Logo on metalic case

[Nessmaster]

Hi. I was searching the net for a website that could help me paint a logo on the front of my case (which is a metal), thats when I found linear1. As I was reading the guides, I quickly became confused about what type of paint I should use and what preperations I should take before applying the paint job. I have a metalic (black) Lian Li case ( http://www.lian-li.com/Product/Chassis/M_C_PC-6X_S_PC-60.htm ). I want paint my logo on the front of the case where there are the two fanports with the circular fence filters over them.

Front of my case ---> http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/1977/frontcase9ph.jpg

You can see where I have the red box around the area. I also didn't know how I was going to do my logo, so I thought it would be that I cut it out of cartboard or the such and spray. This is what I got (without it cut out yet) ---> http://img447.imageshack.us/img447/6323/img21475bz.jpg 
Just FYI, it says NIV, because I name my computers Nessy, and this is the forth one, thus Nessy IV (IV being 4 in roman numerals)

So I would tape the cut out cardboard logo on the front where the fan ports are (since I can take off the front of the case witha breeze) and using masking tape, cover the other parts near it I dont want to have paint. Would that work or is there a better, easier way?

But like I said I mainly have problem figuring out how to prepare the metallic front and what apint to use. I also don't want to loose the metallic texture to it.

[Brundle Fly]

Well, that's brushed aluminum, so if you want to keep that look, you can't sand. Options? Paint over top, after throughly cleaning, then applying an adhesion promoter.  As for taping on the logo, then taping around it, would it not be easier to either draw the logo on the case first, or trace the logo you have made up, then tape around the lines you've drawn?

Paint? I'm a Dupli-Color junkie, I love their paints, they work very well, and look fantastic, here's a couple links:

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/product_index.html

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/adhesion.html

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/stripper.html

Anymore questions, just ask. 

[Nessmaster]

Hey, cheers! Thanks for the info. Now that I think of it. It would be just easier to cutout and trace onto the case and then tape down what i dont want painted.

Ok, so I apply some Adhesion Promoter first. Let the dry, then start with the painting? This will make it look metalic right? I want it to look metalic.

[Nessmaster]

Man... since when did you have to be 18 to buy spray paint

[Brundle Fly]

Hey, cheers! Thanks for the info. Now that I think of it. It would be just easier to cutout and trace onto the case and then tape down what i dont want painted.

Ok, so I apply some Adhesion Promoter first. Let the dry, then start with the painting? This will make it look metalic right? I want it to look metalic.

When you say "metallic", do you mean the "brushed aluminum"  look that your case already has? If you want it to look like it does now, no sanding. Yes, clean the case, follow the instructions for the adhesion promoter(no sanding though), then paint, using thin coats.

You don't want to fill in the grooves in the aluminum by putting the paint on too thick, so it will take patience, but it will pay off in the end. 

As for the "18" thing, I don't know, probably has something to do with kids getting busted for huffing paint where you live. Here in Barrie, ON, I send my guys to buy me paint all the time, no probs selling paint to a 14 or 16 year old. No "paint huffing" problem here either though. Sad that some freaks decide to huff paint to get high. 

[Nessmaster]

Ok, I cut out the logo (I have one for the front of the case, but also one for the side of the case, slightly similar design just enlarged). for the case side, taped it down and traced around it, then removed it, put on the tape, and I got something like this ---> http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/754/sidetapedlogo6wu.jpg

As you can clearly see, the cut out fits right on in ---> http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/4519/sidetapedlogowithoriginal2wu.jpg

So what do you guys think? Looking good?

[justDIY]

looking good - except I have one reservation...

the silver 'duct' tape you used is synthetic, that is a plastic tape with plastic fibers in it and a plastic adhesive... I'm not sure what the solvents used in spray paint will do to it ... you might want to just put a piece of duct tape on something non important and shoot it with the paint, to see what happens.

I'm just worried the solvents in the paint would partly dissolve the duct tape, leaving you with a sticky goey mess to clean off the front of your case.

if you have some painters tape or 'masking' tape laying around, I'd recommend using it, and for large areas, just use some newspaper / cardboard, with tape on the borders.   masking tape is just paper (sometimes coated on one side really lightly with wax) and the other side with a glue resistant to paint solvents

[Nessmaster]

Cool, cool. Maskkng tape being the one that almost feels like it's made out of paper right? I tested a small stript of the silver duct tape I used one the case, and it comes off without leaving any guey marks, so If I have to take it off, no problem. Thanks a bunch guys

[Brundle Fly]

Cool, cool. Maskkng tape being the one that almost feels like it's made out of paper right? I tested a small stript of the silver duct tape I used one the case, and it comes off without leaving any guey marks, so If I have to take it off, no problem. Thanks a bunch guys

The problem isn't taking it off now, the problem is trying to take it off after painting, the paint reacts with the glue on the tape, and THEN the problems occur. The thinners in the paint will react with the glue, and that's where the problem is.

