Database Info

Phantom Skinz Full Body Set

Recently received the Phantom Skinz Full Body set and have gone through installation.
Here's the breakdown:
The Pros:
- The Screen Skin looks good and feels good. The extra drag vs. the stock glass is slight and the overall clarity is very good (doesn't have any noticeable detraction from the crisp, contrasty screen).
- The main screen skin and front overlays were fairly easy to apply and once dried have a very nice unobtrusive look
- Comes with 2 sets of skins
The Cons:
- included directions are WAY OFF from the install video on their site. Soaking times, how long to let it sit and dry, etc...
- Edge bubbling on every corner for the back overlays. Directions say to "cup the corner with palms and hold 30 seconds", but I've done it over and over again and they keep popping off after a short while
- A WHOLE LOT of wet work involved in applying these skins. Application involves soaking the skin in water first, then (as instructed) with your fingers fully wet, take the wet skin and put it wet onto the phone and then use the included credit card shaped "squeegy" to push out the extra water. Not so much a big deal for the screen skin, but getting that much water around and near the audio/mic/power and such ports while putting on the body skins is asking for trouble.
Final Thoughts
I imagine in some small (heck, maybe in large) part, the corner bubbling issue is due to me not applying the skin properly. But I'm not some clueless granny that doesn't know the difference between a mouse and a blackberry and the included instructions are vague in important places and almost completely different than the video instructions shown at their website (for example; The included instructions say to use warm water WITH SOAP)
Bottom line: Stick with just the screen skin, skip the full body.

The online video instructions say to use soap as well. IIRC, she said that at their facility, they use one drop of Johnson's baby shampoo per 32 oz of water.

I would avoid Phantom Skinz altogether. Here's the review I posted about my experience with one of them on my Moto Droid in the skins topic.
Phantom Skinz
I got a PS for my Moto Droid because I didn't want something as grippy as the Zagg. PS had great reviews and came with 2 full sets for the price of 1 zagg with 33% off on top of that ($16.50 in the end). The first installation of the screen got some dust and fuzz under it since I was OCD about getting it perfect, so I emailed them and they sent me a replacement for free no questions asked. I know it did come with two sets of protectors but I wanted to keep one as a backup still. Second installation was perfect. No dirt, dust, fuzz or finger prints. Screen was perfectly smooth (no orange peel) and the touch felt almost the same as the glass. Put the rest of the body on without a problem as well with just a few bubbles in some of the tougher spots. I was very impressed, but now a month later I am not so much. After daily use taking my phone in and out of my pocket (sometimes shared with keys) the skin is filled with knicks and wrinkles. While the film may not technically scratch, it is vulnerable to indentations and air bubbles forming which do not "self heal". Instead of scratching, it seems like the skin stretches in place, resulting in a wrinkle/groove with little marks that look like air bubbles underneath. Not only does it make the screen look dirty, but you feel them while using the touch screen. As I write this, I just dug my finger nail into the screen and tried to scratch it, leaving another permanent groove. Needless to say, I will be taking off the PS and throwing it in the trash. The rest of the body has surprisingly stayed pretty clean of wrinkles, so it may have something to do with its application on glass. I will put some pictures up when I get the chance this evening. Overall, I would not recommend PhantomSkinz. It looked and felt great for a couple weeks, but now every day I am finding more and more knicks and wrinkles and that is just unacceptable compared to others. This skin is NOT scratch proof like other comparable skins on the market! However, I will commend their customer service for being very helpful and quick to reply.
And here a pictures of what it looks like:
h ttp://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=5415251&postcount=44
(remove the space after the h, I can't post links yet)
Bottom line here as that they are smoother than other brands but scratch pretty easily. You should check back in on this topic in a month or two and see if your opinion has changed.

I applied the full body skin about a week ago. There's definitely a lot of water involved but most of the danger can be avoided with some caution. I used Q-tips to do a lot of the credit card work around the edges so that it soaked up the water it pushed out.
A good trick for the corners is to use some sealant/piping tape to hold them down. This is a lot better than using your hand for 30 seconds, and you can leave it there for as long as you want (I left the tape on mine for 2 days since I wasn't going anywhere that I needed to show off my phone, I figured why not? Now my corners are perfect).
So far I like PhantomSkinz because it wraps the corners a little better than the other skins. Bodyguardz is a little better in clarity and material. InvisibleShield has too much of the orange peel effect. Haven't had a chance to try BestSkinsEver.
As for detonation's review, it's too early for me to tell if I'll have the same problems, but I agree that the material doesn't seem on par with InvisibleShield or BodyGuardz. But since I still used the carrying case and treat my phone with much care even with the skin on, I don't think it'll be too much of a problem.

