# Painted otterbox



## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

So, while I like the painted/colored phones, anyone that has dropped and broken their phone like me, more than likely wraps their baby in some sort of cover, effectively hiding the color. Because of this fact I decided to spice up the look of my case, and in the process sexify the look of my device. Let me know what you all think.





































*insert clever tag line here*


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

Looks great but how will the paint hold up on where the clip snaps in? That's assuming you use the belt clip. Also what kinda paint did you use and how many coats?

sent from my HTC greatness.


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

liberatedx said:


> Looks great but how will the paint hold up on where the clip snaps in? That's assuming you use the belt clip. Also what kinda paint did you use and how many coats?
> 
> sent from my HTC greatness.


I don't use the belt clip, if I did I probably would not have painted that part. I used an enamel spray paint made for plastic from home depot and a clear coat also made for plastic from depot. I put on three coats of each, baking on each coat with a heat gun. it should hold up nicely, I'm pretty gentle with my device though. 

*insert clever tag line here*


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

hotelmrrsn said:


> I don't use the belt clip, if I did I probably would not have painted that part. I used an enamel spray paint made for plastic from home depot and a clear coat also made for plastic from depot. I put on three coats of each, baking on each coat with a heat gun. it should hold up nicely, I'm pretty gentle with my device though.
> 
> *insert clever tag line here*


Did you do any sanding? Wanting to do this myself thinking it might be a weekend project.
sent from my HTC greatness.


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

liberatedx said:


> Did you do any sanding? Wanting to do this myself thinking it might be a weekend project.
> sent from my HTC greatness.


Very very little sanding. I made sure to clean all the surfaces really well with rubbing alcohol and then wiped it down w/ a tack cloth to make sure it was lent/dust free. I even wore latex gloves to keep the oil from my fingers off of it while handling. It was really easy, easier than i thought it would be honestly. The heat gun really helped to bake it on. Beware: I got a little close for a little too long to the top corner of the front side piece and warped it slightly. No big deal, everything still fits and looks good, but it would be easy to destroy it w/ heat .


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

hotelmrrsn said:


> Very very little sanding. I made sure to clean all the surfaces really well with rubbing alcohol and then wiped it down w/ a tack cloth to make sure it was lent/dust free. I even wore latex gloves to keep the oil from my fingers off of it while handling. It was really easy, easier than i thought it would be honestly. The heat gun really helped to bake it on. Beware: I got a little close for a little too long to the top corner of the front side piece and warped it slightly. No big deal, everything still fits and looks good, but it would be easy to destroy it w/ heat .


The heat gun would make it easier to make it dry but I have 2 otterboxes so I think I'm gonna do it to the older one and just let it sit out and dry I am gonna try this this weekend. Ill post back how it went.
sent from my HTC greatness.


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

liberatedx said:


> The heat gun would make it easier to make it dry but I have 2 otterboxes so I think I'm gonna do it to the older one and just let it sit out and dry I am gonna try this this weekend. Ill post back how it went.
> sent from my HTC greatness.


Good luck! My wife thinks my phone looks storm troopery (her words ), maybe i should flash kgill75's Storm trooper theme


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## sk3litor (Oct 3, 2011)

Anything black and white will look storm troopery
2) ain't nothing wrong with that
3) that's y I bought this case

sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

sk3litor said:


> Anything black and white will look storm troopery
> 2) ain't nothing wrong with that
> 3) that's y I bought this case
> 
> sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


Really nice looking case, what kind is it?

*insert clever tag line here*


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## sk3litor (Oct 3, 2011)

Casemate. I believe its called snap case or pop case? I added those little fuzzy looking pieces on the corners for extra shock absorbtion. Fits like a glove and fused with this rubber on the inside.

sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

i have seen that picture floating around on this forum. im still not sure what color i want to paint my otterbox, im thinking like a ballistic green, or maybe high visibility orange, or maybe white, im still not sure.


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

Decided to go with yellow it's drying and applying the clear coat tommorrow. It got to cold to apply it today

sent from my HTC greatness.


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

liberatedx said:


> Decided to go with yellow it's drying and applying the clear coat tommorrow. It got to cold to apply it today
> 
> sent from my HTC greatness.


Awesome, can't wait to see how it turned out.

*insert clever tag line here*


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

Pictures incoming, its 6 coats of yellow cause the black kept shining through, and 4 of clear coat.















sent from my HTC greatness.


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## sk3litor (Oct 3, 2011)

How are you guys painting rubber? Isn't it going to crack if the rubber moves or bends? Or is otterbox not made of rubber? I've never had an otterbox.

sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

we are just painting the hard plastic part not much shows, but makes it look alot better!!!!


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

my paint seems to soft does it need to dry more?


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

liberatedx said:


> my paint seems to soft does it need to dry more?


