Mass producing colored PC cases, is it possible?

[etalns]

Hi all, I currently build computers locally and I have a few businesses who are currently torn between purchasing from me and another local company. They are looking to buy approximately 90 computers, and they said that if the computers can be colored it'd be a huge plus. I'd only have 30 days to make all of these computers, adn they'd pay the money neccesary in order to have the computers painted, but I just dont think I'd be able to do a good enough job and quick enough in order ot please them.

Does anyone know any professionals I can goto to have it custom-painted? anyone ever had experieince with getting painting companies to do this for them and paying them? if os, what sort of price tag should I expect to have on it.

Thanks

 

[Jizzler]

90 within 30 days?

Thats a pretty tall order. A good paint job takes many coats plus the time it would take to prep the cases.

Unless you want black of course, plenty of those out there

 

[AFSOC_Commando]

Check with Alienware if they will talk to you.... There are sites on the web that sell colored cases....

 

[krunk7]

After I fubbed painting my girl's case a couple of times(the paint kept "wrinkleing"....couldn't find any references to this problem. I had the same brand primer and paint *shrug*), I got fed up and took it to a local automobile paint and body shop that was working on her car. He put one of the best paint jobs on it I've seen on a case (car paint is MUCH higher quality than spray paint). He also said that it was a cinch. Maybe you could talk to your neighborhood shop.

 

[etalns]

How much did it run ya?

Possibly got any pics?

 

[CheapGator]

One thing that might be a problem is if you have to paint the plastic bezel on the front. Painting metal isn't hard if you have someone to do it, but painting the plastic can be a tempermental process(masking and whatnot). I'm going to try and powder coat my case, if I ever get it to work i'll show you what it took since i'll have to have an enough big enough to bake it in.

 

[ChrisADuffy]

krunk7, I am also very interested in seeing a pic or two of that paint job.

 

[Torghn]

The company I work for sales a TTGI case that comes in many collors, this is the case alienware use to use before they switched to the Antec Case (we actualy got a few boxes that say Alienware on them). They're too expensive running about $60 with a 320W PS. Newegg carries the front usb version without a power supplie for about $45, but only has black, silver, and white. (Do a search for <SPAN class=title>Hydraulic on newegg and you'll find them)</SPAN>

 

[krunk7]

The plastic on my girl's case came out fine.....I wasn't charged, but the auto guy said that if he would have charged, the paint he used would have been like 30 or 40$. The labor I'm not sure he didn't specify, but he did say that it only took like 15 or 20 minutes. I'm in the middle of finals right now, but will be done by this weekend and will take some picks than. The only flaw is some "wrinkles in the paint, but that was caused by what I did before the auto guy got ahold of it.

I would say that if you got a deal with the quantity you were looking at it could definately prove affordable.

 

[Crucial]

I assume since it only took him 15 minutes that you did all the prep work. There's no way you would get an acceptable finish taking 15 minutes to prep the panels and spray them.

 

[S13SilviaK]

I'm not buying krunk's story, I talked to a pro hot rod/custom cycle worker (also one of my best friends) about painting my case for me, he said if it was steel it would not be a big deal but aluminum is too soft a metal to be easily paintable and it would cheap easily. He also specifically said the front plastic part would need a ton of extra work, after everything was said and done it would have been about a $200-300 job for a high quality paint job that wouldn't scrape, or chip every time you touched it. With the plastic cover you need to add a special additive to the paint to make it stick similiar to an epoxy, or try spending the time to sand the plastic down, prime, paint, sand, paint, sand, paint, etc.


A little time ago there WAS something on the forums about a place that had multiple Antec cases in various colors, I tried finding it but no luck. You have 90 days though and if you already have the cases bought, or they are not willing to budge on the color you might be SOL, then again if they can't buy the computers on quality above cuteness maybe it's their loss. (Yeah right 90x$500 that's a pretty nice chunk of change in your little old pocket you had better get to finding some color cases!!!)