A tip I picked up many years ago while visiting a hobby/modeling site, you can pick up liquid rubber, such as the stuff used for coating the handles of tools, available at pretty much any hardware store, then paint the rubber around the outline of the logo. It will fill in the texture of the brushed aluminum. Mask over top of the rubber, and paint away. The rubber will peel off afterwards. Last I checked, most hobby shops were carrying a specialty "masking paint" just for this purpose, very easy to remove, and totally prevents bleed through.

I'll have a look around online tonight, and see if I can find some. 

[Brundle Fly]

Here ya go, and dirt cheap too! I'm sure you can find the same stuff in your local hobby shop, or a similar product, the perfect fix for masking the brushed aluminum on your case. 

http://www.plastic-models.com/listings/masking_film_tape.html

[Nessmaster]

I got a bone to pick with Brundle Fly You told me it would keep the metalic form, yet it didn't, it feels like...welll...can't describe it, look for yourself:

http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/9647/casetexture5xk.jpg

Anyway, I used adhesion, and then I applied about 4 thin layers of Engine Enamel (Dupli Color)

Was that the problem? I didn't know what type of paint to use for the color, so I found this and another (had metalic and all, was tempting, but the extra $5 made  me choose this one)

[Brundle Fly]

DOH!

That sucks, engine enamel has high solids, it's a filler as well as a paint. You're in a bit of a sticky situation, you want to keep the texture, but paint it as well. I KNOW Metalcast red would work, it's thin enough to not hide the texture, but the problem comes with finding a primer that is thin enough to not fill in the texture. You want a light coloured primer so the red shows well.

I doubt that light coats of primer would work, primer is also a filler, you don't want to lose the textured effect.

Options? I dunno, if I was set on keeping that texture there, I'd use a very fine brush, and brush my primer onto the area I wanted painted, being very careful to follow the brushed aluminum texture, perfectly straight strokes, and very thin coats. Once a had a base coat of primer on, I'd then spray on the Metalcast, thin coats of Metalcast will show every bit of texture.

Problem is, if you were to just spray Metalcast red over the black, it would be very dark, nowhere near the colour in your pic. $100 says that case is anodized, so stripping the whole thing is out of the question, that's a complicated process, involving some pretty heavy chemicals, not something you cook up in your basement. Best bet is trying out applying a light coloured primer by hand, in VERY thin coats.

You don't want high or full coverage paints, you need a very thin paint, the Metalcast line is "see-through", so if you apply a white primer first, the more red you spray on after, the deeper the colour gets, yet it won't hide any texture underneath. Engine enamel, well, that makes a cast iron engine block look smooth, so it will fill in any texture in the brushed aluminum.

It won't be easy to keep the texture on this, you'll have to work at it, and have lots of patience, but it is do-able. 

Sorry you bought the engine enamel, I should have made myself very clear, and suggested Metalcast in the first place. 

[Nessmaster]

Hey no problem. It was my first time ever doing something like this, and while I am not 100% satisfied with the results, I am very happy I at least have a nice logo. BTW, I decided to test out the duck tape and it worked without any gooeyness behind it. So I didn't have to remove anything.

[GreyDeath]

Umm there are a couple Ways of Achieving your needs for the Logo outline

one way is to goto your local Hobby shop and get whats Called Squadron Signals WaterSlide Decal Paper, and print your logo Onto it in the Size and shape you need or you can have a local Print mart Print it for you

then all you do Is print it, Let it dry , then if you Like you can take Some High Gloss Enamel and over coat it Lightly to give it a Gloss finnish
then dip in water and slide it into Place, and to Get it to conform to irregular Shapes after it has sat for a few and rested you can brush it With Apple Cider Vinegar to Help it stretch and lay flat, then take an artists Feather brush and brush the Air bubbles out of it gently

let it dry and any remaining Airbubbles can be laid flat by lightly pricking with the tip of a needle
Now the beauty of this application is this, it can be done in an opacity to fit your needs ...either a Full Color with no bleed through or With a translucent Ink which will allow for full color and or design to show through from the backside

Part 2 that can can be used to achieve your needs is to have the design Cut out from that of a vynil sign making shop
the Nice thing about having this Done is this
You can use the Vynil design as a final finnished job, or you can go one step Further and use the Vynil as a means  of a mask,

And lastly , a Better Masking Material for all those that are looking to do Advanced Graphics on PC Cases and Mods that require large areas to be covered and protected  (I think you all are gonna Love this One)

Everyone here has gone through the taping Dilema once or twice in their Life
Well here is the Cure and it serves many facets of our painting and masking and best of All its Cheap By any means
(Good Ol Shelving Contact paper)
Plus's
1.  It comes with a grid Work already printed onto the back Of It so Super Imposing Graphics onto it is a Snap
2.  you can get a roll of it for about $1-$2
3.  if you get it in a solid color your can trace your design onto it, lay it on the case and cut and paint each relief individually
4.  ever wonder how to clean up the Interior of your case especially with the bay area's that are visible from the windows
5.  can leave it on the case and take it off without usual paint lifting usually associated with masking tape or Duct tape Glue residues
6.  Best Of all .........Unlike Tape, You can Leave it on forever it seems and take it off later on just by using a conventional hairdryer to lightly heat it and then it peels free taking its glue back with it and leaving the tape

Hope this helps all