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Painting My Infuse

So, I've been considering painting my Infuse's shell. Since I do not use a case, the original paint is scratched and wearing in some places, so I want to paint it a new color and make it look fresh and new, as well as unique. I would be keeping the back plate the same for now, so it would just be the trim of the phone.
If I had to return it, I would try and repaint it again with something close to the original color...does anybody think an ATT rep would notice if it was slightly different? This is the only thing keeping me from tearing apart my Infuse right now. Haha.
Also, any thoughts on what colors would look good? I has thinking white, red, or lime green

welchertc said:
So, I've been considering painting my Infuse's shell. Since I do not use a case, the original paint is scratched and wearing in some places, so I want to paint it a new color and make it look fresh and new, as well as unique. I would be keeping the back plate the same for now, so it would just be the trim of the phone.
If I had to return it, I would try and repaint it again with something close to the original color...does anybody think an ATT rep would notice if it was slightly different? This is the only thing keeping me from tearing apart my Infuse right now. Haha.
Also, any thoughts on what colors would look good? I has thinking white, red, or lime green
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Check out THIS thread, another member and I have discussed the difficulties and useful tips. It's not a simple spray and go job; there is prep work to be done etc..
As for being able to paint it back, that color would be hard to match, maybe the smoked chrome rattle can paint you can buy at an auto store...

xIC-MACIx said:
Check out THIS thread, another member and I have discussed the difficulties and useful tips. It's not a simple spray and go job; there is prep work to be done etc..
As for being able to paint it back, that color would be hard to match, maybe the smoked chrome rattle can paint you can buy at an auto store...
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DO NOT! I REPEAT! DO NOT TRY TO PAINT THIS PHONE!
To start, you would need to remove the top coat, sanding it down will not work. maybe a credit card or gift card to remove the top coat, then you would need to erase the chrome under the top coat, which sanding will not help. I am currently sporting a black infuse after the hell i tired to paint it. Looks nice in black though. but it is not worth it. i ordered a new housing for it. because black doesn't really cut it. for me at least.

Optimus-Prime said:
DO NOT! I REPEAT! DO NOT TRY TO PAINT THIS PHONE!
To start, you would need to remove the top coat, sanding it down will not work. maybe a credit card or gift card to remove the top coat, then you would need to erase the chrome under the top coat, which sanding will not help. I am currently sporting a black infuse after the hell i tired to paint it. Looks nice in black though. but it is not worth it. i ordered a new housing for it. because black doesn't really cut it. for me at least.
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Why do you advise against sanding?
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium

What about touch up paint? is there a way to like paint those tiny dents?

welchertc said:
Why do you advise against sanding?
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium
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It just doesn't work. It only smooths out the paint to a blur. I had to scratch it off. Then with a eraser erase the chrome paint. Pain in the ass. Really. And as for the touch up paint. Idk how that would work out.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium

You can paint this plastic without removing the "topcoat" if you know what you are doing, and know your way around any auto parts store. You need to obtain an adhesion promoter primer, and spray that first before attempting your final paint coat. I'd recommend Duplicolor http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...ol-Duplicolor_7140919-P_N3281A_T|GRP2050_____

Optimus-Prime said:
It just doesn't work. It only smooths out the paint to a blur. I had to scratch it off. Then with a eraser erase the chrome paint. Pain in the ass. Really. And as for the touch up paint. Idk how that would work out.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium
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Hmmm. Maybe ill try starting with lower grit and move up gradually to smooth it out. I think the plastic is sturdy enough to handle a few different passes at various grits.
If not, ill remove it in the fashion you presented, then sand down the plastic a bit after.
Either way, I really want to try this. Where did you find the replacement housing? That'd be good to know just in case I eff something up. Hell, if its cheap enough I might just buy that to mod and only tear apart my infuse if I'm successful.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium

welchertc said:
Hmmm. Maybe ill try starting with lower grit and move up gradually to smooth it out. I think the plastic is sturdy enough to handle a few different passes at various grits.
If not, ill remove it in the fashion you presented, then sand down the plastic a bit after.
Either way, I really want to try this. Where did you find the replacement housing? That'd be good to know just in case I eff something up. Hell, if its cheap enough I might just buy that to mod and only tear apart my infuse if I'm successful.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium
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Mobiletechvideos.com 25 bucks so its not bad to mess up. lol. they are currently out of them ill next week or so. yeah in my experience maybe a lower grit may have of worked. but painting it will will be the real problem. it just never dried in my case. lol.

