Painting something inspired upon a guitar finish

[Graffiti62]

Hi Everybody--

I'm not sure if this is exactly the place to be asking this question, but I figured a finish-phile could help me out on this. My wife and I wound up getting identical cell phones, and we really don't have a way to identify them apart without opening them. I then got thinking that if I masked up the black cell phone, put stripe mask around it a few times, paint it white, stripe mask it again and paint it red, I could pull off an EVH look. The only question I have is exactly how to prep this thing, and also what to paint it with. If anyone can offer any advice, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

 

[blue313]

Probably going to want something durable..cell phones take hella abuse.  Found someone who did a Blackberry with Testors

http://blackberryforums.pinstack.com/51961-how_to_paint_your_bb.html

 

[jackthehack]

I've worked as a Sr. Systems Engineer for one of the top cellphone OEMs for 8+ years and know what I'm talking about.

DON'T paint your cell phone...

1.) Depending on mfgr./carrier you may be voiding your warranty; when you turn in a cell phone on warranty they pretty much all go back to mfgr. for refurbishment and get recycled as B-stock/replacement units for other handsets returns.
2.) The finishes used on cell phones are highly specialized and although you can't see/tell they may be zone painted with RF shielding paint to pass SARs and other FCC testing. If there is ANY metallic pigment in the paint you use it may adversely affect your RX/TX performance characteristics; I know a woman who thought it would be cute to paint her RAZR a metallic color and once done it would hardly originate/terminate a call.
3.) I've seen handsets returned/rejected for warranty because of application of paint/fingernail polish/other items of this ilk not playing nicely with the plastics/rubber like compounds used to manufacture the handset.

Just apply the tape striping, that shouldn't hurt anything.

 

[ognolman]

DON'T paint your cell phone...

Aww, man!  There goes my plan to Fleck Stone my iPhone!!  :toothy12:

JBD