Bare Metal Cases

Hgoale · 03-September-02, 01:18 AM

I think it would be really cool for companies to sell bare metal cases. At least the modding companies. I haven't seen any around, but it would be great for the modders who want to paint and find sanding that beige surface a pain (Which I think I speak for all of us). I think it would let us all get better finishes AND would remove a big step of sanding (Even though some sanding would still be probably required for the metal casing).

Has anyone seen cases like this anywhere? I would love to just save up some money and buy like 3 or 4 of em just paint some whicked designs on them.

scapegoat · 03-September-02, 04:08 AM

ive seen bare metal aluminum cases or course(lian-li's, etc)....but no now that i think about it ive never seen a bare steel case. you could always us a chemical stripper, if you wanted to get that paint off real fast

Hgoale · 03-September-02, 04:40 AM

Yea the obvious Lian Li's, but those are even harder to paint

And why would you, cause they're so sexy. Too bad I don't have a rotary sander, that would get it off in minutes. Maybe I'll e-mail some companies and see what they think.

Coelacanth · 03-September-02, 10:45 AM

That's a very good question. I'd much more rather buy a bare metal case than, say, something like those painted Antecs, which have a truly average dull-finish paint-job with molded plastic parts that don't quite color-match, and nowhere NEAR a glossy smooth finish.

However, as good an idea as it is to those of us who consider ourselves "modding purists", I doubt it'll fly. It's only the vast minority (hehe, contradicition in terms!) of the modding population who would buy it. Case manufacturers want to target the biggest market, not the smallest; and fact is, most people want their work done for them.

Thought-provoking concept, though...

Hgoale · 03-September-02, 01:01 PM

Yea, wish more people would stay away from premods or start painting (It's ain't THAT hard

). Oh well, I'll drop some e-mails, see what they say. Just thought it might be cool to see if fellow pimps would ever find a use for it.

BZA · 03-September-02, 01:46 PM

paint stripper would solve(ant) your problems.....just get a big pan and soak the parts in it and wipe the paint away.....i think ill do that on my next case....heh, i may do it on my current case

i have a side question that isnt worth the extra thread, when the top of a case is attached with rivets and you want to remove it, i know you drill out the rivits.....duh, now then, when you are drilling, do you use a "big" drill bit, or a "small" one? and when you re-attach the panel, are there any special screws? will thumb screws thread their own holes?

thanks

Miststlkr · 03-September-02, 02:10 PM

when drilling out a rivet, the way i was taught at least, you use a bit that will basically just hollow out the shaft part of the rivet or, at most, one that will make the head just a thin ring then use a screwdriver to pop the head off or to crush the now hollow rivet and push it out.

as for self-threading screws.. maybe self-tapping or sheetmetal screws? i wouldn't think that thumb screws would be able to thread the hole themselves, but who knows.

EDIT -- and, while it may seem obvious while sober, try not to let the front (PLASTIC) bezel sit in the solvent

Coelacanth · 03-September-02, 02:23 PM

Aren't those Lian Li-type thumbscrews made of anodized aluminum? I'd guess they'd get their threads all chewed to hell if forcing them into steel...Mist had the best advice; use self-tapping sheetmetal screws, or a nut & bolt deal.

Miststlkr · 03-September-02, 02:50 PM

Coel, please check PMs

need to "talk" about something if you got time

Coelacanth · 04-September-02, 01:54 AM

I just did, I wasn't online all evening. Just had a chance to check my emails before hitting the hay.

Wixx · 04-September-02, 01:48 PM

Oh, come on! Half the fun of modding is using power tools to strip the paint off cases (in many cases resulting in a carcinogenic airborne powder)!

Insomniac · 05-September-02, 03:15 AM

I am not going to over explain this time. Buy beige cases and sand the orange peel out with 320 grit sandpaper. That beige finish sticks like hell and sands very easy. If you want the same durability with bare metal, you would add a step, by spraying it first with an acid etching primer.......why when you can just sand smooth and start painting color......just my opinion

Hgoale · 05-September-02, 12:19 PM

Yea, I've been looking around and selling bare metal cases might be hard. I would think they would still need to put some kind of protective coat on it or oxidation might set in. Sanding it is

Coelacanth · 05-September-02, 12:26 PM

Insom, you're absolutely right (of course, when it comes to anything painting, you're 100% correct!)! The first time I read that was after I'd taken HOURS to painstakingly sand every outer inch of the Charger case down to the bare metal. With my current case and the upcoming Hot-Rod case, I am doing what you've suggested (and where I read once, somewhere else). Just sand out the beige grainy texture until it's smooth, then paint over it after a good cleaning with rubbing alcohol.

BoCoMoFo · 10-November-02, 03:22 AM

Quote:


	Originally posted by BZA i have a side question that isnt worth the extra thread, when the top of a case is attached with rivets and you want to remove it, i know you drill out the rivits.....duh, now then, when you are drilling, do you use a "big" drill bit, or a "small" one? and when you re-attach the panel, are there any special screws? will thumb screws thread their own holes? thanks

I did that with the top panel of my Lian-Li case a couple weeks ago. I used a 1/4" drill bit and then screwed it back on with some self-tapping fan grille screws. You already have some of those laying around probably, plus taking them back out is simple because 1) they are short, and 2) they don't have a nut on the inside that you have to hold onto. The front panel hides them nicely.

jbsteinke · 10-November-02, 04:04 AM

I used a gel-like paint dissolver to do my Antec case last year. One word...MESSY. Not to mention really bad for your skin. Wear gloves and eye protectors. It burns like H3LL on your skin...especially open cuts and scratches.