Optimus-Prime said:
Mobiletechvideos.com 25 bucks so its not bad to mess up. lol. they are currently out of them ill next week or so. yeah in my experience maybe a lower grit may have of worked. but painting it will will be the real problem. it just never dried in my case. lol.
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What grit did you use Prime? you make it sound like you used some chunky ass sandpaper. Lol 1500 or less grit should be perfect to take the top coat off; that grit would "fog" rather than scratch the surface...
Linux has a good idea with the adhesion promoter. I used it to paint the fender plastics on my ATV and it stuck until I went riding lol.

Well, looks like this is going to be a winter break project for me. I really want to give it a shot, and I have the money for it with selling my textbooks now. haha. I'll update if I end up being successful.

welchertc said:
Well, looks like this is going to be a winter break project for me. I really want to give it a shot, and I have the money for it with selling my textbooks now. haha. I'll update if I end up being successful.
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Ahh yes textbook money...mine is going towards a sub for my truck and yes plz do update, once you get past the fact that your painting something you use everyday, its not that bad; just take your time and it should turn out good.

xIC-MACIx said:
Ahh yes textbook money...mine is going towards a sub for my truck and yes plz do update, once you get past the fact that your painting something you use everyday, its not that bad; just take your time and it should turn out good.
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Yep. Textbook money is the best. I couldn't wait for finals to start, because I was broke as hell until I could take my tests and sell em. And I've had some success with spray cans before. I'll practice technique on something else first, so I'm pretty confident.

Umm 1000 grit I believe. It ccomes off after about an hour of sanding or so. I found it easier to just scrape it off and erase the chrome paint. Litterly erase it off. But I'm regretting it now and I want a new back cover so here I am now with a black infuse
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium

Optimus-Prime said:
Umm 1000 grit I believe. It ccomes off after about an hour of sanding or so. I found it easier to just scrape it off and erase the chrome paint. Litterly erase it off. But I'm regretting it now and I want a new back cover so here I am now with a black infuse
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium
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Jesus brah, you know you didn't have to completely remove the paint right? I just meant for the sandpaper to "prep" the surface so the paint would stick. 1500 or 2000 will get the job done and leave you with a nice smooth prepped surface.

xIC-MACIx said:
Jesus brah, you know you didn't have to completely remove the paint right? I just meant for the sandpaper to "prep" the surface so the paint would stick. 1500 or 2000 will get the job done and leave you with a nice smooth prepped surface.
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oh well. just sand it then. LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. maybe just adding a clear coat will ok nice in black. i just didn't like it. I want the original cover now.

Optimus-Prime said:
oh well. just sand it then. LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. maybe just adding a clear coat will ok nice in black. i just didn't like it. I want the original cover now.
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Yupp adding 2 or 3 layers of clear coat will give it a sexy shine
Hey Prime, you could just sand the black with 1500 to smooth it out, add a couple layers of black, then 2 or 3 layers of clear coat (all at autozone) I bet it would look legit...or atleast till your replacement gets there! lol
**** I should really just make a youtube video on painting, or atleast find one that I would use, interpreting text is way different than just watching a video...

Best way to remove scratches on a screen?

Does anyone know a good to remove them? I have a scratch on my screen about 1/4" and it isn't that noticeable but I would like to remove it. I have heard the toothpaste trick but I'm not totally convinced that'll do the trick. Does anyone have suggestions?
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium App

jumpman1229 said:
Does anyone know a good to remove them? I have a scratch on my screen about 1/4" and it isn't that noticeable but I would like to remove it. I have heard the toothpaste trick but I'm not totally convinced that'll do the trick. Does anyone have suggestions?
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium App
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yep

*If your Phone is under warranty and it has a few scratches, you've got a great chance of getting it replaced for free or for cheap .
Sent from my GT-S5360 using xda app-developers app

if under warranty like sprint replacement insurance they will replace if its damaged or stolen as long as you pay deductible...
if you dont want to do that or dont have a warranty... you can go to ebay search your phone and get the digitizer/glass. you wont need lcd part unless you break it in the process. i found most phones easy to repair just take the time to take it apart and look up a guide on youtube or google. be careful because phones like the iphone have ribbons that they WANT customers to damage and make it fragile so that they can make more money.
apple is only company i heard of that actually has its charges for repair based on model size (ie 32gb vs 64gb)... or maybe they stopped doing this... doubt it tho...