Yeah, even after baking my paint on, it was soft for about 24 hours. When I couldn't smell the fumes coming from it anymore I knew it was ready . Yours looks bad ass by the way!
*insert clever tag line here*


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

sk3litor said:


> How are you guys painting rubber? Isn't it going to crack if the rubber moves or bends? Or is otterbox not made of rubber? I've never had an otterbox.
> 
> sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


The black parts you see are rubber, the painted parts are hard plastic

*insert clever tag line here*


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## sk3litor (Oct 3, 2011)

Ah I see I gotcha. Looks nice

sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


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## sk3litor (Oct 3, 2011)

This is way off topic but is anybody figured out what that circle is under the kickstand ( not underneath a kickstand just below the kickstand)

sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


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## Snow02 (Jun 14, 2011)

sk3litor said:


> This is way off topic but is anybody figured out what that circle is under the kickstand ( not underneath a kickstand just below the kickstand)
> 
> sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


Probably the cdma antenna cover.


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

hotelmrrsn said:


> Yeah, even after baking my paint on, it was soft for about 24 hours. When I couldn't smell the fumes coming from it anymore I knew it was ready . Yours looks bad ass by the way!
> *insert clever tag line here*


ok so just let it cure for about 24 hours before i put it on my phone. im hoping it hardens up im ready to pop this thing on my phone again.


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## sk3litor (Oct 3, 2011)

Snow02 said:


> Probably the cdma antenna cover.


naw the 2 antennas are obove the leds next to camera. Oh well no biggie

sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


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## Snow02 (Jun 14, 2011)

sk3litor said:


> naw the 2 antennas are obove the leds next to camera. Oh well no biggie
> 
> sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


Actually, it is at the bottom (typical cdma antenna placement). Turns out it's actually next to the small round opening though.


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## sk3litor (Oct 3, 2011)

Well feed me garlic and call me stinkey. Looks like there's a few tech guys I'm gonna have to have a stern talking to.








Thanks for the info, always good to learn something new
sent from Michael jacksons' doctors' cell mate


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

Update on the case, the paint hardened and is doing great. Its like Having a new case lol, plus I'm glad I painted it bright yellow cause I dropped it last night and if it would have been black like the normal case I never would have found it.

sent from my HTC greatness.


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

liberatedx said:


> Update on the case, the paint hardened and is doing great. Its like Having a new case lol, plus I'm glad I painted it bright yellow cause I dropped it last night and if it would have been black like the normal case I never would have found it.
> 
> sent from my HTC greatness.


Awesome, glad it turned out. I've been really surprised at how durable the paint has been so far. So far things are looking good. But I already want to change colors, i wonder how many layers of paint i can get on this thing


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## CC268 (Jun 27, 2011)

How did you guys get the paint so precise? Did you tape off the rest of the phone?


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## GunnerOnASpooky (Jul 8, 2011)

I'm actually painting my Thunderbolt itself, I went with an android green color...had the same problem with the paint not hardening...had to start over, so I'm giving it a lot of time to dry between coats

Sent from my LiquidThunderbolt


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

CC268 said:


> How did you guys get the paint so precise? Did you tape off the rest of the phone?


honestly once you take the otterbox apart you don't have to be very precise. the outter rubber shell does the masking for you when it's installed. We only painted the hard plastic parts that are around the phone, no masking required. Obviously the phone is not in the case at the time of painting


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## number5toad (Sep 13, 2011)

was it in the case when you baked it? ;-)


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

number5toad said:


> was it in the case when you baked it? ;-)


That too is a big negative!


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## CC268 (Jun 27, 2011)

So I got a Defender case and I might try this...what do you think about:
1. Minimal Sanding
2. Plastic Primer - 2-3 coats
3. White Gloss Spray Paint - 2-3 coats
4. Plastic Clear Coat - 2 -3 coats
5. Bake in Arizona sun


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

Yes tape off the parts you don't want to paint and then just let it sit after coats. I let my coats dry for like 2 hours before I applyed another. And the soft paint goes away after about 36 hours for me.
sent from my HTC greatness.


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## CC268 (Jun 27, 2011)

liberatedx said:


> Yes tape off the parts you don't want to paint and then just let it sit after coats. I let my coats dry for like 2 hours before I applyed another. And the soft paint goes away after about 36 hours for me.
> sent from my HTC greatness.


Alright thanks, I actually bought a really nice variable temperature heat gun so if and when I do this project I will use that


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## idumpedWebOS (Nov 23, 2011)

This thread is getting kind of old, but I'd like to add that using vinyl dye spray paint for auto upholstery looks amazing on all plastics no sanding necessary! Plus it is flexible so no worries of cracking! I've been doing it for my xbox controllers for years. I found a decent variety at auto zone. I used a flat crimson red and it looks and feels amazing. texture is just like the rubberized hard plastic cases seido makes


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

Thanks for the input man ill check that stuff out

sent from my HTC greatness.


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## Texas_T-Bolt (Sep 25, 2011)

Here what I did to my otter just tried it out to see what it looked liked

Sent from my ADR6400L


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## hotelmrrsn (Jul 11, 2011)

Texas_T-Bolt said:


> Here what I did to my otter just tried it out to see what it looked liked
> 
> Sent from my ADR6400L


Looks great!

-In ThunderShed I trust-


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## liberatedx (Jun 19, 2011)

Looks great how is the paint holding up?

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk


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