Painting a keyboard case: advice?

[zslane]

So I am probably going to have to paint a black keyboard case white some day and would love to hear any recommendations or advice. Like, what paint works best (I'm in the U.S. so brands that are easy to find here in the States would be appreciated). Also, any tips for making the results even and smooth would be helpful.

The type of case I'm referring to is your typical ABS plastic case like used by Filco, Cooler Master, Topre, etc.

[iamtootallforthis]

A lot of people got good results from PlastiDip https://plastidip.com/our-products/plasti-dip/

[fohat.digs]

I have had good results with Dupli-Color found in auto shops for about $8 per can (which will do at least 2-3 keyboards).

It is made for repairs to car interiors, so it has to be durable. I have only used charcoal gray on beige cases, but it has held up well for several years of gentle use.

[Findecanor]

The Dupli-color Vinyl&Fabric... Isn't that more of a dye than a paint? Dyes can usually only turn things darker or more coloured.
I have seen many recommendations for Krylon Fusion directly on plastic but I don't know if it could work well for turning a black case into a white.

If you have got any work done on the case (glue and putty, etc.) then use regular primer and paint. Most brands of "hobby paint" should do.

Wipe the part with isopropylene-alcohol on a lint-free cloth to remove dust and oils from your hands.
Always follow the instructions on the can(s) to the letter: Don't take shortcuts. Many thin layers is better than fewer thick layers. Let them dry the proscribed time, usually ~5 mins between layers and then don't do anything until the next day.
Suspend the part being painted by putting it on something - you don't want paint to run where the part touches anything.

[fohat.digs]

The Dupli-color Vinyl & Fabric ... Isn't that more of a dye than a paint?

I have seen many recommendations for Krylon Fusion directly on plastic

Always follow the instructions on the can(s) to the letter: Don't take shortcuts. Many thin layers is better than fewer thick layers.

Both are paints.

Look at the small print under the word "Fabric" and you see the word "Coating"
 

[sony]

Best advice is take your time. I rushed when I pained my case and I'm going to repaint it later.

[Badwrench]

Look around in this thread, there is a ton of very good advice in there. 

https://geekhack.org/index.php?board=152.0

[fohat.digs]

Best advice is take your time. I rushed when I pained my case and I'm going to repaint it later.

Love that typo.

[infiniti]

This is a good read too:

Keyboard Case Painting Tips https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=44191.0

[zslane]

If a case is black to begin with (like most cases these days), there is no existing paint layer to sand off, right? A black plastic case is just black plastic, yes? Or is there typically a protective coating I need to worry about removing?

[x9Memoriez]

Even if the original plastic is black, it is still highly advised to give it a light sanding with a higher grit sandpaper, 600 or so, to scuff it up which allows the paint to stick.

[Dyaems]

Plastidip if you still want to revert the case back to its original color. I also agree that it needs to be sanded lightly so that the paint will make a better grip on the plastic material.

[Spopepro]

So, sanding doesn't help for the reasons you think. The bond is at the molecular level, so scuffing the case doesn't "give it something to grip". What it will do is forcibly remove any contaminates, coatings, or anything else that might get in the way of adhesion. It's best thought of as cleaning, but mechanical rather than chemical.

That said, I wouldn't sand textured plastic cases, unless you're really going to town and making it smooth. Sanding will only hit the tops of the "bumps" of the texture. Clean the thing really well, and use a good plastic primer and you can put anything you want on it. The G81 case I painted got really nice things said about it at the recent SF meetup. That was just cleaned, masked, primed, painted with a MTN 94 product, and then a matte clear.

One consideration for a black case is to get a good opaque primer. Putting a light color over dark will require many coats.

[captsis]

if its already texured there is no need to sand it. ^^ is right and you should only sand to make it smooth.

[klennkellon]

Plastidip is popular cause it's easily removable. IIRC you just give it a WD-40 bath and it peels off. However I don't believe it gives as nice a texture as a good true paint job would.

For best results, use many light coats instead of a few heavy coats. It will not only look better and be more durable but it will also come off easier if you want to reverse it.

[meiosis]

Add varnish to make sure it doesn't chip as easily