I recently got the phantom skinz full body set, after I read the instructions I thought that there was no way I was applying wet/soapy film to my N1, it just doesn't make any sense. Water/soap plus electronics? Its a recipe for disaster, besides the fact that I suck at arts and crafts type stuff just like this. I would imagine I would get water somewhere inside the device, and knowing me it would reach the many water detectors in the phone. It doesn't seem worth it, so I applied just the screen part sans water/soap, and needless to say it sucked big time, even when I got all the bubbles out.. it had a terrible gray haze on parts of the screen it was bad (maybe due to not using the water/soap method). Can any one suggest just a simple screen protector that doesn't' require to dunk your device in water?

boxmander said:
I recently got the phantom skinz full body set, after I read the instructions I thought that there was no way I was applying wet/soapy film to my N1, it just doesn't make any sense. Water/soap plus electronics? Its a recipe for disaster, besides the fact that I suck at arts and crafts type stuff just like this. I would imagine I would get water somewhere inside the device, and knowing me it would reach the many water detectors in the phone. It doesn't seem worth it, so I applied just the screen part sans water/soap, and needless to say it sucked big time, even when I got all the bubbles out.. it had a terrible gray haze on parts of the screen it was bad (maybe due to not using the water/soap method). Can any one suggest just a simple screen protector that doesn't' require to dunk your device in water?
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Click to collapse
Dude... you BARELY have to use any water to get the screen to turn out right. Sorry you wasted your PS... but ask them for a replacement, and mail it to me! I do this **** with my eyes closed. It's really not rocket science, and you don't have to "dunk" your phone in water.

boxmander said:
I recently got the phantom skinz full body set, after I read the instructions I thought that there was no way I was applying wet/soapy film to my N1, it just doesn't make any sense. Water/soap plus electronics? Its a recipe for disaster, besides the fact that I suck at arts and crafts type stuff just like this. I would imagine I would get water somewhere inside the device, and knowing me it would reach the many water detectors in the phone. It doesn't seem worth it, so I applied just the screen part sans water/soap, and needless to say it sucked big time, even when I got all the bubbles out.. it had a terrible gray haze on parts of the screen it was bad (maybe due to not using the water/soap method). Can any one suggest just a simple screen protector that doesn't' require to dunk your device in water?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you didnt follow the instructions and it didnt work well for you? gtfo

boxmander said:
I recently got the phantom skinz full body set, after I read the instructions I thought that there was no way I was applying wet/soapy film to my N1, it just doesn't make any sense. Water/soap plus electronics? Its a recipe for disaster, besides the fact that I suck at arts and crafts type stuff just like this. I would imagine I would get water somewhere inside the device, and knowing me it would reach the many water detectors in the phone. It doesn't seem worth it, so I applied just the screen part sans water/soap, and needless to say it sucked big time, even when I got all the bubbles out.. it had a terrible gray haze on parts of the screen it was bad (maybe due to not using the water/soap method). Can any one suggest just a simple screen protector that doesn't' require to dunk your device in water?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try clairivue or martin fields. Just do a google search since I can't post links yet.

typ_ex said:
you didnt follow the instructions and it didnt work well for you? gtfo
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Click to collapse
LOL! i agree. i have had no issues at all with my phantomskinz- both on the magic and now my nexus- i'll admit i do suck at installing them but what i do is get a bowl o water, put a few drops of baby shampoo in swich it around a bit, then dunk the piece in there- hold it over bowl until excess is removed then you can put it on device- the soap/water allows you to move it into position easily and helps squeegee the bubbles....
i wouldnt blame a product because you didnt follow their instructions how to install it...

I actually prefer the bowl of soapy water to the sprays that come with other skins. Submerging it ensures the entire skin is lubed up, and the small amounts of drips on the device is harmless. Just let it dry out overnight before turning it on.

I think Martins is completely over priced. I tried BSE and Phantom and all works great. Once dried it is practically invisible with only the slightest orange peel effect. I'm pretty OCD and it is minimal enough that it doesn't bother me. What does bother is that both of the screen protectors are slightly shorter than the screen.
As for applying the phantom and drowning in water as people are saying I don't do that. I've put on enough of these to know you only need a slight amount. I use a spray and just mist the backing so that it is enough to be able to adjust when putting on but not dripping with water. I use a cloth to absorb the water on the edges as I push the bubbles/excess water out. Fairly easy process. It just takes a slow hand and patience.

pongalong said:
A good trick for the corners is to use some sealant/piping tape to hold them down. This is a lot better than using your hand for 30 seconds, and you can leave it there for as long as you want (I left the tape on mine for 2 days since I wasn't going anywhere that I needed to show off my phone, I figured why not? Now my corners are perfect).
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Ok I have to ask: what is sealant / piping tape? And where do you buy that? Home Depot? Bed, Bath and Beyond?

