Cooler Master HAF Stacker Casemod

This is the fun step and like any traditional painting process colors need to be built up and in this case we need to start from zero with a white basecoat.  Most pearl paint finishes use a white basecoat so that light will reflect back thru the pearl layer.  This isn’t always the case however does render the most consistent result.

I tend to apply this color very liberally as it will directly impact how bright the color coat will be.

The midcoat is the main orange and pearl mix followed by the clear coat.  You often hear of painters mixing their own pearls and putting the particles in the clear or applying them over top of the midcoat.  This adds depth to the paint but really isn’t needed.  Even cars from the factory have their pearls mixed with the color.

Basecoats have a matte finish to them and virtually no resistance to the elements so they must be affixed using a clear coat.  This coat is what gives paint its gloss and durability.

Many painters will claim that they apply several layers of clear for the deepest shine.  What they don’t tell you is that to get the shine out you must cut and buff the paint adding expensive labor to the process.  Applying 2 or less coats achieves the same result but without the need to buff.  

Considering that this is a computer case and not a show car that is what I did. 

Start to finish the painting part of this project took two days.  I started setting up the paint booth around 9am and had parts ready to paint by noon.  Clear was applied around 3pm and by 5pm the parts could be moved out and the booth was taken down.  I let the clear cure for about 36 hours before starting the next step.