The new way to "paint" your iBook!
Submitted by twinfactor on March 8, 2005 - 5:41pm.
Hardware Hacks
Hey, I dunno if this is the right place to post this, but oh well.
So, anyways, I got my new iBook and I never was a huge fan of all the white plastic. so I looked into some option as far as painting the plastic, and I looked into the iSuits, but I didn't want to spend that much. I read that the latest I books are no longer painted from the inside on clear plastic, so that left me with the option of painting the exterior of the machine.
I didn't want to do that. Why? Paint chips, paint has funky textures, wouldn't come out all shiny unless I had it professionally painted, and paint pools and drips when wet. Now, don't get me wrong, I've seen some sweet iBooks with exterior paint, but it just wasn't my thing.
So, drawing from a little trick I learned from my hobby of RC trucks, I decided to dye my computer.
WARNING!!!!!!
These are just instructions, I am not responsible for you voiding your Apple warranty, Ruining your computer, Melting your iBook lid (highly unlikely), Burning yourself, ruining your mom's kichen utensils, Starting any fires, anything, i'm just providing instructions. So do this at your own risk!
... but it sure does look cool.
What you'll need:
1- Pack of RIT fabric dye ($1.75 @ Meijer)
1- Large cake-type pan (I used a 11"-17" disposable Lasagana Pan $2.00 @ Meijer)
1- Stove Top
1- Your iBook
1- Water
1- WELL VENTED KICHEN OR WHERE EVER YOU ARE DOING THIS
1- bent spoon so that the handle is at a 90 degree angle to the spoon part...
Steps:
1. Remove the white lid from your iBook screen, there are all sorts of instructions on the net for this. Leave your iBook in a place where it wont get damaged.
2. Remove the little Apple logo from the back of the screen, just use a knive or screwdriver, but be careful not to break the plastic.
3. Clean off your iBook lid with water, make sure there's no fingerprints/dirt on it.
4. Put your pan onto the stove top and position it over two of the burners, and turn them on high and bring the water to a boil. make sure there's enough water to completely cover the iBook lid.
5. Once at a boil add the all the dye and stir it in, don't worry, it'll look really dark.
6. Once all the dye is mixed in, take your iBook lid and carefully set it in.
7. Make sure the water is boiling, this is key, the plastic needs to get hot enough to soak up the dye!
8. Every few minutes take your spoon (this is your precise tool) and pull up the lid (i hook the lid through the hole where the apple logo was.
9. When the lid is dyed like you want it take it out, be careful not to drip, cause the dye will color anything it touches.
10. Wash off your iBook lid, lightly scrubbing with some paper towel, and let it fully dry!
11. Put the Apple logo back in.
12. Carefully put the lid back on the screen.
13. Step back and admire your cool iBook lid.
I'll load up some pics in a little bit, when i have access to my external hard drive.
Enjoy!