Paul22000 said:
Ok I have to ask: what is sealant / piping tape? And where do you buy that? Home Depot? Bed, Bath and Beyond?
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Some might know it as teflon tape, thread seal tape or plumbers tape. It's a thin white non-adhesive tape that you use on pipes/hoses to make connections water tight. Home Depot would have it or any hardware store - it's pretty common. Just cut a few good length pieces and wrap your phone up like a mummy on the difficult spots. It works well because it's stretchy, conforms to shape and naturally adheres to the phone skin.

pongalong said:
Some might know it as teflon tape, thread seal tape or plumbers tape. It's a thin white non-adhesive tape that you use on pipes/hoses to make connections water tight. Home Depot would have it or any hardware store - it's pretty common. Just cut a few good length pieces and wrap your phone up like a mummy on the difficult spots. It works well because it's stretchy, conforms to shape and naturally adheres to the phone skin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...and it's non-stick!

typ_ex said:
you didnt follow the instructions and it didnt work well for you? gtfo
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Click to collapse
Like I mentioned before, my application didn't work well cause I didn't follow the instructions. And I wasn't hating on PS, get a grip. Besides after some people posted about this topic I might give it another go, PS gave me two for one so I can redo it. Why are you here? Perhaps you should try posting things that are more constructive.

pongalong said:
Some might know it as teflon tape, thread seal tape or plumbers tape. It's a thin white non-adhesive tape that you use on pipes/hoses to make connections water tight. Home Depot would have it or any hardware store - it's pretty common. Just cut a few good length pieces and wrap your phone up like a mummy on the difficult spots. It works well because it's stretchy, conforms to shape and naturally adheres to the phone skin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. I'll definitely get some. Thanks for the tip.
Hmm... I'm going to go to Home Depot to buy some kind of special tape I've never heard of to wrap up my phone like a mummy in order to prevent the corners from lifting on my phone's skin protector. Phone enthusiast or what?

Phantom does have the best skins by far...
The trick to installation to make it perfect:
Use the Johnson's/water mix as they advised.
Ignore all of their other directions.
Peel off the piece you want to apply. Dryly.
Dip your fingers in the water and apply it to the skin using your fingers.
Once both sides of the skin are wet, use your fingers as a squeegee to pull off any excess water.
Apply the skin to your phone. Keep the skin sitting on your phone in it's original shape.
Use your fingers, not the applicator card, to squeegee out the air bubbles. You don't need to apply very much pressure at all. The bubbles move around extremely easily.
Now, let the skin dry for about 2 minutes. Once you notice the skin starting to cling to the phone a little harder, grab the ends that you need to wrap around the phone and stretch them into place. This is the key step. Stretching it makes it stick so much better, the corners align perfectly with the phone when you do this, and all the gaps left between the skin pieces when you don't stretch it are gone. The skin has to be stretched to fit the phone, otherwise the pieces will all be a little to small and the corners will blow.
Repeat with the other pieces.
Enjoy your sexily phantom skinned N1.

anyone with pics of this case ?

I just wanted to comment about Phantom Skinz because I have had a really good experience with them and I am going to get another set from them as soon as they release it for the HD2!
I got Phantom Skinz for a Nano about a year ago and it has been awesome! I bought the PS retail (they have a location in my area) so I only got one set, but I did it myself with no problems. I had to take it off for a warranty replacement on the Nano and I put the same skin back on the new Nano and it looks just as good as it did on the first application. It's awesome that it can be taken off and put back on again using only water.
I got GA for my G1, but it is the worst product ever. I had it professionally installed at a Ghost Armor location because I wanted it to be perfect for my baby. But it didn't even last a month before it started peeling! GA can only be applied once with a special solution (thats what the GA salespeople told me) and it can't be fixed with water like Phantom Skinz. Phantom Skinz has never actually peeled like the GA did, but at least I could fix PS with water if I needed to!
I literally had the full body GA skin replaced 4 times in the course of a year because it peeled so bad and I am not just talking the corners! I did everything they told me to; keep the phone in a case so it doesnt rub in your pocket, keep any liquid of the phone (durr), don't leave the skin in prolonged sunlight, blah bla blah.
It was $35 for the original GA skin and installation and then they charged me $10 labor for the "free warranty replacement" every time I had the skin redone. Oh, and they changed the GA product for my phone 3 times out of the 4 I got it replaced and the changes never fixed any of the problems I had with the skin. GA also yellowed really bad and actually got progressively worse over the course of their " improved product revisions". The last time I had the G1 wrapped the skin was a pretty moderate yellow in about a week...
The salespeople sucked me in every time with leading me to believe the GA skin for the G1 was revised and the problems were fixed. I spent way too much money on their crappy ass product!
Ghost Armor is an awful product! Please just stay the hell away from them!

