Hey guys, as of next Friday, I will have a new phone (as mine is playing silly sods ATM), and I'll be getting a Motorola v3i. Nothing wrong with this, it's a good sturdy phone which is very useable. Only issue I have with it, is that it's pink... So, I'm thinking of repainting it in slightly more masculine tones, i.e. the black/navy/dark red sorta look. But here's where i get stuck. I know I'm going to have to mask off the screens and the keypad etc, but do i give the case a quick rub with sandpaper first? Just to give the primer something to key to? Cheers guys, and rest assured, once done, I'll post up pics for everyone. Joe
I did something similar to this with a motorola something or other and the paint did not last long, partially because I didn't sand well enough and the paint didn't take (it was high quality auto paint too). The phone is now dead since it looked like crap after a little while. Good luck with yours though.
just keep it pink and revel in the fabulousness of it all. when people ask about it just act ragingly gay. it can be your idiosyncrasy - we all need one!
Fod, that first part isn't half bad. I have started my punk-phase of life again, so if anyone asks, I can just tell them it's a punk thing! Lol, ta... Greensabbath, I did wonder wether the paint would peel away - I've started airbrushing, so I might just do a little bit of that on the cover, just to see what happens like. Thanks all, Joe
I say keep it pink! You might be able to find an aftermarket faceplate for it. http://www.phatphones.com/motorola-v3i-covers-fascia.htm (I googled this not to recommend the retailer but for proof that it might be changeable).
I beat the crap out of my phone too so that was part of it. The main thing though, if it gets scratched or starts peeling, it looks like crap... like mine did.
My present fone's got a plastic bit painted up to look like metal, and that's starting to rub back to the original greyish white plastic underneath... Will definately have a look at covers and all that, but yeah, I'll see what happens when I pick it up next Friday. Joe
Mate........ that woul just be gloriosity and win rolled into a gorgeous package! Might just have to look into that... can you chrome-plate plastic? Joe
Technically no, because chroming is a electroplating process, but you can get chrome-alike paint products. Come with the same chipping and flaking issues though. Pull a Filimon and remake the phone case out of steel, then polish it to a mirror finish.
that would require casting etc which I a) don't know how to do, and b) probably can't afford to do. Joe
Just buy a new case for it from eBay. Think they come from singapore or hong kong. My best mate got one from his older sister in pink, because his contract phone screwed up and he couldn't get a new one for a few months. Cover fitted alright though.
For plastic painting you'll need a base coat that'll make your paint stick to the plastic surface. And after painting don't forget the clear varnish to protect your paint. There's still another way of chroming a plastic case... paint it with conductive paint first! Or use a chemical technique to apply silver coating. You need a really smooth surface for silver coating. If it's smooth enough your phone will look like a mirror after the coating.
Saw that on Pimp My Ride yesterday, actually. They just painted it on and there was a chemical reaction between something and Silver Nitrate which caused a chrome paint effect.
Yeah, I saw it in Max Power a year or two ago - a guy chrome'd a Merc SLR (IIRC) That does sound tempting, but yet and at the same time expensive - I think I'm gonna see what my mate gets, cause he's got a couple that he's willing to sell me, so I'll see if the black or the navy ones are any kop... Thanks all, will let you know what happens... Joe
i remember visiting a forum a long time ago all about wrapping smartphones. they were using some sort of thin vinyl film to wrap their phones and change the color. it looked really slick. a quick google turns up nothing, but maybe look into it.
Yes. First stage usually is to apply a coat of electroless nickel, then it's about the same as plating a metal part.
I painted my orange C500 (after it got bashed) It looked good until the paint started peeling I'll post the photos (if I can find them on one of my HDDs)
