Custom Yellow T40 Lid is here!

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#1 Post by **underclocker** » Fri May 05, 2006 4:21 pm

Following Toine's awesome lead ( http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?p=142819 ), I sent out my T40 cover to be powdercoated by the same person, Chad at www.metalfaceplates.com

I was very tempted by the orange job, it looks great, plus orange is a favorite color. But I'll leave the orange glory to Toine. Then I thought about magenta, because it would match the parallel port on the back of the T40, but magenta isn't available. Then I thought chrome, why not, for that California look? But, chrome isn't available. Then I thought gloss black, for the complete baddass look, plus MI3 was just released, very stealthy. Then I thought better, gloss black was even offered by IBM. Then I settled on it.

To match the AC adapter socket on the rear of the T40, Gloss Yellow! Seriously, maybe I flipped my lid!

I'll post pix when it returns.

christopher_wolf · #2 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Fri May 05, 2006 4:57 pm

Yes, man...Post the pics

We could even have a gallery of these things.

#3 Post by **Kyocera** » Fri May 05, 2006 5:07 pm

Another rebel

Website · #4 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Fri May 05, 2006 5:44 pm

Yellow? I shall call him "Bumble Bee"

Seriously though, yellow would be interesting, I am looking forward to seeing pics.

ThinkPad · #5 Post by **ThinkPad** » Fri May 05, 2006 6:10 pm

Do post pics when you get it.

#6 Post by **draco2527** » Fri May 05, 2006 6:10 pm

Sorry for highjacking!

FWIW:

I spoke with Chad, really good experience. Seems like a cool dude! I look forward to getting some work done by him......more to come...

#7 Post by **underclocker** » Fri May 05, 2006 10:44 pm

Thanks for the support, I know it seems like sacrilege, but compared to all the other internal upgrades, tweaks and mods people do to their TP's, is it really?

I spoke with Chad a while too. He is a TP owner and is looking forward to doing more. Perhaps we can start a gallery and, if Chad sticks with the TP crowd, ease the process for others with interest in this customization.

Chad took the time to explain powdercoating to me. I had no idea, I thought it was painting, but it's not. Sandblasting then colored powder chemicals plus some electricity then bake it and voila, a very tough color layer.

This can only be done with the T series, due to their alloy covers. Powdercoating requires metal.

A yellow jacket definitely comes to mind, yellow and black. It should look good.

Worst case scenario, I send the cover back for a mirror black finish or replace with another OEM cover from IBM (or eBay).

We'll see...

#8 Post by **draco2527** » Sat May 06, 2006 8:19 pm

OK! The ball is rolling, I ordered the LCD cover today.

I always loved the Japanese ThinkPad's with the Piano Black cover.

I have been wanting to do this for a while, but no one would touch it...even places that advertised they would powder-coat from 1 to 10,000 pieces!I think I scared a lot of them off when I told them it was a laptop LCD cover!!!

Anyways, the cover is heading this way(shows in stock)....once received...all I have to do is "prep" it for Chad and off it goes...

I will try to create a "How To" for getting the LCD ready to send to the "shop". I no longer have a dedicated space on the net to post stuff, so if anyone volunteers or Bill can add it and place it as a sticky! I will keep you all posted on the progress in a new thread...

There are some other details that I want to add, but will see about those.

underclocker, I think it will look good!

Edit: If anyone is wondering, this is the cost so far:

LCD Cover IBM: 13R2569 $ 47.50
Misc LCD Hardware Kit 13R2449 $ 7.60 <-Not needed but JIC!
Clear plate Kit 26R8409 $ 8.67

Plus shipping $14 and tax......

#9 Post by **underclocker** » Sun May 07, 2006 7:57 am

In the spirit of full disclosure, I, too, felt uncomfortable with leaving my T40 partially disassembled for an unknown amount of time while the cover was being modded. Two reasons really, one, I use the T40 frequently, and two, I have a toddler that get's into everything.

So, I checked eBay and found a T40 cover in perfect condition with a Buy-It-Now price of $19.99 plus 10.00 for shipping. (In reality, since the cover is sandblasted, it doesn't have to be perfect, just undented.)