There is no need to submerge anything in any fluid. I have installed clear skins on many devices by using soapy water. I dont spray it on the phone, I spray a small mist on the protector before applying. Trust me there is not enough water to damage anything because as i push out the bubble I wipe the water.
If you are concerned about it then remove the battery and wait a day like the other people have suggested. once the process is complete the skin will need to settle for a few days before it looks good.
I used some spray that came with a skin before and I did not like it compared to the soapy water MIST.
I also do not use the skin on touch screens because my finger drags on it compared to other screen protectors that are designed to protect the screen.

original Nexus One Sleeve scratches top of the phone

Edited
more pictures: click
also: kinda solved. They're black marks and no scratches. Will try to get them away with some alcohol soon.
###################
ORIGINAL POST
###################
Hello,
I always use the original Android sleeve with my Nexus One. I have it in it in my pocket around 10 hours a day when working. (with the Trackball on the open side of the sleeve and the display to the "Droid" side)
A week ago (got it since 15th Jan) I noticed some "scratches" at the top on my N1.
Here's a crappy picture shot with a crappy cam.
Will do a better pic tomorrow but I think you can guess what I mean
###################

I stick the phone into the sleeve just as you described and haven't noticed any kind of scratches on the top. I've had it since Feb 18th.

St.Jimmy! said:
I stick the phone into the sleeve just as you described and haven't noticed any kind of scratches on the top. I've had it since Feb 18th.
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Click to collapse
The Pouch looks of decent quality to me aswell

I'm using it because I thought the quality is just great!
Well, it still is great but the scratches annoy the hell outta me..
noticed it a week ago and it wasn't that much as today :\
Maybe it does "rub" it off with some dust and much moving? I'm always going around and anything @ work, much movement in my pockets ^^

I think the scratches coz' by rubbing on the wall or something else, not by the pouch. I'm getting a case from case-mate though I like the pouch a lot but it's quite annoying sometimes.

what do you mean with wall?

I mean some rough surfaces

Its because the seams are on the inside, including the stitches. Those WILL rub on your phone and cause scratches if the phone moves around inside, even a little.

MintyFloss said:
Its because the seams are on the inside, including the stitches. Those WILL rub on your phone and cause scratches if the phone moves around inside, even a little.
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Really? Cuz my phone's in the sleeve for probably 14 hours a day and is still flawless. Obviously you didn't look at the pic, cuz the scuffs are at the top that is exposed while in the sleeve. I'm betting the OP puts other stuff in that pocket with the phone... bad idea.

same here, I use the sleeve constantly and have no scratches...did you get dirt or something in your pouch?

Use the sleeve a lot and have no scratches or marks on the N1.

I don't see the N1 as being like an iPhone. For me the side and back is durable and I am not worried about scratches - only the screen concerns me which is why I have a screen protector...
Talking about how phones are made I have to say I think the HD2 is the most durable phone right now with quality and style. The top and sides are almost rubbery so quite resistant to scractches and the back is metal -which although not scratch proof is most definately very resistant to any wear.

xPatriicK said:
Hello,
I always use the original Android sleeve with my Nexus One. I have it in it in my pocket around 10 hours a day when working. (with the Trackball on the open side of the sleeve and the display to the "Droid" side)
A week ago (got it since 15th Jan) I noticed some "scratches" at the top on my N1.
Here's a crappy picture shot with a crappy cam.
Will do a better pic tomorrow but I think you can guess what I mean
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keep your case clean, I have experienced no such problems and I make it a point to keep the inside of the case clean for obvious reasons.
When cleaning the case, I turn the whole thing inside out, shake it out and vacuum it.
Edit: One thing I have noticed is that the phone is prone to marks/scratches quite easily when dropped or bumped into something, as opposed to normal wear and tear (in and out of pocket/case, rubbing against keys etc). I am not really surprised by this, just figured I would note it.

Mintyfloss is right, that's causing it and I were about to write it right now since I Googled the translation just before reading that post I'm not having anything else in my pocket!
How to avoid these "scratches"? Will put the phone with the bottom first in the sleeve now..
Edit: didn't see the second site until now
I also never ever dropped the phone.
cleaned the sleeve yesterday inside out, hope it helps..
Another edit, not sure if needed: I have the phone and. The sleeve upside down in my pocket

uansari1 said:
Really? Cuz my phone's in the sleeve for probably 14 hours a day and is still flawless. Obviously you didn't look at the pic, cuz the scuffs are at the top that is exposed while in the sleeve. I'm betting the OP puts other stuff in that pocket with the phone... bad idea.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I looked at the pics, and i also READ. OP says he puts the top of the phone into the bottom of the sleeve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpGAW6L5x8U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfqwKa4bT74

St.Jimmy! said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpGAW6L5x8U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfqwKa4bT74
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, the sleeve can't scratch the Teflon coated phone, it just marks it. I have heard in this forums that you can get away the marks with a little bit of alcohol and a handkerchief.
Hope this helps...

