Sumgai

No such thing as ruined in this case man. Just let it dry thoroughly, scuff it up with some fine-grit sandpaper and re-paint a few nice thin coats (with ample drying time in between). You'll be just fine, don't beat yourself up about it.

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onlycodered

Thanks. Sometimes I get a depressed way too easily.

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onlycodered

Any idea what grit count sandpaper I should get? I'm still not sure how well this paint is going to work out on my hdd cage, but we'll have to see. The only part other than where the hdd cages go and as well as the actual hdd cage that needs to be redone is the motherboard tray in certain spots. The paint got really rough near the end of the can. I'm not exactly sure what sandpaper I should get and how easy it's going to be to sand it down.

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CattleRustler

3M WetOrDry is good. You can find the hi grits at an automotive store, most hardware and home depots wont have those grits

to dry sand already painted items, use a hi-grit like 1000 or higher, then wipe gently with a tack-cloth.

as far as coats of paint, not sure which paint you used but most enamel spray paint can be multiple coated, only waiting a few minutes in between coats, it tends to "dry" quickly (not to handle but to recoat) like in 10 mins - 1 hour to handle/touch. I'd give it at least 24 hours before handling tho, but thats just me. Read the can for your specific brand. I use Krylon paints and primers. Primer is even faster, 1-2 mins between coats

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onlycodered

Hmm... I'm not sure if I got enamel paint. Can you get flat enamel paint? I need to know what to have my dad get when he goes out to Lowe's for a few other things today.

Perhaps I should try the oven trick as well. I've heard people say that the paint hardens better after they put the case in the oven at 250 F for a certain amount of time.

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onlycodered

Ok, nevermind. Apparently the paint I have is "premium enamel" Valspar flat interior/exterior flat black paint. So I guess I'm good. I tried putting the hdd cage in the case today and it didn't seem to take off any paint. I think I was just a bit too impatient yesterday. I'll get some sandpaper and more paint later today. Hopefully everything goes well.

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onlycodered

Anyway, here's what the hdd cage looked like before I ruined it.


The paint got scratched off the side when I tried to slide it in the chassis. I just sanded around those bare spots with some random sandpaper I found that seemed to be smooth enough. I'll prime those spots again, sand it again to make sure it's smooth, and then paint it again.

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Run N. Gun

Before you go to a ton of work, consider that those drive bays will be inside the case, away from view. Lightly sand it (not hard enough to remove primer), spray some paint on it and let it completely dry before assembly. Give it a couple of days to cure, it will be much, much better. Patience is hard, I know.

Looking good over all. I'd be leary of adding tape to the 200mm fan. That is a large fan and would be concerned about creating out-of-balance issues because I have tape that may not be evenly distributed. My other thought is that fan area gets hot and I'd be afraid of the tape coming loose and getting gooey, then looking icky and potentially blocking airflow. I'm not a fan of electrical tape in cases.

BTW - did you drill holes for wire ties behind the mobo? If not, how are you going to secure the wires that you're hiding behind the mobo tray, when it comes time to attach the side panel?

I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.

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onlycodered

The tape on the fan isn't on any of the moving parts. Also, with the hard drive cages, the back is visible actually. Of course I just primed the second cage before you said that. I'm sorta wishing I hadn't painted any of this case. As far as the wires go behind the side panel. I actually just use masking tape to keep the cables down. It's never been a big problem. But yeah, I wish I had never started painting this thing. I should have gotten it powder coated.

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onlycodered

Well, I think I'm pretty much finished with the chassis. Here's a picture:


Now I just need to wait 3 days for it to fully dry.

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