Can it be done? Thanks for any help
Mackie

I don't think that I know what you mean by an electric guitar finish. Can you proviide a picture or some more descriptions.

Cheers.

I think he is talking about a laqured (sp?) and polished finsh, like that on guitar, or a piano. I think the effect could be achieved, but it would take a lot of polishing/sanding and paint.

From reading a little bit on painting methods for guitars, I noticed it can be a huge pain. The best method is to take the shell to a painter (for cars) and have them spray it with car laquer. The advantage is an even, professional pain job that will last a long time. Also, the selection of colors is virtually unliimited. It may cost some, but will probably be your best looking solution.

That's a good idea. But you know that the electric-guitar finish has a little depth? That's the effect I'm after.

Which mac is it? That would probably affect your method of painting. Getting that depth is easier with some cases than others.

French polishing would do the trick but it will take forever. If you do this will it be a sun burst paint job or are you just going to do it one color but have a nice glossie look like a guitar?

Hey Mackie,

I researched this a bit several months back. A lot of guitars are finished with many coats of a cellulose based laquer. thats what gives our guitars that super deep shine. However, its pretty rock hard stuff. A lot of the cellulose laquers dont flex well, if at all, and are very tempermental when it comes to temperature. Heat them and cool them too much, and they become brittle, and can develop spiderweb cracks. So, its not really ideal for painting computers.

If you want to get pretty damned close to that super deep shine, its a matter of priming your surface, shooting a highly reflective white or silver base color, and then put down several coats of a transparent or candy color. By several, I mean between 6 and 10 coats. Once you've done that, its a matter of putting down a good clear coat. You can get relatively decent results if you're good with an aerosol can. But to go the full distance, either invest in a spraying setup (compressor and a touch-up gun) or lay down your paint, and then call local auto shops and see if they'll hit your stuff with a two part clear coat for cheap.

Finally, in order to get the shine, you gotta polish your stuff. wet sand the clear at increasing grade sand papers, upwards of400 -1000 grit. Then, a polishing compound. Then teflon and carnuba waxes to bring out the clarity and the shine.

Heh, thats a bunch of info, sorry for the lesson. But, thats what I go through when I paint a computer for a customer :P

your painting advice always impreses me. I wonder if thats in your mod guide for painting technique? Maybe I should check that out, or you could add it if not...

heh, yeah. I'm a paint nerd. Its kinda strange. Some people are into cars, and such. I'm into paint...and Mac's. :P

Indeed, I need to update my mod guide. At some point in the near future I'll make a point to do so.