I thought I had a little bit of scratching in the same area, luckily it rubbed off

St.Jimmy! said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpGAW6L5x8U
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Click to collapse
You know I'm not talking about the DISPLAY!?
Okay, new pictures.
this is how I put the Nexus One into the sleeve
this is a pic of the "scratch"
this and this too but another view
thanks for your answers

Actually, to be honest, I'm having the same thing happen with my phone. I put my phone in the the other way than you and I have those marks on the bottom. Although it doesn't really look or feel like scratches. Just looks like little black marks on it and could come off if you rubbed it with alcohol or something.

Painting my Nexus One ((in progress))

Well I got seriously bored of the Battery cover and bottom piece. I was just never a fan of the bronze like tint to it.
I initially started with the Ol Touch Pro battery cover method using Rit Dye.
The results were great but it started running leaving my hands tinted =-(.
I placed an order for paint which arrived but was the wrong finish so Im awaiting the return shipment.
In the meantime I went ahead and started on the Battery Cover/Bottom panel with some left over paint I already had.
Im using Krylon Fusion but I may regret not switching to Duplicolor as there bonding is to plastics may be better. Im worried that the teflon coating of the pieces may mess up the finish.
Removing the bottom panel is a PAIN unless you have a pry tool. I highly suggest going to Ifixit.com and order a few of there tools if you make a habit of pryin open phones/electronics. They help out a bunch.
http://www.ifixit.com/Tools/Plastic-Opening-Tools/IF145-000
This is what I used for bottom panel.
Second problem was the little metal contacts. Fortunately I have no intention of getting a dock. They are too small to duct tape and was worried about removing them. If they are removable I may just do it after as scraping the paint off copper shouldnt be a big deal.
Masking the camera is a pain as the metal circle doesnt give one an indent to xacto blade smoothly. It was a bit of trial and error but definitely doable.
Anyways pics of coat one below. I wont continue until I get the right sandpaper and paint finish. Still tossed up between gloss and matte.
This was my original goal.
http://www.colorwarepc.com/p-216-nexus-one.aspx?2907=54726&2908=54787&2909=54877&2910=54955
I really like the black covers and the way it now matches the front paneling. I may not rip the rest apart to paint it white just yet.

Much prefer stock compared to that to be honest.
I know you're not done but the finish doesn't look to great.

Yeah the finish is nowhere near done. But the contrast the black creates is just alot better.
Already had someone ask me what phone I'm using ... in 11 months that's only happened twice.
Hopefully it'll look the way I intend it to.

wet sand, wet sand, wet sand
also make sure to use super high grit paper.
dont be afraid to wet sand the clear coat either...its necessary to keep it glossy with out any orange peel

ewwwwwwwwww

Here's to destroying the resale value of the your phone I do appreciate the idea though and DIY mentality.

irishrally said:
Here's to destroying the resale value of the your phone I do appreciate the idea though and DIY mentality.
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lol Same thing was said about my G1.
After I changed it to all white I sold it for 50$ more than I paid.
I was REALLY bored. With Gingerbread not around yet I figured why not.

seeking said:
wet sand, wet sand, wet sand
also make sure to use super high grit paper.
dont be afraid to wet sand the clear coat either...its necessary to keep it glossy with out any orange peel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for tip about the clear coat.
Already ran into some trouble as the paint doesnt seem to adhere as good as I thought. I went at it without adhesion promoter..may have to hit the do over if it doesnt settle well.

xManMythLegend said:
Thanks for tip about the clear coat.
Already ran into some trouble as the paint doesnt seem to adhere as good as I thought. I went at it without adhesion promoter..may have to hit the do over if it doesnt settle well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you sand the pieces before painting?
Your paint is going to fall off if you didn't.
It's the entire idea behind teflon coatings.

A little painters trick. Next time don't try to tape off the contacts (or any small area) just get a toothpick and some Vaseline. Put the Vaseline on the contacts then paint. After you are done just wipe clean.
Also watch your flash time between coats. Believe it to not wet paint doesn't bond to dry paint that well. You first coat should still be a little tacky when applying your second coat.

