Hello, all. I have seen this on a few other sites but I couldn't find it here, and if it has been posted here then I apologize in advance but please know that I don't take credit for this idea, I just wanted to share my modification and post instructions on how I did it because I honestly believe it came out perfect!
To achieve what you see in the pictures below, all you need is some 400 grit sandpaper, some compressed air duster, and some patience. Also, make sure you have a case opener tool and a T-5 torx bit to take the phone apart. Once you get everything separated, just go to work on the black paint with the sandpaper. I used 1x1 inch squares that I cutout from a large sheet; it only took five squares to complete this. Just be patient and use a pen or similar small tube to wrap the sandpaper around to get into the curved areas with ease. Take your time, it is well worth the wait. Once you are all done, take a fresh piece of sandpaper and go over the whole thing quickly one last time, then with a slightly damp cotton cloth wipe away the dust to get that deep red color back and use the air duster to remove the particles. Put everything back together and enjoy!!! The look is totally clean and smooth and so damn sexy! I am going back to my clear case from my otter box just to show it off. I don't think I left anything out but just post any questions and I'll get right back to you.
Once again, thanks to everyone who did this before be and gave me the inspiration. I really think this is the best way to go about it...no chemicals, no razors or blades, no dremel tools. Just some up close and personal TLC with some really really fine sandpaper.
Good luck and post some photos of your results!!!
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
The scrape method was originally posted here. You took his a step further with "less risk".
All have turned out pretty nice. However, question, what is the "case opener tool" which you speak of?
Any photos of your disassembly?
Dude!.. such a subtle and, relatively pain free mod that REALLY makes it stand out, I love this! gonna do it right now!.
In all honesty, you could just use a blade or a small flathead screwdriver to pop the case once you get the torx screws out, but I picked up a small kit for like $3 off of eBay that has plastic pry tools in a variety of shapes that won't damage or mar the case / plastic. I don't have any photos of the teardown, but the website iFixit has a great teardown of the Evo. Just go to http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown and search Evo. Removing the speaker and camera flash LEDs to avoid getting sanded particles in is optional, I forgot to note that in my OP.
I just want to emphasize, take your time!!! It took me around an hour and a half to get it all done because I was kinda OCD about making sure I didn't jack it up. Your times may vary, but go slow and like I said before, use whatever you need to to wrap the sandpaper around to get to those curved sections.
EindhovenOne said:
Hello, all. I have seen this on a few other sites but I couldn't find it here, and if it has been posted here then I apologize in advance but please know that I don't take credit for this idea, I just wanted to share my modification and post instructions on how I did it because I honestly believe it came out perfect!
To achieve what you see in the pictures below, all you need is some 440 grit sandpaper, some compressed air duster, and some patience. Also, make sure you have a case opener tool and a T-5 torx bit to take the phone apart. Once you get everything separated, just go to work on the black paint with the sandpaper. I used 1x1 inch squares that I cutout from a large sheet; it only took five squares to complete this. Just be patient and use a pen or similar small tube to wrap the sandpaper around to get into the curved areas with ease. Take your time, it is well worth the wait. Once you are all done, take a fresh piece of sandpaper and go over the whole thing quickly one last time, then with a slightly damp cotton cloth wipe away the dust to get that deep red color back and use the air duster to remove the particles. Put everything back together and enjoy!!! The look is totally clean and smooth and so damn sexy! I am going back to my clear case from my otter box just to show it off. I don't think I left anything out but just post any questions and I'll get right back to you.
Once again, thanks to everyone who did this before be and gave me the inspiration. I really think this is the best way to go about it...no chemicals, no razors or blades, no dremel tools. Just some up close and personal TLC with some really really fine sandpaper.
Good luck and post some photos of your results!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks awesome bro, what grit of sandpaper did you use?
NM 440 Thanks lol
Checking out the packaging again, it's actually 400 grit...3M brand pro grade in a purple sleeve. Thanks for the kudos. Definitely post some pics when you're through. And don't forget that when you're done to go over it with a damp cotton rag or clean tshirt to get the dry dust off...that's when the true red color will pop out!
being a modeler for many years i'd just like to add if you want a smoother finish than the 400 you can go 1000/2000 and wetsand it.
Oh and that looks pretty awesome, good job!
i wanted to do something like this, but i wanted a red battery cover.
Is the white one red under as well?
I am actually not sure if the white one is red underneath...I'd say try some google images perhaps. On another note, on the advice of lacrossev, I did in fact give the red part another once over with some 1000 grit 3M WET/DRY sandpaper after putting the smallest bit of water on the paper and wow does it look amazing! Thank you, sir!
Jbroad572 said:
Is the white one red under as well?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes it is.
will this void my asurion insarance or will they still replace it some haha trying it now owell lol i still wanna know thanks
I am not 100% sure, but if you take apart the phone and break the security tape that is over the one torx screw that definitely messes with the warranty and insurance claims to follow. If you were brave enough to try the sanding without taking the phone apart I don't know if it would cause problems with asurion.