Mark

 

[MoFunk]

<< I'm not buying krunk's story, I talked to a pro hot rod/custom cycle worker (also one of my best friends) about painting my case for me, he said if it was steel it would not be a big deal but aluminum is too soft a metal to be easily paintable and it would cheap easily. He also specifically said the front plastic part would need a ton of extra work, after everything was said and done it would have been about a $200-300 job for a high quality paint job that wouldn't scrape, or chip every time you touched it. With the plastic cover you need to add a special additive to the paint to make it stick similiar to an epoxy, or try spending the time to sand the plastic down, prime, paint, sand, paint, sand, paint, etc.


A little time ago there WAS something on the forums about a place that had multiple Antec cases in various colors, I tried finding it but no luck. You have 90 days though and if you already have the cases bought, or they are not willing to budge on the color you might be SOL, then again if they can't buy the computers on quality above cuteness maybe it's their loss. (Yeah right 90x$500 that's a pretty nice chunk of change in your little old pocket you had better get to finding some color cases!!!)

Mark >>



Sorry, wrong! I painted my case at my friends body shop, using auto paint and his booth and gun. The only thing we did was prime the plastic with a type of primer that is made for plastics. It sort of melts the platic in a way that when the primer dries it is fused with the plastic. I did that and let cure for a while in the booth, then I sprayed the rest. Looks great. The only thing is I still have a tad of an orange peel effect due to not sanding it down. I am not sure what the paint cost, he didn't charge me. But this can be done. I did no sanding, just painted a coat, dried in his booth with the bakers on, painted another coat, dried, then one coat of clear, then baked it some more.

 

[S13SilviaK]

Then post pics of this great paint job? Pro paint jobs unless your buddy runs a 24hr type Maaco place is not spray and bake, pro painters know to take their time, and if YOU are the one who painted the case you must be one helluva a quick learner to be able to paint with a gun and not get runs, and overspray all over your case. I'm not saying that you don't think it's a good job but this is a business for the person in question, a rattle can job isn't going to cut it when he wants repeat business and word of mouth.

By the way your best bet also would either be to get some aluminum case and have them anodized...normally about $30-50 or have it powder coated also a job that can be done for $30-50 or much less if you can get an order in somewhere, they will paint the cases in probably 4 different solid colors for you for about $5 a case panel with PC which is pretty much a ceramic coating on the metal parts.

Mark

 

[MoFunk]

<< Then post pics of this great paint job? Pro paint jobs unless your buddy runs a 24hr type Maaco place is not spray and bake, pro painters know to take their time, and if YOU are the one who painted the case you must be one helluva a quick learner to be able to paint with a gun and not get runs, and overspray all over your case. I'm not saying that you don't think it's a good job but this is a business for the person in question, a rattle can job isn't going to cut it when he wants repeat business and word of mouth.

By the way your best bet also would either be to get some aluminum case and have them anodized...normally about $30-50 or have it powder coated also a job that can be done for $30-50 or much less if you can get an order in somewhere, they will paint the cases in probably 4 different solid colors for you for about $5 a case panel with PC which is pretty much a ceramic coating on the metal parts.

Mark >>



OK. Here are some for you. They are compressed and I have a cheap digital camera. I will upload some high res ones tonight linky He is a pro, he did NOT do it for me. He would have spent a friggin week as anal as he is. I must be a fast learner, wasn't hard at all. I did practice on an old side that I had. But dove right in. Pictures do not do it justice. Another alternative would be an airbrush.

 

[Crucial]

How long has it been painted? Did you prep the panels at all before painting? Use any primer on the panels?

The paint looks good but the pics don't show enough detal. If you didn't prep the panels at all I can garauntee it will chip very easily or start to peel. The paint needs a rough surface to stick to.

That said it looks good for your first quicky paint job.

 

[Sukhoi]

Check out Directron.com. Last time I looked they had a bunch of painted/colored cases.

 

[MoFunk]

<< How long has it been painted? Did you prep the panels at all before painting? Use any primer on the panels?

The paint looks good but the pics don't show enough detal. If you didn't prep the panels at all I can garauntee it will chip very easily or start to peel. The paint needs a rough surface to stick to.

