Painting My Case - Brush Enamel or Spray?

[Atomic]

Well due to recently becoming addicted to case modding, I found an old P3 with a nice case at my grandmothers, and I'm going to use it for a kind of practice project. I'm just planning to paint the whole thing bright green or some other colour, and cut a window in it. I may install some nice lighting and such too.

Now the first thing I need to know, is, when painting the case, should I use spray paint (it'd have to be cans of it, due to my budget) or use enamel out of a tin. I've painted some of the inside of my current case with red enamel and a brush, and it turned out OK, but still not nearly as smooth as I want the outside of the case I'm modding.

So should I go with spray paint? Or is tinned paint just as good.

Oh and here's a pic of the case I brushed with enamel, the red is the paint I did.

http://cbwhiz.com/dump/daytime.jpg

[Bucko]

I would use spray paint. Many people have used it and gotten good results. Have a look in the tips, tricks and tutorials section for the painting section and have a look there.

[Spawn-Inc]

if you want to use paint out of the can, you might try wet sanding. you can find it in the tips, tricks and tutorials section as stated above for how to do so.

[Bucko]

Another tip for if you are using a can of enamel, is put the can in some hot water (don't need boiling, just from the tap) and heat up the paint a little.
When the paint is warm, it flows better and will give you fewer brush marks.
Also, DON'T BUY CHEAP BRUSHES, they will give you a lot of marks in the paint.
Decent brushes and warmed up paint will see you nearly brush mark free.

From there a sand and polish as Spawn said.

[Atomic]

Ok cool, I think I'm going to use spray paint then.

Also, while I'm here, when it comes to undercoat, is it really needed? And are there different types, like ones specially made for metal and such?

[Bucko]

I personally don't undercoat unless I've been doing some Bondo work, or have the case back to bare metal.

Otherwise I just wet sand back the old paint until it is no longer bright, wipe it down with wax and grease remover, then after the wax and grease remover dries, I paint with aerosol cans.

[.Maleficus.]

I always use primer (if that's what you mean). Whether or not it's absolutely necessary I don't know, but I always do and always will.

[SgtM]

I personally don't undercoat unless I've been doing some Bondo work, or have the case back to bare metal.

Otherwise I just wet sand back the old paint until it is no longer bright, wipe it down with wax and grease remover, then after the wax and grease remover dries, I paint with aerosol cans.

I use this same process, and have had pretty good results with it.

EDIT: Welcome to TBCS!

[Spawn-Inc]

i haven't painted a whole lot but when i do i never udercoat/prime. i painted my computer case gloss black (i wanted it flat black but all i could get was gloss, but it was free so w/e) and i did 2 coats and it came out fine.

[Twigsoffury]

hehe I've got a Gravity Feed Spray gun.

pwn's spray paint cans all day long :)

plus you can add your flake how much which way you want it to lay. add more flake of another color into your clear when you lay that down :)


If I had to give one tip. Spray side to side in broad even strokes. multiple thin coats avoids runs and makes for a more even paint job. Avoid keeping the can in one spot. and sand sand sand sand sand...