Getting my MBP anodized black.

I've been looking up ways that I could blacken the Macbook Pro I'll be getting when Lion is released (hopefully the 14th) and it turns out my neighbor who works for a plating company is totally able to hook me up. He said that it will involve stripping a tiny amount of the surface because the fact that its already anodized will mean it's not readily conductive, and he is confident that it will be very durable and won't affect my ability to re-assemble it or anything.

My dad who is a technician (and who although wise can seem really dumb) has expressed concern that the process could affect the internals... something about heat dissipation or something. I also don't know for sure whether they can be disassembled right down to the aluminum housing without some components glued right to them. Anyone with knowledge in this area have some helpful input? Thanks for any help!

Here's a quick concept I made, although it sounds like it will have to be a darker glossy black:

​

 

I would say a chemical change could cause issues but im not sure ( not a metalurgist ) now you ARE aware doing this will completly void your warranty right?

I do know tearing apart your screen assembly is not always the easiest. nor is removing the keyboard or touchpad. but you can see pictures and get infor from ifixit.com

 

*Groan* yeah, but I hadn't thought hard about it until now

 

I remember reading that the screens where glued or something similar (i.e. not easily disassembled). It was refered to the question about repairing it. I believe they just change the whole thing and reattach the new screen to the body.
If this is so, you may want to check on that since the back of the screen is one of the pieces to "paint".

Also, I want to re-stress the part where it will most probably void the warranty on it. Extended Applecare or not.

Hope it helps!

 

Just buy one from colorware.

ColorWare - MacBook® Pro 15 Inch

save yourself the trouble. $550 for the paint job. Note: This is about what it costs to paint a car.

 

Oh wow. $550 for painting a notebook ><
I d get a vynil for customization and be done with it.

Also for $550 you can easily get some mega awesome aerography. Or well it would cost no more then $200 imo.

 

haha yea maybe at a crap place like Maaco

real car paint job cost 3000 dollars.

also colorware wants 850 dollars average for paint job not 550. mac 11 inch air is 1850 for baseline which is normally 999. 850 refurbished from apple

 

Hate to be a bummer, but paying money to void your warranty and get a look that will bore you in a month doesn't sound very economical.

 

^ I agree with this guy. AppleCare for the MBP 15 is like $300+ and it's good customer service!

 

If it's a 13", then consider that a 12.5" Lenovo X220 comes in all black and costs not a lot more than the paintjob during sales.

Lenovo X220: Starting at $542.30 Core i3/2GB/250GB/4-cell/Wifi-N or T420 @ $474.30 or T520 @ $497.25 - Slickdeals.net

 

Wouldn't black hold on to more heat if the metal aluminum finish doesn't get hot enough for you?

 

Internal components would get hotter due to the paint finish blocking heat transfer to the aluminum body and then to the outside of the notebook. How significant this effect would be is difficult to say, but it wouldn't be enough to pose a problem to running the computer day-to-day.

 

I though the keyboards were integrated right into the AL case... IE impossible to remove without tin snips...

if you ask me this is more trouble than it's worth...

 

its doable, but a massive pain in the glutious maximus, and a third of the time wont go back together in 100% working condition.

I do agree its ore trouble than its worth.

‪Macbook Pro Repair 17 Inch - Keyboard Removal‬&rlm; - YouTube

 

Sigh, thanks for the tips guys, I will hold off and maybe think of something else.

The mbp looks awesome but it bothers me that THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME. Wanted to pay more for a somewhat-to-significantly better computing experience without looking like an apple tool/sheep

 

Why not just get a Speck shell? I have a black satin one, and it looks just like any other laptop while it's closed.

Or you could find something to 'individualize' it a bit more here.

 

I have black palm rest covers and back screen covers from Macstyles.com ... they look pretty good. Along with the black keyboard and black on the screen, and feet, it all looks really nice black and silver combo.

 

If you want to personalize it, put some travel stickers on the lid and pick up some girls with stories of your international adventures.

 

I've seen the shells/stickers/apple logo joke ideas and I don't like them, though I appreciate the suggestions. Now Rustoleum gave me this:

"I would not suggest applying any of our Rustoleum paint to that surface. the solvents in the paint could ruin the surface or caus other problems with operation."

Damnit! damnit! damnit! damnit! damnit!!!!!

I may just ignore that and tape it up carefully and let it stand for a week anyway

 

This is what you'll be saying if you go through with voiding the warranty and toasting the machine all at the same time.

 

If you do this to your Mac you will come off as a tool trying to not appear to be a tool.

Just enjoy your laptop and stop caring what people think. If you feel the need to spend money just buy an iPad also. Then you can turn on facetime and they can yammer at you remotely about how you're such a tool. Remember, they're just jealous. :wink:

 

I would never do it because I know how much work is involved taking all of the guts out (not long ago I replaced the aluminum housing on my MBP) and that is not even involving the display housing. And any decent scratches will show up VERY easily and make it look more worn than it is. My main concern would be with the display... trying to pull the glass from the display and then trying to reapply it and making it look like new still. I'd probably end up with a brand new laptop that looked like crap with a crappy put together display and with scratches all of it after a few months.