Giving your Macbook Pro a "paint job"?

Question

Level 1

8 points

Giving your Macbook Pro a "paint job"?

So I was thinking of giving my Macbook Pro a paint job. BUT - not for the whole body or with a different color - NO - I wanna remove my scratches which a "friend" gave me on the bottom of my Macbook a while ago.

Hereby I wanna use a Dull Aluminum Color Spray from the Tools Store.

Now the question - should I go for it? Are there any risks which might come up?
The color is exactly the same as from the Macbook Pro, so this shouldn't be an issue.

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Nov 26, 2009 10:56 PM

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Answer 1

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Nov 26, 2009 11:10 PM in response to Tharanon

Sounds pretty tacky to me, Tharanon. Never seen a supposed aluminium spray paint that looked anything like the real thing in the cold hard light of day, whether it be used on cars or computers!

Cheers

Rod

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Answer 2

eww

Level 9

53,122 points

Nov 27, 2009 6:51 AM in response to Tharanon

There is nothing you can do about scratches on your MBP that won't look worse than the scratches. If you don't want the scratches on the bottom of your MBP to show, just keep it right side up. Or replace the bottom panel(s).

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Answer 3

Nov 27, 2009 10:38 AM in response to Tharanon

Don't do it.

You'll be sorry and removing the paint will be a pain. It's the bottom. How many times do you look at the bottom?

I would suggest you try a product like Maguire's Scratchout X. It's actually for clear coat on cars, but you might be able to minimize some of the scratches on the aluminum. It's very gentle. You can follow with their PlastX for plastic to minimize any hazing you got from the ScratchX. Then clean and polish normally.

Keep the stuff to use on your car. It's fabulous.

But don't paint.

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Answer 4

Tharanon Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 28, 2009 3:25 AM in response to Tharanon

@ eww: is it possible to get a replaced bottom? And if, from where do I get one?

The thing is, even though it is only the bottom, I am VERY picky with my things. And I never forgave my friend that he scratched my Macbook. Not just because I'm picky but also because he didn't take care of it as I told him to - and we all know that the Macbook Pro needs to be able to show its looks :P

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Answer 5

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Nov 28, 2009 3:58 AM in response to Tharanon

Which model do you?

http://www.welovemacs.com/maproma.html is one source.

Cheers

Rod

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Answer 6

eww

Level 9

53,122 points

Nov 28, 2009 7:00 AM in response to Tharanon

It doesn't need to show its looks on its bottom, where no one can see them, so I think you're being way too fastidious. But used replacement parts are available for anything, including MBPs, and new parts are available from Apple. Apple won't sell most parts to end users, though — one has to pay Apple to install them unless they're installed under warranty, which your bottom panel wouldn't be. So you can look for a used bottom panel in perfect condition and easily install it yourself, or you can pay Apple to install a new one, or you can just try to get over the fact that your MBP has some trivial cosmetic damage that no one knows about except you.

Here are some other parts vendors:

http://www.pbparts.com (parts and repair work)
http://www.dttservice.com (parts and repair work)
http://www.powerbookresq.com (parts and repair work)
http://www.tekserve.com (parts and repair work)
http://www.ifixit.com (parts and excellent, illustrated online take-apart instructions)

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