HiDefinition said:
yes it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh snap son... headed to grab some sand paper now, but is it mandatory to take the phone apart? I bought a set of torqs for an old tp2, but finding it... another story
EindhovenOne said:
I am not 100% sure, but if you take apart the phone and break the security tape that is over the one torx screw that definitely messes with the warranty and insurance claims to follow. If you were brave enough to try the sanding without taking the phone apart I don't know if it would cause problems with asurion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rather then take the phone apart, you should be able to seal up the areas of it with some tape, and i just skimmed assurions contract and didn't see any thing about body mods to the phone
I wouldn't say that taking it apart is mandatory at all, but at some point you're going to have to retape because the sandpaper is going to rub through the tape at some point in the process. I can't wait to see what the red looks like with the white. Post some pics when you're done!!!
EindhovenOne said:
I wouldn't say that taking it apart is mandatory at all, but at some point you're going to have to retape because the sandpaper is going to rub through the tape at some point in the process. I can't wait to see what the red looks like with the white. Post some pics when you're done!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely will.
The highest grit sandpaper that is available at most hardware stores is 400 or 660. If you are looking for the 1000 or 2000 grit either ask a local body shop nicely for one sheet and throw them a few bucks for one sheet, or ask where their supply store is. I went to my local FinishMaster auto body supply store today and that's where I picked up the 1000 wet/dry by 3M, but they had 1200 1400 and 2000 grit there as well.
EindhovenOne said:
The highest grit sandpaper that is available at most hardware stores is 400 or 660. If you are looking for the 1000 or 2000 grit either ask a local body shop nicely for one sheet and throw them a few bucks for one sheet, or ask where their supply store is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheaper and easier still..... get a women's 7 in 1 nail file or a 3 step buffing board. That would get you all levels for $2 and can be found in walmart, basically anywhere they sell nail polish.
Also, the best polishing effect for plastic I have found is using a dremel with dremel ceramic polish and a large felt wheel. Comes out super smooth every time!
Related
This was just a stock black case I bought from VZ. I used a dremel pretty much freehand and this was the result:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
and:
and the front:
The case is secure and works, but it definitely isn't pretty. As I cut on this case the plastic began to bubble up. Any thoughts on ways to keep that at a minimum? I think I might try to use water in between cuts, design a cut pattern, and use a different size cutting tool.
LMAO....Thats ths sh*tiest thing I have seen in a while. Whats the point??
Well, as a case it works. It's protective. And you cannot purchase extended battery cases as of yet.
Thanks for pointing out the obvious in a gentle and subtle fashion. <3
I wanna get myself a Dremel and practice on a case or two. What speed did you use?
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Props for trying to fab something up. I would try to keep the rotation speed down as low as possible. That should help with the bubbling. I don't know that water would help much, but you could try it.
I would sand the edges down and get everything smooth and even, then hit it with some spray paint. Krylon Fusion is pretty durable. Another idea. Plasti Dip. It would give a rubbery and anti slip texture, really durable, and comes in different colors. I would tape off the inside of the case then remove the tape after the Plasti Dip application. That would keep it from messing up the way the phone fits.
Whats the point??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It looks like someone with an extended battery wants added protection for the phone. The case added a raised lip, so the screen is now protected when layed face down. The edges of the phone are protected, and the area surrounding the camera and leds are as well. The only part that isn't protected is the battery door, which costs a lot less to replace than other components on the phone.
Not bad for first attempt. Like previously stated, try a lower speed to reduce heat...might help with bubbling and increase accuracy.
Oh, and if you wanted, you could even hit the battery door with Plasti Dip so it would match the case. You can peel Plasti Dip off, so it wouldn't be permanent either. If it got scratched up, just peel it off, and put a new coat on.
I don't have an extended battery, but I want one now just so I could take this project on. haha
Haha.. I love the word Frankencase....
MsSassypants said:
The case is secure and works, but it definitely isn't pretty. As I cut on this case the plastic began to bubble up. Any thoughts on ways to keep that at a minimum? I think I might try to use water in between cuts, design a cut pattern, and use a different size cutting tool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mask it with masking tape, and maybe try cutting in intervals. By that I mean cut one part/side a bit and then move to another part/side and then back and forth rinsing and repeating as neccesary to help prevent heat build up.
ddgarcia05 said:
I wanna get myself a Dremel and practice on a case or two. What speed did you use?
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the first time I've ever used a dremel, so I used different speeds. The top end speeds cut through like butter, but they bubbled.
Another thing with the dremel if you don't have the handheld wand kit is to mount the dremel and move the case. You will get greater control with your cuts.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App
There isn't much point to keeping the back half of the 2-piece case, though, since the only thing that really needs protecting (the camera) isn't covered, and the from half fits fine without it when the extended battery is in.
You need to use a Dremel routing table.. It cost like 30 bucks but will give you a mount for the Dremel, and fence to line up you case with. I use this all the time for modifications for everything. But not bad for your first stab. I noticed that if you go to fast with these plastics that the blade tends to pull the plastic towards where you don't want to cut. So if you try again just go slow.
Nice try, but the Dremel may have been overkill and not best suited for this job. Is that case hard plastic or silicone? Seems some scissors would have don't a cleaner job if it's silicone.
