The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Painted my XPS

    Discussion in 'Notebook Cosmetic Modifications and Custom Builds' started by sublime, Apr 5, 2006.

  1. sublime

    sublime Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    3
    Messages:
    351
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    So, I was getting a little boerd with the look of the XPS, and I went ahead and picked up some cheap paint and painted mine. I am no painter, not even close, but I am very happy with the results!! Here's what I've got:

    http://img333.imageshack.us/my.php?image=comp0057wl.jpg

    http://img448.imageshack.us/my.php?image=comp0025jj.jpg

    http://img448.imageshack.us/my.php?image=comp0040hp.jpg

    Mind you, the pictures look like ****, I don't have a very good camera. And that last picture looks nothing like the color, the flash just made it look weird. The actual thing looks MUCH better!!
     
    sublime, Apr 5, 2006
    #1
  2. USAFdude02

    USAFdude02 NBR Reviewer & Deity NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    762
    Messages:
    2,025
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Looks good...what paint did you use. How long did it take you?
     
    USAFdude02, Apr 5, 2006
    #2
  3. nickspohn

    nickspohn Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    1,532
    Messages:
    2,742
    Likes Received:
    20
    Trophy Points:
    55
    It looks very nice!

    Ill leave mine the same color, because i do like both.

    I will probaly do something with the lid though
     
    nickspohn, Apr 5, 2006
    #3
  4. sublime

    sublime Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    3
    Messages:
    351
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Thanks!! I just used that Duplicolor car paint. I painted a hockey helmet with it once, and it is actually pretty durable for the price (4 something a can).

    As for time, that is the funny part. I just did it in 3 hours after I got out of work last night!! I was bored, so I just did it all and put it back together. Would have turned out a little more shiny had I taken my time, since you are actually supposed to let the paint dry before putting on the clear coat. What can I say, I am very impatient
     
    sublime, Apr 5, 2006
    #4
  5. Jason

    Jason Overclocker NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    908
    Messages:
    5,056
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Looks good! :)
     
    Jason, Apr 5, 2006
    #5
  6. otaku

    otaku Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    99
    Messages:
    1,293
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Very nice job! Did you do the lid also? I can't stand the XPS design its nasty and the other one (m140) which they compare to a pitcher in their adds is horrible also..its not an appliance for the kitchen.

    Nice job!
     
    otaku, Apr 6, 2006
    #6
  7. ccbr01

    ccbr01 Matlab powerhouse! NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    448
    Messages:
    1,700
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Wow, looks great. I need to do something to my i9300 to make it look good.... Great job!!!
     
    ccbr01, Apr 6, 2006
    #7
  8. sublime

    sublime Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    3
    Messages:
    351
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Thanks again guys, I have been very happy with it. It actually looks like a professional paint job, so I am hoping it might bump up the worth of my lappy when I go to sell it (it matches the logitech G7 nicely). :) My wife likes it so much, she wants me to do something with hers, but she has an Asus W5A, and painting it would be pointless, it's a beautiful computer.

    I did the plastic silver part of the lid (in the second picture). A few people have suggested I should paint the Dell logo too, just leave the actual Dell print and paint the circle. I am debating that right now, since I really won't be able to sand it, and I don't know how well the paint would hold. Hmmmm, it would look nice though. Any thoughts??!
     
    sublime, Apr 8, 2006
    #8
  9. Aero

    Aero PC/Mac...Whatever works! NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    733
    Messages:
    1,919
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Nice work :)...looks sharp
     
    Aero, Apr 8, 2006
    #9
  10. PGraham

    PGraham Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Looks nice! Did you do any sanding or anything?

    EDIT: How did you keep the "XPS" badging above the keyboard? Clever masking or what?
     
    PGraham, Jul 8, 2006
    #10
  11. lunateck

    lunateck Bananaed

    Reputations:
    527
    Messages:
    2,654
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Nice! I hope Dell will notice tis and giv us the black machines. Wat i dun like is the ripple design of the casing.. N the DELL sign in the middle.. I would just spray it with nite glow paint or something.. JK...
     
    lunateck, Jul 8, 2006
    #11
  12. FrostFire

    FrostFire Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    71
    Messages:
    571
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    how did you take it all apart?
     
    FrostFire, Jul 13, 2006
    #12
  13. Syndrome

    Syndrome Torque Matters

    Reputations:
    1,765
    Messages:
    1,501
    Likes Received:
    546
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Theres usually guides on the Dell support site on how to disassemble your laptop. I need to get around to painting my E1505.. I like those colors you used too.. matches the Logitech G7 nicely.
     
    Syndrome, Jul 13, 2006
    #13
  14. citric

    citric Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    253
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    how did you keep the paint from filling up in the speaker holes or the little openings on the top left and right of the keyboard?

    also, how did you keep from covering up the battery LEDs but paint around it? THAT is amazing.
     
    citric, Jul 17, 2006
    #14
  15. Kinghong1970

    Kinghong1970 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    1,083
    Messages:
    819
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    31
    really, great masking or did you take it apart?

    thinking of gloss coating it?
     
    Kinghong1970, Jul 24, 2006
    #15
  16. sublime

    sublime Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    3
    Messages:
    351
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Haha, people are still responding to this??! I sold that computer a while ago, thanks for the compliments though.

    But yes, I took it all apart. I wasn't about to take the chance of messing something up with the masking tape. I had already taken the thing apart to apply AS5, pinmod the cpu, upgrade the gpu. It was pretty easy to take it apart after doing it so many times before
     
    sublime, Jul 25, 2006
    #16
  17. nickspohn

    nickspohn Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    1,532
    Messages:
    2,742
    Likes Received:
    20
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Are you going to paint your M1710? :p
     
    nickspohn, Jul 25, 2006
    #17
  18. jtom

    jtom Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    59
    Messages:
    602
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    looks really good
     
    jtom, Jul 26, 2006
    #18
  19. solag3

    solag3 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    101
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Looks nice bro
     
    solag3, Aug 4, 2006
    #19
  20. chrisyano

    chrisyano Hall Monitor NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    956
    Messages:
    5,504
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    Looks good! What's your next project?
     
    chrisyano, Aug 5, 2006
    #20