Cosmetic mods

Hi guys,

I have a new to me CF-29 mk2, nothing real special but so far I have added 1GB ram and a new chicklet kb (thanks Alex!). Waiting for a floppy so I can update the bios....

I work at an automotive factory and was just thinking about putting the hinge covers and the parts around the LCD through the paint line to give the TB an all black look. Just for kicks....

Think I'll have any issues? The "paint" is an e-coat, parts get washed and anti-rust applied then the e-coat, which is applied using electricity and is very thin and tough, then finally baked.

Gonna start with the hinge covers tonight then the other parts if that is successful.

D.

 

Welcome to the forum!

There has been some discussion about the potential problems from overheating from painting the lid black, other then that I think it sounds great. H3lpmedic did this on a CF-18 and reported it not to be a problem in his application.

I would assume that you plan on stripping the computer all the way down? Otherwise I would have concerns about both accretion and the electrical charge that will be used to attract the paint particulates to the surface causing damage to any electronic components.

However, as cars contain electronic circuits, you may be well aware that this is not a problem! I look forward to the reports of your progress!

 

Cool, sounds better than powder coat, please post pictures.

 

Ok this won't work like I thought.... newbie.

The TB case is plastic, duh, which won't go through the e-coat process; has to be metal. So I'll do the hinge covers at least.

BTW, what are the two wires running up the back of the screen for?

D.

 

Plastic , are you sure it's not a Dell

 

Dude, it's a Dell!

 

Pretty sure its a cf29 CF-29EWPGZKM

When I took the back of the lcd off it looks like plastic on the inside and feels like plastic, not like the hinge covers which are for sure metal as they have that nice "ting" sound when tapped.

I'll take it apart again and 2x check. Time consuming as I am working from it and trying to work on it. Wife took her laptop today so not play and post option

Probably noy going to have an update before tomorrow as I gotta go to work this aft

 

We were kidding about it being a Dell, but if your CF-29 is made of plastic, it will be the first I have seen. I mean my CF-29 shell is metal...

Now one of the real experts may be along shortly to tell us about the "Great Magnesium shortage of 1994" when a select few CF-29s were made of plastic...

 

FWIW, you don't need a floppy to update the BIOS, as long as you make a USB stick bootable, you're good to go.

http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm

 

CK, a bootable USB stick is only applicable if the BIOS supports it, right?

 

Wyrm.... 1st off... Welcome to the forum. 2nd... Don't do it.... Unless your top is messed up beyond repair... Then only touch it up. I have seen a few camo that are okay... But don't paint it black unless you plan n using it indoors all day.

The magnesium top is true magnesium... The center Panasonic logo, though, is plastic adhered so well you'd likely scratch the crap out of the lid unless you remove it with a nylon knife or similar. (At least if you want to also save the logo.) The plastic corners pop off after being unscrewed and the top being lifted off.... The hinge covers are okay to paint... Metal also. You can also separate the LCD from the front bezel and all that... It is magnesium too.

If I were you I would spend a little more time reading up on the different mods and what is what. If you are asking what the antenna wires are going up the back of the LCD top... It means you have A LOT of reading to do. There are some here who tear into their Toughbooks and then come back asking questions about how to put them all back together. We want to be able to help you in your quest to make your Toughbook all you want it to be... But I'd go through all the stickies first... Then get yourself the Schematic and Service Manuals and familiarize yourself with them. Do a few mods... Read some more and ask questions... They've pretty much all been asked though we do get a few surprises from time to time.

Plus.... Depending on your paint process... Remember that magnesium IS combustible. Though usually more easily in powder form...

 

yes I have a lot of reading to do and for some reason my printer won't install so reading a pdf to figure things out, so I get that the wires were for the LAN
Stupid HP printer, had issues when it was hooked up to the imac too.

the stickies are great its just wading thru all the banter between you old hacks and finding the nuggetts

The e-coat process is apparently very specific in its application. so for those who care I'll describe it as best I can since I talked to the paint guy today. As the parts are dragged thru the liquid (cathodic? which is conductive) the currrent attracts the liquid and when it gets the right thickness I guess the parts become non-conductive and no more e-coat is applied. The TB parts has some sort of finish/coating on them that prevents them from accepting the coating, so I managed to only get e-coat around the screw holes where the finish was poor already and buggered the latch - no springy no more; when its daylight I'll investigate further as to why not.

 

If heat is an issue where you live or how you use the computer, I would suggest colors other than black. I've truckbed lined a few Toughbook’s, and I must say black is the sexiest. Welcome to the forums, and read up on past threads. There are a great bunch of ppl on this forum who have a wealth of knowledge.