Just dress it up with some duck tape now.. Just kidding, could not resist.
I found that a utility knife and a straight edge will do the job too. Multiple passes will make nice clean edges.
Oh man I think I might just use my dremmel to carve my name right into the phone and call it a day! LoL!
sent via r00t3d TB - thx jcase!
Boss428man said:
You need to use a Dremel routing table.. It cost like 30 bucks but will give you a mount for the Dremel, and fence to line up you case with. I use this all the time for modifications for everything. But not bad for your first stab. I noticed that if you go to fast with these plastics that the blade tends to pull the plastic towards where you don't want to cut. So if you try again just go slow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have a link for the case you started with? I like the look of it.
Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using Tapatalk
I appreciate it.
Boss428man said:
You need to use a Dremel routing table.. It cost like 30 bucks but will give you a mount for the Dremel, and fence to line up you case with. I use this all the time for modifications for everything. But not bad for your first stab. I noticed that if you go to fast with these plastics that the blade tends to pull the plastic towards where you don't want to cut. So if you try again just go slow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Boss428man, you mean something like this?
Thanks all for the suggestions! I'm going to hunt down another case (via ebay) and see what I can come up with!
MsSassypants said:
Boss428man, you mean something like this?
Thanks all for the suggestions! I'm going to hunt down another case (via ebay) and see what I can come up with!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats the one. Works great for my projects.
The case I have is the
"Rubber White Hard Case Snap Cover HTC Thunderbolt 4G" found on ebay. I didn't see any on there now, maybe the seller is re-listing it. Seller - aplusacc
I needed some way to differentiate my dev phone from my daily phone. So, I grabbed some fusion plastic paint from Walmart. I scuffed the surface with a scotch-brite pad, then cleaned with 92% alcohol, then painted and applied clear-coat.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
The paint also helps to hide the small crack I repaired next to the menu button.
I'll let you guys know how the paint holds up. What do you think?
Oh that's nice. You have given me inspiration!
Makes me really want an Oreo though.....
ive been tempted but, weary of paint scraping off and looking bad... I have some professional graffiti spray paint sitting around
let us know how long it lasts...
Ive also had an idea about painting the phone itself. by lightly sanding and using Nail Polish and a super hard Clear Coat
Very cool dude awesome I thing I should try it blue and black
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I definately want to try this now. Lol. I'm going red.
Not a bad idea. Keep us posted as to how it survives. Will check back in 3 weeks
yeah that paint on the two 'nobs' is going to scrape off, then scratches on the front ring...
joe.nobody said:
yeah that paint on the two 'nobs' is going to scrape off, then scratches on the front ring...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not if he goes and buys a quality clearcoat.
I mean, id even suggest going to autozone for automotive clear coat and using that. If you want it to really last, use a few coats.
EDIT: I should read the entire first post.
It looks good. Matches up with the colors from Andromeda.
Nice. My friend has an otterbox for his iphone just like that.
I should have done a better prep job. Do not use the method I mentioned above. Go with 400 grit sand paper to smooth out the surface, then 800 grit sandpaper to remove the 400 grit scuffs. Then use alcohol to clean and then paint.
It has received 1 chip so far which I attribute to improper surface prep.
Here's a picture I snapped to day of my ultra-jig and the arduino which I plan on communicating with.
ok now i want more info on your ultra jig....
what else does it do? just varriable resistance via the switches? so it would be able to enter dock mode too eh? anything else?
and the arduino? what you gonna do with that fun thing?
http://www.arduino.cc/
It's for all the factory modes and OTG mode listed here in this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=820275 I plan on helping out on saving some bricks with the Arduino's communications libraries. The wrapped around wire will connect into the Arduino. Hopefully I can get some good USB to serial to UART going on.
i needed some fun reading...
Oh wow you made it. So you got the connection you were wanting.
!
That's pretty cool really stands out with those colors. but my case broke in same exact spot no more then 5 minutes ago. But hey if the case could talk it woukd have storys for days
Just call otter. They will send a new one. That's why I don't have a problem messing with this one. My new one was free. Just go on their website, dial the number in the upper right corner and tell them what happened to your case and where you bought it. They sent me a new one with that information only.
Trusselo said:
ive been tempted but, weary of paint scraping off and looking bad... I have some professional graffiti spray paint sitting around
let us know how long it lasts...
Ive also had an idea about painting the phone itself. by lightly sanding and using Nail Polish and a super hard Clear Coat
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, this is off topic a bit but do you think clear coat nail polish would be able to make the rubber part of the Otterbox Commuter less rubbery (and maybe harder)?
I know you probably don't have the case, but I'm talking about this rubber piece that goes before the hard shell:
The reason for this is because the rubber piece is too rubbery and it collects a ton of dust. It also dislodges a bit when I take it out of my pockets due to it being rubbery so I was looking for something I could use to make it less so. I didn't think of nail polish though. Let me know if you think this would make sense. It's just a random idea in my head when I seen you mention it. I would just be using it on the exposed top and bottom parts.
