glow-in-the-dark paint might not be very durable, but you could always try it on a piece of scrap metal or plastic, over your paint of choice. Samples are great for being able to see the final color, hardness, and durability.
I'd sand that current green paint down as much as you can and start over with different paint. You won't need a primer if you use the Painter's Touch 2X as it has primer for plastic in it already.
Sure. I edited my previous post to add some more as you were replying :)
The reason I keep recommending the Painter's Touch 2X line is that it's SO easy to paint with, is easily available at Home Depot in lots of colors and finishes, and it's cheap. It's really good coverage smooth paint that's difficult to mess up (though of course prerequisite reading and practicing is helpful, you can still mess it up by spraying too much too fast).
But is it soft? :) Can you pet your keyboard between typing? :D
But is it soft? :) Can you pet your keyboard between typing? :D
Now I must mod it to emit a purring sound and vibrate -- the Katy Perry keyboard. It is soft, but on the back (this is going to sound really bad) it has some hard, dried bits, where the clumped up flocking struck the undercoating. (facepalm)
Here, look:
See the bottom notch (gah! this is unintentional, I swear) ... to the right, the slightly darker spots? That's where my flocking failed the fibers clumped together in a mass and struck the undercoating. I'll put a marble in the container that holds the flocking so I can mix it up and prevent clumping next time around.
But is it soft? :) Can you pet your keyboard between typing? :D
Now I must mod it to emit a purring sound and vibrate -- the Katy Perry keyboard. It is soft, but on the back (this is going to sound really bad) it has some hard, dried bits, where the clumped up flocking struck the undercoating. (facepalm)
Here, look:Show Image(http://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=47194.0;attach=40939;image)
See the bottom notch (gah! this is unintentional, I swear) ... to the right, the slightly darker spots? That's where my flocking failed the fibers clumped together in a mass and struck the undercoating. I'll put a marble in the container that holds the flocking so I can mix it up and prevent clumping next time around.
I like it anyways!! Flock everything FTW!!
:eek: that looks to have some very awesome potential!!
Hey, those are some pretty cool experiments!
I like the red--seems to have some orange to it?
That crackled finish could have resulted for other reasons, like painting when it's too cold out or having some surface contamination under the paint.
You can use some fine-grit sandpaper to try wet-sanding it a bit, something at least 1000-grit and up. Just make sure to wash your hands before every time you touch this cover, as if you put any more paint onto it, you're depositing some amounts of oils onto the red paint. If you do wet-sanding, I'd rinse it off REALLY well with some detergent to wash off any sanded particles, as the color will turn chalky and splotchy otherwise on the surface, and then leave it to dry thoroughly. Then wipe it with some fiber cloth--I've found that paper towels leave some dusty fiber pieces on the surface, and I have to use compressed air cans to remove.
Anyway, after you apply your stencils and paint another color, you'll definitely end up with some raised edges, because the spray force is usually too high from rattle cans, unless you use specialized airbrush equipment. I'd cover up the part entirely, just leaving the spots you want painted in a different color exposed, and spray from a distance, misting on the new color.
Sanding any raised edges is risky too, as you might end up chipping off the raised paint and end up with a jagged line. You can do a little bit of smoothing, but otherwise I'd just go over it with Clear. Either you can do a lot of Clear and sand that to smoothness later or just a bit of Clear for protection and accept some unevenness.
If you want stripes, check out your local auto supply stores. One of mine sells silver, gold, black, and chrome sticker stripe rolls in various widths, meant for car decoration. You can apply those under or over clear coats.
Sorry for the long stream-of-consciousness reply--just woke up :-\
Greetings from the UK!
I'm an utter noob here however I work with commercial spray paints on a daily basis respraying everything from plastic to metal and laminate surfaces. I know a lot of the basics have undoubtedly been covered here but I'd just like to reitterate several fundamentals when it comes to respraying, rules that essentially I swear by and that I think will come in handy for anyone looking to do a custom spray job on their keyboard, or anything else for that matter.
<big snip>
Hope this has been of some help and apologies for any typos it's been a long day, good luck.
:thumb:
Greetings from the UK!
I'm an utter noob here however I work with commercial spray paints on a daily basis respraying everything from plastic to metal and laminate surfaces. I know a lot of the basics have undoubtedly been covered here but I'd just like to reitterate several fundamentals when it comes to respraying, rules that essentially I swear by and that I think will come in handy for anyone looking to do a custom spray job on their keyboard, or anything else for that matter.
<big snip>
Hope this has been of some help and apologies for any typos it's been a long day, good luck.
:thumb:
Welcome to Geekhack!
Wow! Fantastic first post!!
Can we get this stickied somewhere?
Haha sooooooo didn't see that, yeah ignore me and just follow what the other poster says instead, it's much more detailed. Someone sticky that one for the sake of gloopy badly sprayed cases everywhere! :'(
Why is all this in krog's qfr thread?
Third post updated with red QFR w/ matte black pinstriping and logo. :D
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=47581.msg1015006#msg1015006
Third post updated with red QFR w/ matte black pinstriping and logo. :D
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=47581.msg1015006#msg1015006
:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
i've already tried a glow in teh dark case, panited white, then with glow paint over it, it didn't work out well at all.
to give it a consistant glow you need tons of layers ( i used a whole can and it still came out crappy ) its pretty splotchy, but it did glow well, just not very uniform or evenly and looked grainy, and in the daylight the color was pretty aweful.