You can't really "remove" it (in the sense of restoring it to how it was before - but I'm sure you knew that), just make it less noticeable. Methods to "remove" scratches rely on either only the coating being scratched (and being able to abrade it to be more even) or being able to "fill in" the scratch with something.
You have to be careful, if your device has any kind of special coating on it, certain methods can actually make it look worse - so check that out before you try anything.
You can possibly replace the glass, but look up what you have to do to separate the glass from the digitizer - it can be a royal pain. Was thinking of repairing a phone this way to get one cheap, but it was such a fuss that I decided to spend more on a not-broken one. Might be worth it to you if it bothers you enough and you get a screen protector after going through with that hassle.
Screen protectors 4 lyfe.

andromaki said:
*If your Phone is under warranty and it has a few scratches, you've got a great chance of getting it replaced for free or for cheap .
Sent from my GT-S5360 using xda app-developers app
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Unfortunately it is no longer under warranty. Also if I shipped it out, this is my only phone so I don't know what I'd do in the mean time. I have a Galaxy Nexus if that helps at all
I was hoping someone knew of some sort of polish or DIY sort of thing I could do to make it a little less noticeable. Maybe I just need to try that toothpaste trick. After all, how much damage can toothpaste do to a phone?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

I'm not sure how much the scratch is really bothering you, but I have managed to resurface a couple of my touchscreen devices, and it works more often than not. It's a product called Diamondite and it's intended for automotive applications, but it has worked wonders for me on glossy screens of my tablets and smartphones. It's a cream abrasive that you apply and then buff off to a shine. Just from experience, following the application of it, it would be wise to invest in a screen protector....

jumpman1229 said:
Does anyone know a good to remove them? I have a scratch on my screen about 1/4" and it isn't that noticeable but I would like to remove it. I have heard the toothpaste trick but I'm not totally convinced that'll do the trick. Does anyone have suggestions?
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium App
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You can get this great stuff from eBay, it's a spray and you spray it on and rub with the cloth provided, makes it look like new!

Replacement backs?

What are the chances that we will see replacement backings sold? Would they only be possible from LG or third parties too? I'd love to see a plastic replacement backing sold, if for no other reason than to have an extra back to use when I'm going out, just replace it at home and head out

noneabove said:
What are the chances that we will see replacement backings sold? Would they only be possible from LG or third parties too? I'd love to see a plastic replacement backing sold, if for no other reason than to have an extra back to use when I'm going out, just replace it at home and head out
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I don't know, but I hope it is soon. I'd love to see some carbon fiber or leather backs being made.

with antennas and other components attached to the back glass wouldn't it be pretty unfeasible to see replacement backs?

What do you mean replace it at home and be out? You realize is screwed in right? It's also got a whole bunch of crap attached to it like antennas and wireless charging stuff.
If you mean like a skin or something, check out Skinomi they already have carbon fiber skins and others for this device.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

I know it has screws but it can still be taken off, its just not "hot swappable" (easy to take off). I'm fairly certain it's still feasible to have different backings available, and maybe the replace it for going out was a little much, maybe its a bit more difficult than that, but to be able to replace it with something made of carbon fibre would be fantastic, just to not worry about the glass. Or even a replacement made of the same stuff for worse case scenario (it breaks). As for antennas and such, of course these would have to be taken into account for and added to any new ones.
Sent from my HTC Vision using xda app-developers app

noneabove said:
I know it has screws but it can still be taken off, its just not "hot swappable" (easy to take off). I'm fairly certain it's still feasible to have different backings available, and maybe the replace it for going out was a little much, maybe its a bit more difficult than that, but to be able to replace it with something made of carbon fibre would be fantastic, just to not worry about the glass. Or even a replacement made of the same stuff for worse case scenario (it breaks). As for antennas and such, of course these would have to be taken into account for and added to any new ones.
Sent from my HTC Vision using xda app-developers app
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I suggest you take a look at this: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nexus+4+Teardown/11781/1#s42123
Replacing the back really isn't an option. Skinning it is obviously a different story.

enviii said:
I suggest you take a look at this: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nexus+4+Teardown/11781/1#s42123
Replacing the back really isn't an option. Skinning it is obviously a different story.
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I'd be willing to give up wireless charging and NFC.

jnewman1991 said:
I'd be willing to give up wireless charging and NFC.
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You're acting like the back of the Nexus 4 is hideous or something. It's actually the most beautiful back side I've seen on a phone since the iPhone 4. Cool your jets and don't mess with what you have.