Enhanced said:
Sorry, this is off topic a bit but do you think clear coat nail polish would be able to make the rubber part of the Otterbox Commuter less rubbery (and maybe harder)?
I know you probably don't have the case, but I'm talking about this rubber piece that goes before the hard shell:
The reason for this is because the rubber piece is too rubbery and it collects a ton of dust. It also dislodges a bit when I take it out of my pockets due to it being rubbery so I was looking for something I could use to make it less so. I didn't think of nail polish though. Let me know if you think this would make sense. It's just a random idea in my head when I seen you mention it. I would just be using it on the exposed top and bottom parts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same problem here with the Commuter. I suspect that wouldn't work though. Ive been wrong before though.
a hard-coat or anything sprayed/painted on to the rubber would just flake off...
So I've been wanting the landscape Desktop Dock with Pogo Pin for my Verizon Galaxy Nexus for quite some time. When they went up on the Play store for $54 I decided to take the plunge. Everywhere I read that the phone would not fit in the dock, it would slowly rise up out of the dock and lose connection with the Pogo Pins. Well, I figured it should be a pretty simple job to modify the dock so that my Verizon phone would fit in it. I wasn't wrong.
The project isn't 100% finished, but its fully functional. All I need to do now is make it look prettier, IF ANYONE KNOWS OF SOME FORM OF PAINT OR FINISHER THAT RESEMBLES SOFT-TOUCH RUBBER PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
Basically all I did was take some 220 grit sandpaper to it, then followed up with some 400 grit to smooth it out. The process took me quite a while because every time I would finish it with the 400 grit the phone would once again start sliding up and lose connection with the pins. I found that you will either need to remove quite a lot of material, or leave the surface relatively rough so that it grips the phone and holds it in place. I initially started with some 100 grit paper, but you have to be very careful as this will gouge the plastic pretty bad. You can smooth it out, but it will take a lot of work. If I did it again I'd start with some 180 grit or so for the primary material removal, then smooth it out with some 250 or 300 grit.
I left the phone all night in the dock and it did not lose connection. I have had it in the dock all morning, with some light use, and the connection hasn't been lost. I am running AOKP B37 and the phone immediately launches the clock app and begins charging when I place it in the dock. Also, the phone charges at AC rate when the dock is connected to a wall outlet. I haven't tested when connected to my PC via USB. Data transfer doesn't work over the Pogo Pins anyway so there isn't really any point to connect it to your PC. AUDIO OUT VIA A PAIR OF CHEAP PC SPEAKERS WORKS FLAWLESSLY, IT IS NOT USING BLUETOOTH.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
I initially tried sanding down only the side to the left of the pogo pins, where the bottom of the phone rests. Unfortunately this did not work, I had to remove some material down the entire length of the dock. I also found it very important to sand down the inside edges of the front ridge running along the bottom and sides. Its relatively easy to remove a decent amount of material from these sides, and will help the phone rest on the pogo pins. I also remove a good amount of material from the 'groove' where the top and bottom of the phone slide in.
Its not the prettiest thing right now, but it is functional and I think with a little more sanding and the proper paint I'll be able make it look almost like new.
If you're like me and love having a dock on your desk, don't be afraid to try this out! Its very easy and as long as you don't mind the dock looking a little scuffed.
Thanks. I was really curious how others would approach fitting their Verizon Galaxy Nexus in this dock along with their experiences doing so. Pretty simple fix. I may just try to do this myself.
Your pictures ain't working.
Hmm, pictures work fine for me on phone and desktop, can anyone see them?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
litso said:
Hmm, pictures work fine for me on phone and desktop, can anyone see them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pictures show up on my desktop. Haven't tried on my phone.
Pictures don't work on my desktop when viewing from the forums. When I open an image in a new tab, it gives me HTTP 403: "Rate-limit exceeded That’s all we know".
When I refresh that tab, then it works.
Looks good so far. Just some tips from my experience with this kinda stuff, you need to work up to at least 2000 grit paper. This will get rid of the sanding lines. Also I wouldn't bother with the rubberized material, it's expensive and not going to match anyways. You could go with the cheap plastidip but it will surely come off after a few dozen uses of the dock.
You're definitely on the right track... I would just keep sanding off a little more material at a time until the phone fits without sliding up, then either leave or sand the whole dock and paint the whole thing.
Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely keep that in mind. My primary concern was getting it functional, which it is.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
For a soft touch-like surface you can try using spray on plasti-dip. Its a material that you may have seen for dipping tool handles in. It has a nice rubberized surface that covers well. You can get it in black (and a few more colors online) and it isn't terribly expensive. Remember, light coats always.
The actual finish that gets used for on phones and consumer products that we call soft touch is really expensive for you and I to buy. I tried getting some one time for a project and was quoted something like $90/pint. Good luck!
I ordered this dock thinking it would work with a minimal amount of Modding but the design of the dock is molded very specific to the size of the GSM phone. Your fix us encouraging but is it really worth all that work sanding down that beautiful finish? I'm thinking the dock from Samsung might just be the better choice if it ever gets off back order.
That looks pretty good so far! Great job!