03-September-02, 01:18 AM		#1 (permalink)
Hgoale Apex Master Tech	Bare Metal Cases I think it would be really cool for companies to sell bare metal cases. At least the modding companies. I haven't seen any around, but it would be great for the modders who want to paint and find sanding that beige surface a pain (Which I think I speak for all of us). I think it would let us all get better finishes AND would remove a big step of sanding (Even though some sanding would still be probably required for the metal casing). Has anyone seen cases like this anywhere? I would love to just save up some money and buy like 3 or 4 of em just paint some whicked designs on them.

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03-September-02, 04:08 AM		#2 (permalink)
scapegoat Apex Tech God	ive seen bare metal aluminum cases or course(lian-li's, etc)....but no now that i think about it ive never seen a bare steel case. you could always us a chemical stripper, if you wanted to get that paint off real fast

03-September-02, 04:40 AM		#3 (permalink)
Hgoale Apex Master Tech	Yea the obvious Lian Li's, but those are even harder to paint And why would you, cause they're so sexy. Too bad I don't have a rotary sander, that would get it off in minutes. Maybe I'll e-mail some companies and see what they think.

03-September-02, 10:45 AM		#4 (permalink)
Coelacanth Apex Tech God	That's a very good question. I'd much more rather buy a bare metal case than, say, something like those painted Antecs, which have a truly average dull-finish paint-job with molded plastic parts that don't quite color-match, and nowhere NEAR a glossy smooth finish. However, as good an idea as it is to those of us who consider ourselves "modding purists", I doubt it'll fly. It's only the vast minority (hehe, contradicition in terms!) of the modding population who would buy it. Case manufacturers want to target the biggest market, not the smallest; and fact is, most people want their work done for them. Thought-provoking concept, though...

03-September-02, 01:01 PM		#5 (permalink)
Hgoale Apex Master Tech	Yea, wish more people would stay away from premods or start painting (It's ain't THAT hard ). Oh well, I'll drop some e-mails, see what they say. Just thought it might be cool to see if fellow pimps would ever find a use for it.

03-September-02, 01:46 PM		#6 (permalink)
BZA Semin-Hoe-Le Supp-Hoe-Ter	paint stripper would solve(ant) your problems.....just get a big pan and soak the parts in it and wipe the paint away.....i think ill do that on my next case....heh, i may do it on my current case i have a side question that isnt worth the extra thread, when the top of a case is attached with rivets and you want to remove it, i know you drill out the rivits.....duh, now then, when you are drilling, do you use a "big" drill bit, or a "small" one? and when you re-attach the panel, are there any special screws? will thumb screws thread their own holes? thanks

03-September-02, 02:10 PM		#7 (permalink)
Miststlkr Incognit - Hoe	when drilling out a rivet, the way i was taught at least, you use a bit that will basically just hollow out the shaft part of the rivet or, at most, one that will make the head just a thin ring then use a screwdriver to pop the head off or to crush the now hollow rivet and push it out. as for self-threading screws.. maybe self-tapping or sheetmetal screws? i wouldn't think that thumb screws would be able to thread the hole themselves, but who knows. EDIT -- and, while it may seem obvious while sober, try not to let the front (PLASTIC) bezel sit in the solvent

03-September-02, 02:23 PM		#8 (permalink)
Coelacanth Apex Tech God	Aren't those Lian Li-type thumbscrews made of anodized aluminum? I'd guess they'd get their threads all chewed to hell if forcing them into steel...Mist had the best advice; use self-tapping sheetmetal screws, or a nut & bolt deal.

03-September-02, 02:50 PM		#9 (permalink)
Miststlkr Incognit - Hoe	Coel, please check PMs need to "talk" about something if you got time

04-September-02, 01:54 AM		#10 (permalink)
Coelacanth Apex Tech God	I just did, I wasn't online all evening. Just had a chance to check my emails before hitting the hay.

04-September-02, 01:48 PM		#11 (permalink)
Wixx Modd-God	Oh, come on! Half the fun of modding is using power tools to strip the paint off cases (in many cases resulting in a carcinogenic airborne powder)!

05-September-02, 03:15 AM		#12 (permalink)
Insomniac PCApex's Paint Pimp	I am not going to over explain this time. Buy beige cases and sand the orange peel out with 320 grit sandpaper. That beige finish sticks like hell and sands very easy. If you want the same durability with bare metal, you would add a step, by spraying it first with an acid etching primer.......why when you can just sand smooth and start painting color......just my opinion

05-September-02, 12:19 PM		#13 (permalink)
Hgoale Apex Master Tech	Yea, I've been looking around and selling bare metal cases might be hard. I would think they would still need to put some kind of protective coat on it or oxidation might set in. Sanding it is

05-September-02, 12:26 PM		#14 (permalink)
Coelacanth Apex Tech God	Insom, you're absolutely right (of course, when it comes to anything painting, you're 100% correct!)! The first time I read that was after I'd taken HOURS to painstakingly sand every outer inch of the Charger case down to the bare metal. With my current case and the upcoming Hot-Rod case, I am doing what you've suggested (and where I read once, somewhere else). Just sand out the beige grainy texture until it's smooth, then paint over it after a good cleaning with rubbing alcohol.

10-November-02, 04:04 AM		#16 (permalink)
jbsteinke Apex Techie Wannabe	I used a gel-like paint dissolver to do my Antec case last year. One word...MESSY. Not to mention really bad for your skin. Wear gloves and eye protectors. It burns like H3LL on your skin...especially open cuts and scratches.