That said it looks good for your first quicky paint job. >>



It has been painted for around 10 months and I have no issues! The only prep to the sides and top I did was a touch of that primer. I wouldnt even call it a full coat just a spinkle really. Nothing is peeling. I slam CD jewelcases against it nightly, my daughter has thrown the dog bone against it at least twice, I get into it all the time and there is no chipping. The clear coat that was used is much more durable than that from a rattle can so that helps protect it. I will bring some high resolution pictures to work with me tomorrow and upload them so you can get a better feel for the paint. Plus we are talking about a PC here. How much abuse are they going to take on a day to day basis, plus auto paint is a ton more durable.

 

[S13SilviaK]

I saw the pics and it looks like a ood rattle can job, but that's a good thing don't get me wrong. Also, like Caddict that thing will chip because you only have 3 coats on the thing (but your better off than an aluminum case would be at that point), most cars have 10-12 from the factory and a repaint will normally be at least 5 coats but that's mute because if your happy that's wonderful, but were talking about a Pro who needs Pro cases, these can't look cheap at all and I'm sure the cases really need to look like they weren't painted at all.

But as of right now we don't know what Qosis needs because he hasn't answered our ?'s ....Hello....where are you (can't you just hear the echoeing ) I just hope he found the info. he was looking for and got the job done, it'd be tough for me to lose a 90 CPU job.

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

If you have the money, try these guys........they paint every part of the case including the bezel and drive doors and covers, etc. if you send it to them. These guys are the Earl Scheib of the computer case painting industry. They are in TX but they do ship.


Cool or what?


COMPUTERS DIVINE

 

[MoFunk]

Here are a couple more pics. A little better but unfortunatly I have a low end digital camera and the pics still dont look great and do not do this case justice. They may still look like an old rattle can job, but they are not and I could care less if some think so. I am not trying to impress anyone, just let someone know that it is possible to take your stuff to a booth and paint away. But since the pro's here say no way, then my case must be a figment of my imagination. I suppose that since my case is in my house and not driving around on the streets I have no chipping yet. So unless the paint just all of a sudden falls off one day, I am not worried about having 12 coats of paint. So good luck to the person that wants to do this and I hope you dont go pay some paint shop hot shot a ton of cash for something that could be done yourself! Oh here are the pics pic1 pic2

 

[talonts]

<< most cars have 10-12 from the factory and a repaint will normally be at least 5 coats >>



What ARE you smoking?

"Most" cars from the factory get ONE, MAYBE 2 primer dips, ONE, MAYBE 2 color coats, and ONE clearcoat. That's 1-3 paint coats and 1-2 primer. OEMs have worked very hard to get the total number of coats to a minimum to decrease production supplies/time/costs and lessen the chance of getting crap in a fresh coat.

The only factory cars that get 10-12 these days are handbuilt ones. Not even the cars ordered with the custom Chameleon paints get 10-12 coats from the factory.

 

[fell8]

Color cases? Try here, or here, or here, or here, or here, or here, or here, or here, or here, or here, or--well you get the idea. There are plenty of places to get color cases if you just look. BTW, these places I've listed are fairly reputible. Good luck.

 

[S13SilviaK]

BMW/BENZ each get 12 a piece including primer and are then baked, I know I've seen both cars built in germany. Harley's get 8 coats including primer but they also sand inbetween coats. Andy decent paint shop will give you 5 on a recoat which is sand, 3 paint 2 clear. Now unless you buying a honda/toyota/etc. then maybe they use a significantly decreased amount of paint, but I'm talking from experience, from what I've seen with my two eyes.

Mofunk, those pictures are much better and the case does look good, the only thing I can think of is that your previous attempts prepped the case, if not maybe you got lucky. I can't see from the pics how big the flakes are in the paint but it does look metallic which is cool it looks like high quality paint. Also, you have a steel case which does make a difference there's more problems with an aluminum case that's the only other thing I can think of, either way good job.

 

[fell8]

Since it seems impossible to edit my last post here's the correct link for savingxoom.

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

Apparently it takes some knowledge,ie what kind of paint to use and experience, etc. I think the drive covers would be the tricky part. The guys at Computers Divine said once they were like auto paint dudes who learned by trial andd error I think.