Zenoran said:
I ordered this dock thinking it would work with a minimal amount of Modding but the design of the dock is molded very specific to the size of the GSM phone. Your fix us encouraging but is it really worth all that work sanding down that beautiful finish? I'm thinking the dock from Samsung might just be the better choice if it ever gets off back order.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The samsung dock for i515 would certainly be preferable, but I was tired of waiting and didn't like the $90 price tag. It was really not much work to sand it down, maybe an hour total just because I was constantly stopping and checking to see how the phone fit. I plan on touching it up a bit and making it look nicer. To be honest though, I'm the only one who ever really sees it, and whenever I see it my phone is in it so I can't even tell .
litso said:
The samsung dock for i515 would certainly be preferable, but I was tired of waiting and didn't like the $90 price tag. It was really not much work to sand it down, maybe an hour total just because I was constantly stopping and checking to see how the phone fit. I plan on touching it up a bit and making it look nicer. To be honest though, I'm the only one who ever really sees it, and whenever I see it my phone is in it so I can't even tell .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I think I'm going to try and contact Samsung to see what the deal is before I buy and mod this one. I mean we've been waiting six months now, it's ridiculous!
TLDR Answer: Rubberized Undercoating
I read this thread the other day and happened to think of a possible solution. If you are familiar with rubberized undercoating for vehicles, this may offer a similar texture to the stock finish. Basically its rubber coating in an aerosol can for preventing rust on the underside of vehicles. It probably wouldn't work too well straight from an aerosol can but if you sprayed some into a jar then thinned it out with lacquer thinner/paint thinner and either lightly brushed it on even sprayed it through an airbrush if available I bet you could get close. I'd just test it out on an old piece of metal or something first and you could even tweak the color by adding a little flat or semi gloss paint to match the stock dock color.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
Function over form Looks great.
litso said:
The samsung dock for i515 would certainly be preferable, but I was tired of waiting and didn't like the $90 price tag. It was really not much work to sand it down, maybe an hour total just because I was constantly stopping and checking to see how the phone fit. I plan on touching it up a bit and making it look nicer. To be honest though, I'm the only one who ever really sees it, and whenever I see it my phone is in it so I can't even tell .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya good points. I still have this dock and am tempted to just try this out instead of shipping it back to Google. Thanks very much for the post.
litso said:
IF ANYONE KNOWS OF SOME FORM OF PAINT OR FINISHER THAT RESEMBLES SOFT-TOUCH RUBBER PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Might give this a go...
"Plasti Dip"
It's used a lot by car modders to give a flat black plastic look to chrome and other trim. Might work, but masking would be difficult.
Other option would be to just polish with finer grits until you match the dull plastic finish.
thanks to op for idea.
i did the same and phone stays in place. not crazy about the look but i was able to get the sanded parts fairly smooth using 400+ grit. im pretty sure if you spent enough time on it you could get it to look pretty good.
to be honest though if the i515 dock was readily available i would probably spend the extra $ for it so as not to have to expend the elbow grease
I bet using a dremel would speed up the sanding process although it wouldnt work in the curves
Awesome!
I just received my $54 dock this week and was going to hit it with the sandpaper this weekend to make room for my VZ Gnex. This post/thread is super helpful! Thanks!!!
I'm not a big fan of gloss plastic, which Samsung seems to just love to bits. I especially don't like plastic that pretends to be anything that isn't plastic. As much as I love my Galaxy Nexus, the one thing that always irked me was the cheap satin-finish plastic housing. I saw that the Nexus 4 uses the ever-familiar soft-touch coating around the sides, so I figured that's the ticket for me. I looked up some DIY methods and found that the most cost-effective option is to use Plasti-Dip, which I have seen used on the Nexus S' battery door. I decided to go a little deeper and dip the Galaxy Nexus' entire housing.
Without further ado:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
It turned out really well, I think. The photos make it look more textured than it actually is. It's not exactly the same soft-touch coating OEMs use, but it's pretty close. I like how it feels, and I love how it looks.
I took some progress shots, which you can find below. They're at 640px, so here's an album at 1024px if you need it. This was fairly easy for me to do as I've done a lot of work with plastic models before. It does take up a day, so if you decide to try it, make sure you've got a lot of free time and something to do in between coats. Also, as with any coat of paint, Plasti-Dip adds some marginal thickness to the phone. With how snug the OEM docks are, I wouldn't try this if you have your heart set on using those. The desktop docks may still work as they don't look to be that tight, but the OEM car dock will likely tear at the coating.
It goes without saying that I am not telling you to attempt this. If you do decide to dip your phone, you are doing so of your own free will and I will not accept responsibility for anything that goes wrong. You have been warned.
You will need to take your phone apart for this. If you're squeamish, you can order a spare housing for your specific Nexus model on eBay. They're not expensive. i9250 (GSM) and SCH-i515 (Verizon) housings are easy enough to find, particularly on wholesale stores like ETradeSupply.com. SPH-L700 (Sprint) housings are less common. It does matter which you use.
A spare housing is preferable for many reasons. You won't have to take your phone apart before you get started, which means you won't be unavailable for contact for a whole day while you're waiting for the Plasti-Dip to cure and dry. You also won't sacrifice the existing housing on your phone in case something goes wrong.