JCopernicus said:
Did you sand the pieces before painting?
Your paint is going to fall off if you didn't.
It's the entire idea behind teflon coatings.
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Click to collapse
Only a light sanding. I did the same with the G1 and had zero issues (I did use adhesion promoter with that one though). Nexus one must have super super teflon.
[IO]ERROR said:
A little painters trick. Next time don't try to tape off the contacts (or any small area) just get a toothpick and some Vaseline. Put the Vaseline on the contacts then paint. After you are done just wipe clean.
Also watch your flash time between coats. Believe it to not wet paint doesn't bond to dry paint that well. You first coat should still be a little tacky when applying your second coat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great tip.
I actually tried that with Elmers but vaseline would be MUCH easier for the tiny spots.
I may have let it dry too long. I normally have only painted in warm weather months so I can let it sit longer. With the cold weather it seems I have to reduce time between coats.

BTW
How many coats of clear coat is recommended ?
I only had my G1 a few months after painting when I sold it. If I plan to keep the N1 for longer ((no trackball or leds on Nexus S *sigh* Im looking for more durability.))
I recall reading on another forum where someone skipped clear coat altogether and put a zagg/BSE ever on top and it looked great after over a year of usage.

I would prefer spending $15 on full back black available on ebay rather than painting, it doesnt look smooth and highly finished.

charnsingh_online said:
I would prefer spending $15 on full back black available on ebay rather than painting, it doesnt look smooth and highly finished.
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You mean a case ?
Cant stand the extra bulk.
Anyways..
Had to go back and sand everything off to get all the teflon removed.
What a pain.
I did the bottom piece over much improved. Battery cover will have to wait till after turkey day.

xManMythLegend said:
You mean a case ?
Cant stand the extra bulk.
Anyways..
Had to go back and sand everything off to get all the teflon removed.
What a pain.
I did the bottom piece over much improved. Battery cover will have to wait till after turkey day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a couple of people selling black battery covers/antenna bottoms on ebay. With htc/google logo and all.

heres some pics of my painted nexus.. decided to paint it while waiting for replacement digitizer and lcd came in.. one coat primer -> lite sanding -> 2 coats rustoleum flat white -> lite wet sand (just to knock off some of the orange peel) -> 2 coat clear matte rustoleum (not a fan of glossy finishes) -> wet sand.. was going to do the battery/bottom, but am not sold on paint holding up well to that rubber.. will probably end up buying the black ones of ebay later on..

famandeggs, your Nexus looks amazing. Excellent job.
Expecting more pictures once you collected the black Nexus covers and complete your project.

Kelvino9 said:
famandeggs, your Nexus looks amazing. Excellent job.
Expecting more pictures once you collected the black Nexus covers and complete your project.
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Click to collapse
thanks man, will do.. it was a frustrating process lol.. i first tried a gloss enamel gloss paint, but the cure times where a pain (48 hours), and im all thumbs (dropped it a couple times while it was still drying, or wet sanded it to far down exposing the aluminum, forcing me to start over).. eventually just went w/a normal paint, im hoping w/the clear it'll hold up

famandeggs said:
thanks man, will do.. it was a frustrating process lol.. i first tried a gloss enamel gloss paint, but the cure times where a pain (48 hours), and im all thumbs (dropped it a couple times while it was still drying, or wet sanded it to far down exposing the aluminum, forcing me to start over).. eventually just went w/a normal paint, im hoping w/the clear it'll hold up
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I can only imagine all your efforts you put in. Judging the pictures the paint job looks amazingly smooth.

Kelvino9 said:
I can only imagine all your efforts you put in. Judging the pictures the paint job looks amazingly smooth.
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looks very nice indeed. but you got dust on your camera lens

Color swap possible?

Hey guys ive been looking for a different housing for my infuse, i love the white galaxy s 2 but i dont think ill fit on my phone even though they look the same the speaker grill is on the right side. Any suggestions?

52 views and no replies omg lol. Ive seen the stock housing but i want the white one so i can rock the phone without a case.

antrax360 said:
52 views and no replies omg lol. Ive seen the stock housing but i want the white one so i can rock the phone without a case.
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Lol well how bout I change that-
Try this: http://www.colorware.com/default.aspx
It's not free and you would have to send you phone in, but I know they can paint (i'm not even sure its paint, it might be some type of dye or film) iphones and blackberrys.
That or you could go ghetto and buy sand paper and a rattle can of white and go to town!

lmao 250 no way lol. thats a new phone right there

antrax360 said:
lmao 250 no way lol. thats a new phone right there
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Never said it would be cheap, get a white case...

xIC-MACIx said:
Never said it would be cheap, get a white case...
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yeah that would be my best option.

