There is some spray paint that can do this, i cant remember the brand though.

Krylon have some textured finishes I think. But you could do it I think by using a "rust paint" thinned down to milk consistency to roller on, lay down a couple or three coats for base, then dip old toothbrush in full strength paint and splatter it all over, using a popsicle stick to draw across the bristles. Might need a test to see if paint needs thinning a touch for right splatter.

Rust-Oleum has some textured spray paints.

Or you could take it to a body shop to have it powder coated. Would be a lot more durable! (and expensive)

AlaricD wrote on 2021-09-14, 13:54:

Rust-Oleum has some textured spray paints.

Or you could take it to a body shop to have it powder coated. Would be a lot more durable! (and expensive)

I'd prefer a DIY aproach.
As I am from Europe is there any paint-brand that you couldt recommend?

The nearest equivalent to the Rustoleum, Hammerite, Armor-All type "rust" paints I could find for Germany is the Brantho-Korrux paint. But I think that is overkill as you don't likely need all weather protection. So if you know a cheaper variant of that sort of thing, no undercoat, paint on bare metal stuff, then something like that.

I had always wondered how such a texture was created. Perhaps spray on 1 or more coats, when the last coat becomes tacky, make your air gun "spit", maybe the very last coat would need to be thicker for this to work.

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Solved the problem without stripping the metal hood bare.
I first gave the case two layers paint with a paint roller, that smoothed even the worst of the scratches and then added another two layers spray paint.
The result is almost perfect.

Another approach to recreate the bumpy look might be a so called "bumper structure spray" like "APP 1K".
But this spray comes only in black and I doubt that much of the structure will be left when you have to put several layers of beige spraypaint over it.

I assume you used a small foam roller? Used paint strait from the can, no thinning?

Incidentally you can roll paint on and wind up with a smooth texture. Just thin the paint to nearly the consistency of milk. May need multiple coats though.

After spray painting on top of the rolled paint you achieved the texture?

I sprayed the paint into a roller pan and used (as you assumed) a small foam paint roll.
After a little while, the spray paint thickens a bit and that did the trick and smoothed down the most scratches.

Get a some toilet paper make it wet and create those little chums of paper. Like the ones you're regularly hate to find in dark places (ok I'll stop here, no details). Let them dry a while, till all water is gone.

Get some thin paint, or regular paint with some thinner. Mix the chums they the paint and paint it! Use plenty of chums, make sure they are amazingly small. That'll create the effect of the structure you'll want.

Afterwards, paint again a second and third layer without chums and it'll be ok 😀

not understanding how to make the little chums. Except in the typical fashion. Do you rub the wet toily tissue between your hands?

I'm really desirous to understand how it was done in industry. Most cases are powder coated these days (is that correct)? I have no issue achieving a smooth painted surface. Or getting (very think) paint to adhere and settle into an already textured surface w/o obscuring it. I have a small artist's air brush and compressor here (Badger). Maybe I should just start experimenting.

Incidentally for those that want to get into airbrushing, but don't want to drop a couple hundred dollars, you can buy a cheapo airbrush for no more then 20$ and buy an adapter for an old tire valve. It's a bit of a pain to have to refill the tire, although I think it should last a good while, but a 12vdc tire compressor is probably less then the airbrush. They are noisy though. There are articles going back to the 70's that explain how to turn a pump sprayer into a source of compressed air also. All pretty reasonable alternatives to a 150$+ air compressor. They are handy to have though.

I started painting an old Xbox some years back, and though one way to achieve the gritty surface of parts of it's case was to spray it w/1 or more coats, then while the paint was still tacky "dust" it w/fine sand. Then add 1 or more coats over the sand. I never got that far though. I still have the container full of colored sand I acquired. I tossed the orange Xbox though a good while back. I have 2 "new" ones though.

...and the next order of business is learning how to duplicate paint colors accurately. I have here an NCR PC6 case that I could strip and repaint, or at least tough up all the nicks. And heaven knows my IBM 5170 is long long overdue (the top is currently rusting up outdoors, which doesn't scare me, as electrolysis will make short work of the rust).

Indeed, just roll it with your hands, take it apart and roll again 😀 until they are small enough.

I think the old panels were cast and this shape came from there. But I could be wrong here.

chris2021 wrote on 2021-09-30, 05:35:

I'm really desirous to understand how it was done in industry. Most cases are powder coated these days (is that correct)?

Powder coating was also my first guess, but - for sure - this would be quite too expensive.
There must be a cheaper and probably easier solution to produce this result.
Has anyone a friend in a car paintshop to ask?
((at least in Germany they have a thorough apprenticeship that might even teach them how to produce structured paint surfaces))

Chris had it right I think, they just twiddle the nozzle on the spray gun so it shoots bigger blobs, or turn the pressure down so it doesn't atomise it right.

edit: If you wanted to do it with a spray can, you can kinda hold the nozzle half down so it restricts pressure and splatters... but that's probably easier to achieve with one of those clip on handle/trigger assemblies for spray cans.

I was told modern cases were powder coated, I think on a different forum. I too was skeptical on account of the expense. So maybe it was an erroneous suggestion.

I would imagine any variety of finishes are possible if you're good w/an airbrush. You'd need a thorough understanding of paint, how it dries, and how environment factors (such as humidity) will affect the finish as it dries. Personally I couldn't even tell you if modern cases use enamels or acrylic. Or maybe it's gouache LOL LOL.

I want to paint a case with woad 8O. Not sure if it grows in the US.

If I needed to paint a case, I'd be tempted to try wrinkle paint. It's a common finish on lots of older electronics, but I've never seen it on a computer. I thought there would be at least a few images out there from other adventurous souls who have painted their computer case with this stuff, but I could only find one. I remember a friend years ago who painted his high end Masi bicycle with black wrinkle paint, and I thought it looked cool in a sort of reverse snob way.

AKA crackle finish I think.

edit: mmmmkay I'm checking up on myself and there's a newschool crackle that is a crazed finish crackle making a lighter tone show through cracks, rather than the old school crackle which was having it crazed with wrinkles rather than cracks in the same color.

chris2021 wrote on 2021-09-30, 21:21:

I was told modern cases were powder coated, I think on a different forum. I too was skeptical on account of the expense. So maybe it was an erroneous suggestion.

I would imagine any variety of finishes are possible if you're good w/an airbrush. You'd need a thorough understanding of paint, how it dries, and how environment factors (such as humidity) will affect the finish as it dries. Personally I couldn't even tell you if modern cases use enamels or acrylic. Or maybe it's gouache 🤣 🤣.

I want to paint a case with woad 😳. Not sure if it grows in the US.

I'm not saying there aren't any powder coated cases out there, but I don't have one and I don't know anyone that does. Powder coats are usually high gloss and feel a little "snaggy" if you run a fingernail on them.