For an extra $30 I don't have to worry about how long it takes to powdercoat and I am able to swap the cover on my schedule, plus, if I sell the machine, I can provide prospective buyers with the option of the OEM cover or custom gloss yellow cover. Seems reasonable to me.

Toine · #10 Post by **Toine** » Sun May 07, 2006 9:01 am

Indeed, I did the same.
Lids are like 35 euro's here now, incl. shipping (new).
I'm looking to get my other cover chromed! (still working out the price that is really high, but next month i'm up to it).

#11 Post by **BillMorrow** » Sun May 07, 2006 2:19 pm

tfflivemb2 wrote:Yellow? I shall call him "Bumble Bee"

this comment borders on offensive language as defined by PC Code title XIII, 83.2(2) as amended and MIGHT BE degrading and/or offensive to bumblebee's everywhere..

so, please watch your language as pertains to bees in general (with the exception of killer bees) and the bumble variety in particular..

thank you for your kind attention to this matter..

Toine · #12 Post by **Toine** » Sun May 07, 2006 2:33 pm

BillMorrow wrote:
tfflivemb2 wrote:Yellow? I shall call him "Bumble Bee"

this comment borders on offensive language as defined by PC Code title XIII, 83.2(2) as amended and MIGHT BE degrading and/or offensive to bumblebee's everywhere..

so, please watch your language as pertains to bees in general (with the exception of killer bees) and the bumble variety in particular..

thank you for your kind attention to this matter..

Wtf!

LOL

#13 Post by **draco2527** » Sun May 07, 2006 4:19 pm

BillMorrow wrote:
tfflivemb2 wrote:Yellow? I shall call him "Bumble Bee"

this comment borders on offensive language as defined by PC Code title XIII, 83.2(2) as amended and MIGHT BE degrading and/or offensive to bumblebee's everywhere..

so, please watch your language as pertains to bees in general (with the exception of killer bees) and the bumble variety in particular..

thank you for your kind attention to this matter..

ROFLMAO!!!!

Edit: Bumblebee's are OK! If you do not bug them, they will leave you alone....same goes for "regular" bee's unless you are near the nest..etc! But the Hornet...that is one short fused NIGHTMARE!

So we should call him Yellow Jacket....(The TP that is..)

Website · #14 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Sun May 07, 2006 5:46 pm

BillMorrow wrote:
tfflivemb2 wrote:Yellow? I shall call him "Bumble Bee"

this comment borders on offensive language as defined by PC Code title XIII, 83.2(2) as amended and MIGHT BE degrading and/or offensive to bumblebee's everywhere..

so, please watch your language as pertains to bees in general (with the exception of killer bees) and the bumble variety in particular..

thank you for your kind attention to this matter..

Good Point; HOWEVER, PC Code title XIII, 83.2(2)(iii) specifically states that exceptions are withheld for rare cases of thinkpadeus forumus users.

#15 Post by **underclocker** » Mon May 15, 2006 3:34 pm

Chad provided an update a couple of days ago, that his new workshop was ready to go. He had moved and was creating a new workshop - which I knew. He said he might get to it over the weekend. Presumably, once his shop is up and operational, customizations for others will be quick.

#16 Post by **draco2527** » Tue May 23, 2006 11:27 pm

Any updates?

I sent my lid out today, he should get it by Thursday!!! I should have it for next weekend install, lots of pictures coming!!

Anyone wants to host a "How to" on this?

#17 Post by **underclocker** » Wed May 24, 2006 7:17 am

Well...apparently there was an issue with the way mine turned out.

I should have it back today or tomorrow. Chad was very accomodating, offering to refund or redo, after I take a look. He said that perhaps the sandblasting created an uneven surface and the powdercoat was not perfect.

Chad is very honest and upset that this occurred. He wants to make it right and perfect his technique. My cover was the second he had done, and the first he did was stripped prior to sending to Chad. So mine was the first from scratch - no pun intended.

Pictures of the lid and Chad's shop are here;

http://www.metalfaceplates.com/other/share/my_shop

It looks pretty good in the pix and I do like the yellow.

What color did you pick, Draco? Piano Black?

#18 Post by **underclocker** » Wed May 24, 2006 10:04 am

Just got the lid, it is awesome! It's a really bright, beautiful yellow.

The issue is that at an angle in the right light, you can see what looks like the worst case of orange peel you could imagine. I don't know how this happened.

