My Scratch Built IBM 5150 Replica Case!!!

[Johnb]

Hello there.

I had recently got in here to ask a little info about the Bezel dimensions of the IBM 5150 Case (i've been helped a lot,thanks!).

A member suggested that i should post it here when it'll be ready,so i came back to do so.

A little info on the project:

The last few years i've turned crazy about getting an IBM 5150,the problem is i couldn't find one.

I decided i needed something more modern that could play the whole 90's era so i settled with a Pentium II system i made out of two,but i INSISTED wanting an IBM 5150,so i said to combine them both with a Retrofit in a 5150 Case which was also almost impossible to find.

It didn't took me long to think of what to do,i built one my self!!!!

It's identical to the IBM except of having a flat bezel,22 slices on the grille as opposed to 17,and has about 3 inches more depth (i needed to fit the big stuff inside!).

Total cost was around 10-13 Bucks on MDF and a week's noons of work.

Hope you like it,i do.

I made a video you can watch,here:

 

[wesleyfurr]

Wow...that is beautiful...and amazing!

Wesley

 

[Shadow Lord]

Wow...that is beautiful...and amazing!

Wesley

A few questions:

1. How does the texturing of the paint compare to the original? Did you uses textures paint or did you spray on a texture coat first?
2. How about the actual paint? Did you just color match? W/ the roller do you think you got better results then a spray gun would have produced (not criticizing just wondering)?

It looks amazing!

 

[angel_grig]

Wow!!I'm impressed!!:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow:E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T job!I think this post must become sticky!

 

[arrow_runner]

That's really nice. If I were you, I would consider making more of those up to sell!

 

[Johnb]

Hello guys,thank you very much for your good feedback!

I appreciate your comments!

A few questions:

1. How does the texturing of the paint compare to the original? Did you uses textures paint or did you spray on a texture coat first?
2. How about the actual paint? Did you just color match? W/ the roller do you think you got better results then a spray gun would have produced (not criticizing just wondering)?

It looks amazing!

Hellow Shadow Lord,you picked up a very interesting question!

I tried to match the colors as accurate was possible but they must be a little off compared to the original but i assume you will only be able to tell if you see them side by side.

I've had a problem getting the Bezel to the "right" color and at the end i used as a reference an old CD Drive which wasn't yellowed but yet it had a yellowhitegrayish color close to the unique one you see on the 5150 and others,this helped a lot.

The top cover looks pretty much the same,i had got a much more accurate "a pinch darker" color (as accurate my memory is),but i had to repaint it,multiple times as the paint was getting dirt and chips from the roller.


Originally i was planning to paint it with an HVLP Spray Gun and Finish the paint part within a noon but mine was been borrowed so i had to either paint it with a roller or wait a couple of days (you know what happened,haha).

The spray would have had a much smoother finish with the Water Based Lacquer but i'm well satisfied by the roller as it left a discreet fine texture which gives a PC-Case paint feeling (the texture feel was controlled by the paint's dillution and the roller,i had a little bad time doing this).

Of course i could get the exact same texture the cases have by using the Spray Gun but only with a different type of paint,like with industrial type metal paint. Not a bad idea but those stink for weeks and i try to avoid them as i have a lot of stink already from the Nitrocellulose Sealer,lol.

Any other question i'll be glad to answer.

 

[tingo]

Nice job - well done!

 

[barythrin]

Definitely looks great. There have been a few discussions on the paint/case design on the forums if you hunt around that have better speculations. I had thought it was a baked paint type but I think a few smarter folks had better answers on what it was.

 

[Shadow Lord]

So you matched the color by eye? That is pretty damn good. I've been meaning to take a cover down to the local Home Depot to color match a batch of paint. But I hesitate as I do not want to ruin a case. I am not sure if you can get the texturing just w /a spray gun. You definitely would need to spray on a texture coat in my opinion.

 

[angel_grig]

I also think that it will be usefull if you post the exact dimensions of the pieces you used.

 

[chalackd]

I am not sure if you can get the texturing just w /a spray gun. You definitely would need to spray on a texture coat in my opinion.

With a little practice and/or experimentation I think the paint texture could be nearly reproduced with just a spray gun, using paint that's "too thick" and not enough air volume in an HVLP spray gun I have inadvertently produced similar results before while painting other things. It would probably also help to preheat the metal being painted (like having the nice hot sunlight shining on it for a while before starting) to help the paint stick quicker so it couldn't flatten out so much.


Also:

Very nice reproduction case, that must have taken some hours to produce such a nice result!