Cases are so cheap that I would just go with that as well

phone is really rather easy to take apart just 8-9 screws and then a guitar pick to pop the screen out...Is there an aftermarket replacement full housing or just cases

also fell in love with the white S II. gonna try a white vinyl skin and will post results.

eghoti1 said:
also fell in love with the white S II. gonna try a white vinyl skin and will post results.
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would really love to see the turn out!!!

look up hydrographic dips, I have done a few guns and some other things. Works very well.

Ok so here is what I ended up doing. I basically did only a white front skin. Since I didn't want to cover the back battery cover white, I purchased a frosted TPU case to kind of keep everything light colored. The back still showed too much black to make it convincing, but overall it turned out really nice IMO with a white case. I highly recommend doing this if you're craving a white SGS variant without the $500+ pricetag. The skin is good quality and I laid it on top of a new screen protector, and then put on the case. The skin has a back bottom piece & back battery cover piece that I didn't use. Overall, this makes the front of the Infuse look like a White SGS II clone (minus different soft key layout). See pics and purchase info below:
White Infuse Skin:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300567071501?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
Clear/Frosted Tint TPU Case (light frost, the front looks more clear than frost):
http://www.amazon.com/TINTED-Design..._20?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1320885240&sr=1-20
Black/Smoke TPU Case (this is the case I had before I went white, I highly recommend it):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/330626579027?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

That looks amazing and will be the road I take, just curious if the back texture would make the vinyl bubble over time?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium

the texture of the vinyl or the battery back cover? The vinyl is relatively thick and sturdy. The front was flimsy only because the sides aren't supported with an inside until you apply it, but the skin material itself is pretty durable. I took it off and reapplied 3 times. There are a couple of very small bubbles that are only visible in certain light. I applied this overtop my screen protector so the results may vary with a direct application.
I chose not to apply any skin on the back of the phone. It still showed too much black IMO and didnt cover enough area around the sides to look like a full white phone from the back. So I do not know if a vinyl applied to the back battery cover will bubble. I actually like the OEM back design so I was going to leave it anyway. I opted for that frosted case which I think blends nicely with the front skin. For $13 total, I think it's worth the mod.

im actually in the process of figuring out how to pop this baby open. last night i had thsi wild dream where i spray painted it white!
now if the housing is just plastic, then i could easily unscrew the back. spray paint white with a glossy finish. then get the white screen sking you got there. its looks beast in white by the way. i was thinking going with all black. but the white just did it for me.
im gonna head over to walmart in a bit to check these things out. ill report on what i find.
---------- Post added at 04:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:19 PM ----------
okay so i got back from walmart.
so this i believe is going to be my set up.
for the back. im going to spray paint it white then apply a glossy finish to it.
and for the front a white skin.
im down to do it. then im not down to do. lol.

I am not confident enough to try and spray paint the back white, but if you are then that would be ideal I think. I wish the back was white, then the effect would be more permenant but I am pretty thrilled with the way the front skin came out looking so convincing. I'm think that the only way to make it look convincing on the back to to really color the entire housing. I would be curious to see how yours comes out if you get the courage. Unfortunately, the phone's curved sides cause any skin to leave too much black space that makes it look tacky on the back.

I'm gonna do it! I think... shouldn't be hard just time consuming.
Sent from Optimus-Prime's Samsung Infuse 4G

Optimus-Prime said:
I'm gonna do it! I think... shouldn't be hard just time consuming.
Sent from Optimus-Prime's Samsung Infuse 4G
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Hey Optimus, I've actually done a lot of custom painting to various things on my truck exterior and interior, and my old iPhone, if you really wanted to paint your phone, you've got a couple options to make it turn out correctly:
Option 1, you could start by googling "plasti-dip", its basically a reversible rubber coating that you can apply without any prep work. Now I have a can in black from home depot but, I wanna say you can get it in white or other colors online, its like 6-8 bucks for a rattle can of it. EDIT: found a LINK This would be the easiest and way less time consuming. (On my truck forums, people have sprayed their rims and its apparently pretty durable)
Option 2, if you wanted to go the normal rattle can route, I would seriously advice on getting some 1500 or 2000 grit sand paper to prep sand the phone before you paint. It's a real fine grit and doesn't take much, really helps the paint stick. After a couple coats of white, I would spray some clear coat too. (Make sure you clean the housing before moving to painting)
Also another thing I had issues with on my truck interior was the textured plastic like the back plate on our phones. To do it correctly people had to sand the texture off till it was smooth, then paint. So IMO just leave the plate alone and keep the gray color and save your self from a headache of white paint chips after normal use lol (might be a nice contrast from the white anyways )
Hope this helps brah

i looked into the "plasti-dip" but i don't want it to peel, and for sure considering the fact that its going to be around the edges of the phone its gonna peel. so spary painting it is my other option. also i don't want to give the phone thickness just a make over. haha. i worried about the back plate being a *****... and i was right... lol. well i can always order a new one off amazon.but what im aiming at is this:
is it all fails completely. ill just spray paint it black. haha.

