Painting Filco Frame?

[Moneyless]

I was wondering how I'd go about disassembling the case/frame of my Filco Tenkeyless to maybe paint the frame (or whatever it's called, that main piece of plastic on the top that goes around the keys and separates the clusters of F keys and such) a cool* color.

Firstly, for the actual disassembly... Are there screws under the rubber feet, or are there snap tab sort of things around the edge where the top part snaps onto the main bottom part of the "outer shell?" Really not sure how I'd go about taking it apart, decided I'd just ask you guys instead of trying something and ending up breaking it. :rain:

Second, for the paint... From what I've read about painting stuff like mice and PC cases and the like, I'm guessing I'd have to sand it down a bit first for the paint to stick well, right? Or is there special "for plastic" paint where you don't need to do any sanding? I'd be buying those cans of Krylon something-or-other you can find at hardware stores.


What do you guys think? Am I crazy? Any pointers? Thanks.

I'd probably wait until it heats up a little before I do any actual painting though so that I could do it outside (getting spray paint all over the place ftl); but I'm starting to plan everything so once I actually go about doing it it should be easier and I'll know what I should be doing. :smile:


*  -  Don't worry, I don't mean a "cool color" as in something totally flamboyant and obnoxious like bright lime green or neon lemon yellow. I was actually thinking maybe a dark Ferrari red type color or a dark navy blue.

[Kacee]

I vote for bright lime green or neon lemon yellow, dark Ferrari red or dark navy blue are for gay.

OTOH, you should sand down the surface, just to make it rough, regardless the type of paint.

[bakageta]

There's a single screw that holds the Filco Tenkeyless boards together, it should be behind a do-not-remove sticker. After that, there are six clips, 3 along the bottom and 3 along the top. If you look closely on the lower shell, you can see small marks for where the clips are. I used a guitar pick to open mine up, so I wouldn't scratch the plastic. As for painting plastic, I've had fairly good luck with the Krylon Fusion paints, which are the ones designed for plastics. There's no sanding needed, and I've found them to work better without sanding, unlike typical paint.

[Brummell]

Go to an auto parts store and look for vinyl dye.  It comes in a spray can like spray paint and applies in the same way, but it's made specifically to recolor vinyls and plastics.  It bonds better to the surface and it's much less likely to chip or peel than a regular spray paint.  

Auto detailers use it to change the color of dashboards and the like.  I used to use it back in the day when black components like CD-ROMs were tough to find.

[bakageta]

Vinyl Dye is probably the best, but typically you'll find a much smaller selection of colors than the plastic-specific paint.

[Lpb45]

if you really really really must spray paint it, sand it well and after make sure you get every little piece of dust off or eventually the paint is going to peel.

[ethanh8791]

yup. vinyl dye is the way to go. Have done it on many a pc case front bezel, optical drive, etc...As has been said you don't need to sand with it. Just apply several coats. Oh...one odd thing happened to me recently. I used a white vinyl dye on a black bezel and the result was baby blue....not sure how that happened but something to think about (multiple coats applied in that circumstance).

[Oqsy]

I used rustoleum industrial paint for my model m a year ago. Still no chips or cracks. I see no reason that it won't be fine in two more years. I'll post pics then

[gilgam]

i smoke 20 cig a day for 10 years, and i don't have lung cancer. I don't think 20 more years will change anything ....

You get it ?

I'm afraid you're wrong.

[Oqsy]

Who are you?

I said I'd post pics in two more years, newtroll. Assuming it *won't* work is the same as assuming it *will*. Both are "guesses" with different reasoning behind them.  I respect and understand ripster's misgivings, but the haughtiness and disregard for the nature of conversational disagreement in your post is just silly and childish, so I shall respond in like; go play with your Inkidu, Trollgamesh.

[gilgam]

I must have been rude so. there were neither haughtiness nor disregard.

I just wanted to point out that even it didn't happen yet it does not mean that it won't happen.


( Enkidu rather than Inkidu  ? )

[Moneyless]

Wouldn't a clear coat help protect the paint?

[Oqsy]

Absolutely. Just be sure to choose the appropriate sheen. Gloss will be a dust magnet and show more imperfections FYI, and the flatter sheens won't be as "new" looking. I usually go with a satin clear if I can find it in a matching brand/formula. Flat clears exist but usually require a special color coat as well, and you might as well just do extra coats of flat color instead of messing with the cost/research involved.

[Will]

If you're going Vinyl dye I'd go with Duplicolor plus their adhesion promoter.

I used VHT on some stuff and it's starting to chip away after heavy use.

Also, they don't really make vinyl "dye" anymore it seems, now it's just vinyl spray.



Anyway, if you do go that route, I'd try practicing painting on some other stuff first. I think it's usually 5 minutes between coats, 30 minutes until you can handle it and 12-24 hours for it to cure.