Painting/Re-finishing computer cases...

From: William Donzelli <william_at_ans.net>
Date: Sat Sep 13 13:21:23 1997

> "Hammertone" finish has been popular on electronic equipment going back
> to the 1910's, at least. (Earlier stuff often used a far more
> extreme "wrinkle" finish.) Not only does it reduce glare off an
> instrument's surface, but it also hides small manufacturing defects
> a lot better, too :-)

Wrinkle finishes seem to have mostly died out near 1960 or so. The only
(production) computer I have seen in wrinkle finish is the outer case of a
Packard Bell 250.
 
The textured finish found on more modern stuff (sometimes called a
splatter finish, as the first coat is splattered on with a purposely
crummy airbrush setup) can be restored quite easily, unlike wrinkle
finishes. For small (or big, if you are patient) bare spots, all one must
do is match the color of the paint at the paint shop, then manually apply
the texture with a toothpick or swab. For larger jobs, you could try a
badly done airbrush job. After the texture has dried, a smooth coat is
then applied to cover the whole repair and blend the new and existing
paint (an airbrush is a must for this job). The color will match, but most
likely the new paint will be duller than the old paint. This may be
acceptable to some, but if not, the new paint can be slowly buffed to the
proper sheen.

William Donzelli
william_at_ans.net
Received on Sat Sep 13 1997 - 13:21:23 BST