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Has anyone ever spray painted a vintage PC?

Raddit123

Experienced Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
108
Location
UK
As the title suggests I am thinking of spraying one of my PCs - an Evesham Micros 486. Just wondering if any of you guys have ever done this before and if they could add any picks or advice? I'm pretty savvy with a spray can and some filler/primer as I work in the product design and prototyping sector but wounder if there is anything different I should look out for?

Thanks in advance! :)
 
Hello.
I have painted with grey spray 4 chassis of old compatible PC and the result is very good.
I would like to try to paint the cover this summer.
Is very important to eliminate all the old paint as you can before repainting.
 
I have not. However I did get a local shop to soda blast the rust off my Northgate 386 I bought in 1988 and powder coat the inside chassis black and color match the top cover to the original beige shade. They charged me $60 and worth every penny. Came out super nice.
 
Thanks for all the replies everyone! I'll make sure I get all the old paint off and do that google search. I was thinking about sand blasting or powder coating; maybe on another one!

Thanks again.
 
I recently sprayed a 5.25" floppy drive because it was beige and I needed black. I was using one of the vinyl spray paints and it turned out quite nice. You should have no trouble given the experience and equipment you have access to.



Good luck and post before and after pictures! :thumbsup:

Heather
 
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I have not. However I did get a local shop to soda blast the rust off my Northgate 386 I bought in 1988 and powder coat the inside chassis black and color match the top cover to the original beige shade. They charged me $60 and worth every penny. Came out super nice.
What kind of shops do that?
 
Yup, particularly those where yellowing of either paint or plastic has given a rather unattractive two-tone appearance. One rattle-can solution that seems to be pretty decent is Rust-oleum "Painters Touch 2X Ultra-cover". It's safe for plastic and metal and puts down a pretty dense coat of pigment. I'm usually not after a "original" color match, but rather something that looks decent.
 
I recently sprayed a 5.25" floppy drive because it was beige and I needed black. I was using one of the vinyl spray paints and it turned out quick nice. You should have no trouble given the experience and equipment you have access to.



Good luck and post before and after pictures! :thumbsup:

Heather

Vinyl paint actually sinks into the plastic so it should work well and last forever (if done correctly).
 
So long as you use appropriate automotive-grade paints, and apply them precisely as instructed, the result will be great.

A computer-specific issue is the metal inside the case. It is full of impurities that will fish-eye paint and make it difficult to get a smooth coat. Preparation is critical; more-so than usual. If you can blast it, do so. If not, get as much sanding done as you can. Use a Dremel with a wire brush if you've got one to scuff the bits that you can't get to, or just be patient. Degrease it thoroughly.

Any kind of acid treatment you can manage will help. If you can't do that, get serious with the pre-paint spray or mass air flow sensor cleaner. Use a nice self-etching primer. The stuff NAPA sells behind the counter is great, but don't use it in a confined area. Most of the time that's advice that people ignore. Do NOT ignore it this time. That stuff is nasty as hell.

Use those light coats as specified. It's very important. You'll never get a good finish if you don't. Be sure to clear coat things to protect them where you can.

Plastic can be a pain, because people have usually wiped it down with various conditioners containing silicone. You'll need to degrease plastic as well, but it's a balancing act between cleaning it up and damaging the surface, so be careful. This should always be cleared. Do it right, and the result will be solid.

Spray cans can produce finishes rivaling those of proper paint guns. You just have to take your time.

Don't forget to hang your parts at good angles to get even coverage and avoid buildup at edges.
 
I'll note that for any metal parts, powder coating is usually much cheaper and certainly easier than even spray paint. A good shop can get a smooth finish, and nearly every town has at least one shop.

I know that's not the requested answer, but I think it's good to get it in here, in case anyone finds this thread looking for tips.
 
Well thanks very much everyone! Really interesting ideas and tips. I'll bear all of them in mind :) I was thinking of (how can I put this?) jazzing it up. I like the idea of spraying it off in a matt light green or blue and maybe getting a DOS vinyl sticker or something. I'm also thinking about replacing the LEDs in the floppy/CD drives from that horrible orange to what ever color I paint it off in. Having said all that I may just spray it in a glossy silver. Any thoughts as to what would look good?

Cheers guys :)
 
Vinyl paint actually sinks into the plastic so it should work well and last forever (if done correctly).
I was shown a little about spray painting by a friend who does auto body work. He told me to make smooth deliberate movements while painting, take my time, and do multiple coats while giving each coat a chance to dry. I don't have a good place to do painting but I make do with what I have and it turns out fairly well.

Heather
 
Surface prep is also a big part of it. If you paint over dirt it will show.

I tend to worry mostly about rust and have painted some case parts because of it (used rustoleum paint after I removed the rust). Some otherwise nice old cases left of wet concrete for years will rust on the bottom. I do have a full tower Gateway 2000 case where the cover needs repainted, might get around to it this year.
 
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