I do wish it were perfectly smooth (versus wavy, wrinkled, orange peel) but I will probably keep it. It looks great from two feet away plus.

If Chad can nail down the procedure to make it perfect, you guys would go nuts. I'll post links to pix later.

naro · #19 Post by **naro** » Wed May 24, 2006 5:54 pm

underclocker wrote:Just got the lid, it is awesome! It's a really bright, beautiful yellow.

The issue is that at an angle in the right light, you can see what looks like the worst case of orange peel you could imagine. I don't know who this happened.

I do wish it were perfectly smooth (versus wavy, wrinkled, orange peel) but I will probably keep it. It looks great from two feet away plus.

If Chad can nail down the procedure to make it perfect, you guys would go nuts. I'll post links to pix later.

yup... still waiting for the pics.......

#20 Post by **underclocker** » Wed May 24, 2006 9:28 pm

OK, I performed the cover swap - in under 60 minutes, no need to remove the LCD from the machine, just unscrew everything and take the lid off leaving the LCD connected to the hinges, etc. (Thanks to Toine for the tip.)

I just took these pix at 10 p.m., so they are either dark or too bright due to flash. I'll take some outside. One of the flash shots shows the orange peel well.

Only my wife has seen it thus far and let's put it this way, my wife asked for a pink one.

I'd prefer perfection, but this is really unique and I like it.

http://www.nikkoaudio.com/pix/T40/

turbolium · #21 Post by **turbolium** » Wed May 24, 2006 9:37 pm

Looks very nice

#22 Post by **underclocker** » Wed May 24, 2006 9:54 pm

Thanks.

A kind of nice thing about it is that you don't have any idea that it isn't black when you are using it - like as I type this - because all I see is the inside of the machine, which is still original IBM plastics, keyboard and LCD. I mean, there's no bright yellow distraction. It's only when you walk away from the machine do you notice, hey that's bright yellow.

#23 Post by **draco2527** » Wed May 24, 2006 10:06 pm

underclocker wrote: What color did you pick, Draco? Piano Black?

YEP! Plus today my palmrest WITHOUT the touchpad arrived from IBM (they are still selling spares) so I can't wait till I get it all together!!!

Now I am NERVOUS!!! I sure hope mine has no "orange peel" effect! I think it would STAND OUT like a sore thumb on the black finish.......

SOooooo, anyone want to host some pics for the start to finish project?

EDIT: Pics look good!

Toine · #24 Post by **Toine** » Thu May 25, 2006 12:32 am

I gave chad some advice about how to remove the top rubber coating, so he doesn't make the same mistake again. I believe chad will come up with the perfect on.

#25 Post by **underclocker** » Thu May 25, 2006 5:58 am

I took some more pix this morning, it's a little cloudy, but you can see the machine much better. I added them to the same directory.

Check it out -> http://www.nikkoaudio.com/pix/T40/

AIX · #26 Post by **AIX** » Thu May 25, 2006 6:33 am

Well, interesting work

Website · #27 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Thu May 25, 2006 7:13 am

I like the color combination, very interesting. I'm not too sure about the orange peel effect...still undecided. It is unique, but then again, so are Thinkpads in the first place.

#28 Post by **underclocker** » Fri May 26, 2006 7:47 am

Well, so far, everyone that has seen it, wants one in their color of choice. People don't seem to mind the orange peel efffect much, I guess it's like a leather texture.

Chad, or someone else, should be able to make some money with this business. Full service might be better. Maybe a 4 or 5 day turnaround that inlcudes removal of lid, powdercoating, installation of lid, for a fixed fee.

The lid removal and installation might be daunting for most - antennas, LCD inverter, ThinkLight, 13 screws, 11 stick-on screw covers, etc.

I think turning a lid white might be very nice, call it an iPad?

#29 Post by **draco2527** » Fri May 26, 2006 8:34 am

underclocker wrote:
I think turning a lid white might be very nice, call it an iPad?

Interesting.........

I am in the market for a used T40...

#30 Post by **underclocker** » Fri May 26, 2006 8:50 am

Draco, you could have a piano black and a piano white one! Kind of like Liberace's actual pianos - Yikes!

Custom Yellow T40 Lid is here!

Custom Yellow T40 Lid is here!

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