If you need to know how to disassemble your phone, this is the video I used to walk me through it. Use this as a guide when replacing the housing. WATCH THIS VIDEO BEFORE YOU PROCEED. It will give you greater insight as to what you need to mask off and how. It also helps to just examine the housing yourself.
Some things to keep in mind:
Masking
- The rear housing for the Galaxy Nexus has a lot of connectors attached. Don't be stingy in masking them off. Even though Plasti-Dip can be peeled off, you never know what you can pull out of place. I accidentally pulled off a foam gasket without knowing, and had to use the one from my original housing to replace it. Not a huge deal, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
- In addition, make sure to leave at least a little bit of room for the Plasti-Dip to go around edges. This will allow it to grip better and lessen the risk of accidental peeling during use.
- You don't have to mask off the POGO pins on the outside. There's a little bit of space around the pins where they're seated. The Plasti-Dip won't necessarily bridge that space all the way, so you really only have to use a sharp craft knife to get the Plasti-Dip off of the pins. Just take care not to cut or peel off the surrounding plastic. I did try to mask them off at first and found them to be a huge pain. I decided against it and simply figured I'd just go without being able to use the pins. I didn't realize they didn't need masking until after the final coat had cured.
- Masking the rear speaker grill will be a pain. You can cut small pieces of masking tape, using the speaker cutout as a guide. This is how I did it, and it is time consuming, but it will work. You can also use very small pieces of Sticky Tack (the moldable adhesive), which I didn't try but I've used Sticky Tack before to mask off small openings that are difficult to tape off.
- When it's time to peel off the masking tape, use a sharp craft knife to gently cut around the tape. This will make it easier to pull, and you will be less likely to accidentally rip the Plasti-Dip where you don't want to.
Preparation
- Use a micro-fiber cloth and maybe some canned air to get all the dust and oils off of the outside surfaces. I'd already masked off the inside at this point, so I just pinched the housing by the middle whenever I needed to hold it. This kept me from touching the outside of the housing.
- You don't need to sand anything, and I would actually recommend against it. Plasti-Dip grips pretty well, and you do want to be able to peel it off if you mess up or want to redo the job.
- When painting, I used a barbecue skewer poked through one of the open screw posts to hold the housing while coating it (not shown). You can also use the screw posts with a bent coat hanger to suspend it in mid-air (see photos). Anything that will allow you to maneuver around the housing will work, so long as it doesn't come into contact with any of the surfaces that you're wanting to dip.
- I mentioned the barbecue skewer because this actually allowed me to lay the housing on top of something in order to keep it flat. This was mostly due to me being afraid of any dripping that might occur. If you decide to do this, make sure that whatever you're laying it on is small enough to only touch the middle of the housing (see pictures below).
Plasti-Dip
- Follow the instructions on the can. Read up on Plasti-Dip just so you can be acquainted with application. It's really not complicated, but it's also not all the same as laying down a coat of paint.
- Most sites that give advice on Plasti-Dip are car-related (DipYourCar.com, for instance, is a site/community dedicated to this), and they will advise you to use about 3-5 coats. This is a much smaller project, so three (3) coats will suffice; at least, that's how many I did. The first coat should be little more than a light dusting, which when dry will allow the second coat to adhere better, so don't lay it on too thickly. The second coat and on will be your full coats.
- Make sure to give each coat at least thirty (30) minutes to dry before you apply the next one. Basically, once you're done, go watch an episode or two of whatever show you like. That's plenty of time.
- When you've applied your last coat (probably your third or fourth), make sure to let the Plasti-Dip cure for at least four hours.
Finishing
- When the Plasti-Dip is fully cured, you're ready to start peeling off any excess and masking tape you've used. Like I mentioned before, a craft knife really helps here. Cut around the masking tape and the areas that need peeling off. This will decrease the risk of accidentally ripping the coating where you don't want to. Be careful when cutting. No need to gouge the housing or any crucial parts. Gentle passes will do.
- You'll need your craft knife to carefully remove the tape or tack from the rear speaker grill. Take care not to cut into the surrounding surfaces.
- You may need to "free" your volume and power buttons, so make gentle cuts around the buttons or just push them in very gently to wiggle them free. I went ahead and just peeled the Plasti-Dip off of my buttons, though you don't have to do that.
- Make sure you cut where the battery door tabs are located. This will help you pop it back in once you put your phone back together.
- When peeling, make sure there aren't any gaskets or parts coming off with the Plasti-Dip.
- You can put clear coat over the Plasti-Dip, at least from what I've read. This does harden the Plasti-Dip and makes it harder to remove, so be aware of that. It will also add a little bit of thickness to the housing. You probably need to do a separate masking for this as I can't guarantee it will peel off as it normally would. I recommend masking off the inside completely, leaving only the outside surface. If you also plan on using the POGO pins, you may want to mask those off, too. That will be a huge pain.
- Be gentle when handling the housing at first during reassembly. Even though the Plasti-Dip is cured, you want to give it a day before you start man-handling it. Also note that the coating does make the housing negligibly thicker, so be gentle when putting everything together.