Optimus-Prime said:
i looked into the "plasti-dip" but i don't want it to peel, and for sure considering the fact that its going to be around the edges of the phone its gonna peel. so spary painting it is my other option. also i don't want to give the phone thickness just a make over. haha. i worried about the back plate being a *****... and i was right... lol. well i can always order a new one off amazon.but what im aiming at is this:
is it all fails completely. ill just spray paint it black. haha.
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Ya the corners would deff be the first thing to peel, but I "plasti-dipped" my iPhone a long time ago and it actually held up really well, the only reason it started peeling was because I dropped it on concrete. But honestly for 6 bucks, its worth a shot, if you don't like it you can peel it off like a stretchy sticker lol Actually, you could do this to the back plate and spray paint the actual housing white, just a thought.
And ya your best bet with the back plate is sanding it down till it's smooth and the painting it should be easy cheesy, the sanding part is the ***** lol Leaving it textured would be a mess...

Note 3 Frame Mod

Ever wanted to know what a Note 3 would like without the quasi chrome frame ?
It would look something like this...​
I used wet and dry paper left over from my daughter sanding the bonnet of her car so I have no idea what grit it was. I simply took the battery cover off, I even left the battery in and the phone on as I was waiting for an important call.
The cheap screen protector has some great looking scratches on it. They weren't too deep so I've left it on until I can be bothered attempting to put on a new one.
Something to note, don't sand the buttons. I was doing this while having a cigarette outside and didn't realise I'd almost sanded the power button smooth (still works). I haven't got around to doing anything with the s pen yet, it's still quasi chrome with a chunk out of the end ... I will eventually post some extra pics when I have the time to use something with a finer grit and may even give it a coat of spray paint and clear coat (I'd have to remove the buttons first) It may be a month before I have the time to do this.

o0o.paw said:
Ever wanted to know what a Note 3 would like without the quasi chrome frame ?
It would look something like this...​
I used wet and dry paper left over from my daughter sanding the bonnet of her car so I have no idea what grit it was. I simply took the battery cover off, I even left the battery in and the phone on as I was waiting for an important call.
The cheap screen protector has some great looking scratches on it. They weren't too deep so I've left it on until I can be bothered attempting to put on a new one.
Something to note, don't sand the buttons. I was doing this while having a cigarette outside and didn't realise I'd almost sanded the power button smooth (still works). I haven't got around to doing anything with the s pen yet, it's still quasi chrome with a chunk out of the end ... I will eventually post some extra pics when I have the time to use something with a finer grit and may even give it a coat of spray paint and clear coat (I'd have to remove the buttons first) It may be a month before I have the time to do this.
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this looks nice :thumbup:
I'll try it too.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Free mobile app

I sanded the frame as there were about 6 spots where the chrome had been chipped off leaving just the black undercoat... there were also a few dents in the frame (and a spot near the s pen where it had taken a large chunk out of the corner).
You probably wouldn't want to do this if your Note 3 was in pristine condition, I was just sick of it looking so crap.

I did this to my Note 1 due to the ugly paint peel and now my Note 3 having the same problem. I applied some car wax for a shiny finish.
How long you sand until you reach a smooth finish since the Note 3 frame got some pattern on it.

My note 3 never leaves its Otterbox, so something like this would never even cross my mind. Plus, I think I'd be too afraid to take sandpaper to my phone lol.
Anyway, it looks pretty good from the pictures!
[emoji106]
Edit: I have tinkered with my S-Pen a bit, so let me give you some advice, in case you decide to: Be very careful with the button. It's very, very thin. The first time I took it apart, I thought I was being careful enough with it, and ended up breaking the button in half and had to order an entirely new S-Pen....

GeneralMeow said:
I did this to my Note 1 due to the ugly paint peel and now my Note 3 having the same problem. I applied some car wax for a shiny finish.
How long you sand until you reach a smooth finish since the Note 3 frame got some pattern on it.
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You can sand it until the ribbed chrome is gone. I used a cork sanding block I had laying around (cost about $2 from the local hardware store) to make sure It was semi even.
When your phone is dropped as much as mine was you'll note that the when the chrome is chipped it will be black underneath. I kept sanding until it is smooth and the black coating was gone.
Working around the buttons is a bit difficult. You'll notice in the picture that I scratched up the volume button accidentally. I wasn't being really careful as I figured the phone couldn't look any worse.
I'll order some new buttons and a white camera lens then strip the phone down and spray paint it white with some clear coat when I get the chance. I have 18 days to find somewhere new for my kids and I to live Gotta figure that out first unfortunately.