Q
I would love to see a replacement back that had a 4000mAh battery in it. I don't care if it added 6-8mm of bulk to the back. As long as it had a battery and another set of charging wires for the Qi charger I'd be happy.
I want some POWER!

enviii said:
You're acting like the back of the Nexus 4 is hideous or something. It's actually the most beautiful back side I've seen on a phone since the iPhone 4. Cool your jets and don't mess with what you have.
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No body said anything like that, but let's be honest here, chances are it'll scratch or break, and id like to have a backup, or as the person above said an extended battery thrown in would be super cool, id gladly take an extra 4-6mm for some more juice
Sent from my HTC Vision using xda app-developers app

enviii said:
You're acting like the back of the Nexus 4 is hideous or something. It's actually the most beautiful back side I've seen on a phone since the iPhone 4. Cool your jets and don't mess with what you have.
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Why don't you cool your jets before jumping to conclusions? I actually like the back and think it looks nice. However, it is glass and will crack eventually. I'm very careful with my phones and have never had a cracked screen, but accidents do happen. I also don't like how slippery it is. I'm getting a case for it to fix that problem, but just replacing the back with a different material would be nice. Just because YOU don't want a product doesn't mean others don't either.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Nexus 4 doesn't have a replaceable back and most likely never will... Use a good protective case when going out. I leave a case in my car and use it when I know I'm going out to the bar.

sometimes I joke to myself to tape the edges and the camera/speaker on the back and give the phone a quick once over using FlexSeal (rubber in a can) to protect it. LOL

That cannot be good for heat diffusion.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

enviii said:
I suggest you take a look at this: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nexus+4+Teardown/11781/1#s42123
Replacing the back really isn't an option. Skinning it is obviously a different story.
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Click to collapse
That seems hard to you? A proper torx screwdriver and a guitar pick would have the backing off in a hurry.
For those who say the backing is "not replaceable" must not have owned a Galaxy Nexus. At first people said it couldn't be replaced easily but then the white rear housing was released and people started swapping it onto their phones with no problem. And that rear housing requires much more patience and work than the backing of the Nexus 4 does.
I really wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing replacement backings in the near future. Ideally, I would like to see one without glass for obvious reasons. One with kevlar would be FANTASTIC!

[Q] broken glass

Hello, well I drop my infuse last week and crack just the glass. A guy I know that works at a cell phone repair store sold me a $10 glass for my phone. Well I've started reading and they say that the glass and LCD are fuse together. Is there away to just repair the glass. I thought maybe taking my hot knife and carefully cutting just around the edge and then take a long thin boxcutter ( I've got one as long as the phone and it really thin) and heating up the blade and very carefully slide down while my girlfriend runs a hair blower up and down the screen.
I thought I take the blade and my hot gluegun and make some grips on the sides of the razor blade so I don't cut my hand. What do you guys think of this.
If you know of someone that has done it and can give me there names so I can PM them that be great. One thing thought I don't wont to mess the phone up. This is all I have until the SG4 comes out in the states. Which should be in a few days but I've got to wait until after the 3rd to be able to pay for it. Thanks for reading this.
By the way, could they do it at a cellphone store or would they also need to buy the LCD digitizer to fix it.

Google is your friend in this matter. There are several good sites and YouTube videos related to replacing a screen readily available online. Best of luck in replacing it
Sent from my Carbon-ized Infuse

If you just cracked the glass and see no bleeding from the LCD you can just replace the glass but its a pain in the ass separating it from the LCD without cracking it. My suggestion is to use a really hot blow dryer or a heat gun preferably..separate them, then you'll have to re-adhere the new glass to the LCD. If you have super glue you can use it but use very very little or you'll ruin the screen. I would recommend buying an infuse specific glass replacement adhesive sticker thing on eBay. They're less than 5 bucks :thumbup: if you need any help feel free to pm me.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium

What about using a real thin guitar string. You think that might be better to use since the string will give a little and with the razor it might nic the LCD. What do you guys think.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

I had saw somewhere that someone had used playing cards with some success.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda app-developers app

I personally use guitar picks but yeah you should be fine.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium

[Q] Note3 N9005 - is the Plastic Rim Around the Phone Replaceble?

I recently bought a Note 3 N9005. The Phone is awesome and have been functioning very well, except the Battery drain when playing games on it but I can live with that.
Couple of days back the phone accidentally slipped from my Hand and fell on the Ground . When i picked it up the upper right corner of the phone was chipped and i saw that the Metallic Looking rim for Note 3 is not actually metal but Metal like looking plastic . Now i am left with a Amazing phone with a very sore look. Every time i look at the phone i first look at that chip which makes me very upset
Can anyone please let me know is there any way I can replace the Metal Rim? Is the Metal Rim attached to the LCD Screen? Will I be able to purchase the Metal Rim and replace it with mine?
Pleaseee let me know as that chipped part on my phone is bothering me very much and I have searched the Internet for answers but did not find any. I hope to find them here.
Thanks in Advance.

I don't know about replacing the original part, but a surely cheaper and easier way would be to buy and use a metal bumper. Cheap, easy to install, real metal. There were some threads about it in the Note 3 Accessories subforum.