Photos were taken using a Canon 60D with the 40mm f/2.8 STM lens, and a Promaster FT1750 Bounce Flash.
Pretty cool. Would it still it fit in the OEM pogo desk dock?
Probably not for using with the OEM car dock though.. it's already cherry-tight as it is and the rubber might burst after repeated in & out.
lost_ said:
Pretty cool. Would it still it fit in the OEM pogo desk dock?
Probably not for using with the OEM car dock though.. it's already cherry-tight as it is and the rubber might burst after repeated in & out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The desk dock, I'm not sure. It might. It doesn't look to be that snug. I don't have it so I wouldn't be able to say.
The car dock is a huge no-go, though. Not without modifications, anyway.
Thanks for mentioning that. I forgot to put it in the OP.
I was not happy with the looks of my 360 thanks to the absolute ugliness of the stone band. tbh i think the gray band looks just as bad, but at least it is not purple. anyways... here is how to dye your band to black and class up your watch for a dirt cheap price. It takes about thirty minutes from start to finish.
Items Needed:
Black leather dye.. Found at hobby lobby, michaels, tandy leather, online.
80 - 220 grit sandpaper
micro flat head or watch pin remover
clean cotton cloth
latex gloves if you don't want to wash off the water soluble dye
The Process:
1. Remove the watch bands. best to go in at an forty-five degree angle. It is about an eighth of an inch in and kind of caddy conrnered away from the band. Use a digging motion and the pin will release easily.
2. Remove the clasp. It uses a pin just like the bands.
3. Grab the sandpaper and start taking off the finish. Do Not take off too much. It does not take a lot. Jus a little bit more than scuffing it. There is some sort of crap on the edges trying to hide the fact that it is a laminated or bonded strap. Which is something that Horween should be ashamed of.
4. Apply the dye to the bands. It is pretty thick stuff. You will notice that it will clog the holes that the buckle goes into. I just picked it up from the end and slapped the other end on the 2x4 i was using to get the dye out of the holes. By the time i was finished with putting on the fist coat... the stuff was dry enough for me to go ahead and put on a second one.
5. Let dry for fifteen or so minutes. I put mine back on my wrist for the pictures when it was still a bit tacky with no issues.
6. Put the strap back together and back on the watch. Note: The pin for the buckle is 1.8mm. The pins for the strap are 1.3mm.
7. Profit
The dye is available at hobby lobby for six bucks. tandy leather for nine bucks. amazon prime for eleven.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
phermey said:
I was not happy with the looks of my 360 thanks to the absolute ugliness of the stone band. tbh i think the gray band looks just as bad, but at least it is not purple. anyways... here is how to dye your band to black and class up your watch for a dirt cheap price. It takes about thirty minutes from start to finish.
Items Needed:
Black leather dye.. Found at hobby lobby, michaels, tandy leather, online.
80 - 220 grit sandpaper
micro flat head or watch pin remover
clean cotton cloth
latex gloves if you don't want to wash off the water soluble dye
The Process:
1. Remove the watch bands. best to go in at an forty-five degree angle. It is about an eighth of an inch in and kind of caddy conrnered away from the band. Use a digging motion and the pin will release easily.
2. Remove the clasp. It uses a pin just like the bands.
3. Grab the sandpaper and start taking off the finish. Do Not take off too much. It does not take a lot. Jus a little bit more than scuffing it. There is some sort of crap on the edges trying to hide the fact that it is a laminated or bonded strap. Which is something that Horween should be ashamed of.
4. Apply the dye to the bands. It is pretty thick stuff. You will notice that it will clog the holes that the buckle goes into. I just picked it up from the end and slapped the other end on the 2x4 i was using to get the dye out of the holes. By the time i was finished with putting on the fist coat... the stuff was dry enough for me to go ahead and put on a second one.
5. Let dry for fifteen or so minutes. I put mine back on my wrist for the pictures when it was still a bit tacky with no issues.
6. Put the strap back together and back on the watch. Note: The pin for the buckle is 1.8mm. The pins for the strap are 1.3mm.
7. Profit
The dye is available at hobby lobby for six bucks. tandy leather for nine bucks. amazon prime for eleven.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already have the dark gray band, but thanks for the reminder about leather dye! I've used it for years on leather and even as a wood dye. Folks, it really does work as well as he says.