The plasic metal looking rim is part of the screen's frame, you can only replace it if you replace the whole screen.
So i think it's best if you leave it like that or you must have a pretty big wallet you want to empt, new screen is like $250 a least.

I dont know how hardcore technicians live in ur part of the world but there in Poland replacing S4 frame is pretty much doable so its possible also with note3. Price should be under $100.

Thanks for the response guys...I was hoping to hear a different answer guess i just have to live with that or change to another phone. Thanks for the help. btw i am from India.

What timing! I've only just chipped the frame aswell?. I've maybe dropped my phone 5 times(3 on tile & 2 on lino) and luckly each time, it has fallen screen up.
TBH replacing the whole frame was my last consideration. At first I wanted to paint it, but now I'm just going to get a cover. I'll post a pic of the chip when I get the time. Mine's on the Faux metal rim and not the glass. How bad is yours? Maybe post a pic?
In the end it doesn't matter how little it is, it still drives you nuts?. Take a look at the accessories thread and you'll see most, if not all, of the cases cover the rim around the front. This is would be the easiest solution in my mind.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

denski101 said:
What timing! I've only just chipped the frame aswell?. I've maybe dropped my phone 5 times(3 on tile & 2 on lino) and luckly each time, it has fallen screen up.
TBH replacing the whole frame was my last consideration. At first I wanted to paint it, but now I'm just going to get a cover. I'll post a pic of the chip when I get the time. Mine's on the Faux metal rim and not the glass. How bad is yours? Maybe post a pic?
In the end it doesn't matter how little it is, it still drives you nuts?. Take a look at the accessories thread and you'll see most, if not all, of the cases cover the rim around the front. This is would be the easiest solution in my mind.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
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Yeah, i think i will have to consider the Metal bumper for now to cover up that Chip. its driving me crazy every time i look at my phone. yes, I have used iPhone 4 in the past and i have dropped it several times but had no visible scratches on the phone. But I dropped my Note3 once and Boom!! Scar for life :crying: attaching the picture...

In your situation I would mask the screen very accurately at that corner use epoxy glue to build the missing area up (as epoxy dries it can be shaped & cut to shape with a razor blade) finalise the shape BEFORE its fully cured then allow to cure for a day then paint with cosmetic nail paint close to chrome as you can.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app

I would just do what Pat. said.

NazzyJ said:
Yeah, i think i will have to consider the Metal bumper for now to cover up that Chip. its driving me crazy every time i look at my phone. yes, I have used iPhone 4 in the past and i have dropped it several times but had no visible scratches on the phone. But I dropped my Note3 once and Boom!! Scar for life :crying: attaching the picture...
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Arghhhh!!? Not to add insult to injury, but that is a shocker. You need a case ASAP! I feel embarrassed complaining about mine. Here's my damage report:
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

denski101 said:
Arghhhh!!? Not to add insult to injury, but that is a shocker. You need a case ASAP! I feel embarrassed complaining about mine. Here's my damage report:
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I was using a S-View Cover when the phone fell...I thought my phone should be safe but when i picked it up I saw the top right end of the phone was chipped. Threw the S-View Cover away, Will be buying some nice Cases/ bumpers for the phone this weekend.

Pat. said:
In your situation I would mask the screen very accurately at that corner use epoxy glue to build the missing area up (as epoxy dries it can be shaped & cut to shape with a razor blade) finalise the shape BEFORE its fully cured then allow to cure for a day then paint with cosmetic nail paint close to chrome as you can.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
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Thanks Pat, I will try it this weekend and will update it here. Hopefully everything goes well maybe i'll attach some pictures as well.

Don't forget to mask the rest of the phone while doing it as Epoxy can easily get on things I've noticed & is very hard to remove.
I put a larger than needed blob on & then don't start cutting to shape until it's the consistency of toffee.
Use the the blade in a sawing action.
Good luck.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app

Pat. said:
Don't forget to mask the rest of the phone while doing it as Epoxy can easily get on things I've noticed & is very hard to remove.
I put a larger than needed blob on & then don't start cutting to shape until it's the consistency of toffee.
Use the the blade in a sawing action.
Good luck.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
How much time should I give it until i cut it into shape? Thanks Again.

It is an expensive device so because different makes/types of glue dry at different speeds the trick is to do a test run with the glue in the same environment as you will be doing the repair & monitor/time the glue to see how long the "window" for manipulation of it.
Araldite is good & for a rough idea it may be from about 20mins after applying to an hour. But do a test run. (Buy good glue, i tried some pound shop epoxy last year & it was worse than useless).
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app