JimSmith94 said:
I already have the dark gray band, but thanks for the reminder about leather dye! I've used it for years on leather and even as a wood dye. Folks, it really does work as well as he says.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
indeed it does and it's pretty easy. it was a quick fix while i try to decide on what natural leather band to get. i just couldn't go any longer with the stone.
one day usage update:
after the entire day of wearing it, along with playing two rounds of disc golf i can see some of the black coming off of the sides (due to the plasticy colored crap that i did not sand). top and bottom are flawless. no dye on clothing and no dye on skin. going to look at the wear and tear tomorrow and go from there. will probably finish sanding off the sides and re-apply more dye.
the stuff on the sides are there for looks. most likely becuase the dye they used wasn't through and through... or they really thought they could hide the fact the a top nocth manufacturer like horween would bond leather together. either way... i now know that i need to get it off so the dye will 'set', and i know that i like this band, even if it is not perfect, way more than the purple.
i will post wear and tear pics tomorrow.
phermey said:
one day usage update:
after the entire day of wearing it, along with playing two rounds of disc golf i can see some of the black coming off of the sides (due to the plasticy colored crap that i did not sand). top and bottom are flawless. no dye on clothing and no dye on skin. going to look at the wear and tear tomorrow and go from there. will probably finish sanding off the sides and re-apply more dye.
the stuff on the sides are there for looks. most likely becuase the dye they used wasn't through and through... or they really thought they could hide the fact the a top nocth manufacturer like horween would bond leather together. either way... i now know that i need to get it off so the dye will 'set', and i know that i like this band, even if it is not perfect, way more than the purple.
i will post wear and tear pics tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any update on this? I'm really tempted to follow your instructions but I would like to see what your results have been. Thanks!
sorry. i got lazy. give me a minute.
one week update. the edges have the same wear and tear they had on day one. but it is not bad enough for me to care enough about. especially when the background of the watch pics was a huge piece of veg tanned leather. it still looks great from a foot away. and that is what matter most to me.
while i did not get anything on my clothes... there was dye that needed to be washed out of it because i put too much on. along with the stuff that did not adhere to the plastic sides. my suggestion is to go back with a completely dry cloth and get as much off of it as you can after it sits for an hour or so. then let it sit overnight and rinse out in the morning. i would also sand down the sides a bit better to make sure all of the plastic was gone.
all in all though i am exptremely happy with how things turned out. i have put a lot of wear and tare on the strap as it is always raking up against my disc golf bag strap and hydtration backback straps. i am off in the woods quite often walking through brush and such, pecking at a keyboard for hours a day, along with constantly washing my hands when i make my e-liquids. so far so good. i can easily recommend this diy to anyone.
then i went and washed it off to show it wet.
phermey said:
sorry. i got lazy. give me a minute.
one week update. the edges have the same wear and tear they had on day one. but it is not bad enough for me to care enough about. especially when the background of the watch pics was a huge piece of veg tanned leather. it still looks great from a foot away. and that is what matter most to me.
while i did not get anything on my clothes... there was dye that needed to be washed out of it because i put too much on. along with the stuff that did not adhere to the plastic sides. my suggestion is to go back with a completely dry cloth and get as much off of it as you can after it sits for an hour or so. then let it sit overnight and rinse out in the morning. i would also sand down the sides a bit better to make sure all of the plastic was gone.
all in all though i am exptremely happy with how things turned out. i have put a lot of wear and tare on the strap as it is always raking up against my disc golf bag strap and hydtration backback straps. i am off in the woods quite often walking through brush and such, pecking at a keyboard for hours a day, along with constantly washing my hands when i make my e-liquids. so far so good. i can easily recommend this diy to anyone.
then i went and washed it off to show it wet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the update!
SS70Chevelle said:
Thank you for the update!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
anytime.
for everyone. i went on to making my own leather strap so i would have something to match my phone. i will respond to replies if they come. but i do not see a reason for any more updates, the dye job was solid.
Thanks! I'll be doing this soon, as I, too, am unhappy with the grey band turning purple
Hi,
I might have a hard time trying to get some good quality leather dye at my place, but I have sandpaper though.
What happens if I only sandpaper the band? What should I do after that if I don't intend to dye it, just its natural colour but a more suede-like texture?
Only sanded with 80 grain size. Did not had any other. Then used some leather grease.
Zhou86 said:
Hi,
I might have a hard time trying to get some good quality leather dye at my place, but I have sandpaper though.
What happens if I only sandpaper the band? What should I do after that if I don't intend to dye it, just its natural colour but a more suede-like texture?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you have a boot shop or anythign around there you might be able to get your hands on some colored paste. that might help. when i sanded it just turned everything to a lighter purple. it really depends on how far the dye goes into the leather i guess. i dunno if you will be able to sand it down to natural color or not. mink oil or saddlesoap will darken it back up, along with protect it. but if you want your waterproofing back on there... it requires a 'top coat'. search 'top coat satin for leather'.
there are also homemade recipes around the web. using pine pitch and oils. the pine pitch will darken and change the color. you might be able to get your hands on something like that.
looks good @brotbuexe
Thanks phermey,
I followed your guide and have something between dark grey and black band now. I just scratched the band by sandpaper little bit more then I should on one place - hope it gets better after few days of usage.
Croog said:
Thanks phermey,
I followed your guide and have something between dark grey and black band now. I just scratched the band by sandpaper little bit more then I should on one place - hope it gets better after few days of usage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmm. you might put another coat of dye on it. give it the night and then wash it out. i hope it works out.
After procrastinating for way too long I finally took the time to do this.
First one is how it looked originally and how it looked sanded down.
And the other one is how it looks just after staining them.
Azoss said:
After procrastinating for way too long I finally took the time to do this.
First one is how it looked originally and how it looked sanded down.
And the other one is how it looks just after staining them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Much better!