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Black iBook G4

jrsx

jrsx

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 2, 2013
1,057
18
Tacoma, Washington
...At least the top, lol

I had some extra 12" G4 parts lying around, and decided to test priming and painting the back screen case with glossy black spray paint. Both primer and paint applied well, and I haven't really had any problems with scrapes or chips!
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I thought about doing this to my iBook G3 a few years back. It's one of the models with the transparent polycarbonate case painted white on the inside. I removed all the paint using isopropanol alcohol, but decided I liked it better clear. This machine used to turn quite a few heads back in the day, but I've pretty much retired it now. (please excuse the tasteless computer equipment shown in the background of the photos ;))
 

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harrymatic said:
I thought about doing this to my iBook G3 a few years back. It's one of the models with the transparent polycarbonate case painted white on the inside. I removed all the paint using isopropanol alcohol, but decided I liked it better clear. This machine used to turn quite a few heads back in the day, but I've pretty much retired it now. (please excuse the tasteless computer equipment shown in the background of the photos ;))
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That's pretty awesome! I always thought it would be cool to have clear cases, to see inside of the computer. But to really look at the MB and stuff, you'd have to remove the heat shields, I suppose.

I am now working on the bottom case for my G4!
 
jrsx said:
That's pretty awesome! I always thought it would be cool to have clear cases, to see inside of the computer. But to really look at the MB and stuff, you'd have to remove the heat shields, I suppose.

I am now working on the bottom case for my G4!
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I considered removing the metal shielding, but being that this is one of the famously unreliable 800MHz G3 iBooks, I thought I'd take whatever little extra cooling I could get.
 
You might want to take a look at the TronBook. Someone else has been down this road before so maybe what they did might help you in your own project.
 
iamMacPerson said:
Thats really sweet looking! It kinda looks like a 4:3 Black MacBook.
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That was the original idea! My brother has an old black Macbook running Leopard, and I wanted the same look as his because it was slick looking and pretty stylish! I almost wish Apple made a black iBook. :D
You can alternatively buy black decals to change the look for 12" ibook g4 and g3 laptops, and probably 14" as well.
eyoungren said:
You might want to take a look at the TronBook. Someone else has been down this road before so maybe what they did might help you in your own project.
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That is absolutely beautiful! Captures the imagination! I love the way he removed the shields so the HD and battery were visible as well as the MB. Great project, almost worth buying some G3 cases and doing it myself!! :)

I have the bottom case done now, I will just install it tomorrow! I'll post some more pics as well, stay tuned!
 
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If anyone else wishes to try this, I would strongly suggest using KEM plastic dye. You can purchase matte, or gloss black, in a spray canister. Other liquid colour sprays are not designed to bond to plastic, whereas with KEM, you couldn't remove it, even if you tried with great effort.

KEM is designed for dying automotive interior plastic, and you can buy off-the-shelf colours, or order any colour that you desire, to use with an airbrush.
 
I used paint because I have TONS of it. If paint was needed to defeat zombies in the apocalypse, I would have no problem! :D
Also, the paint and primer I used bonded excellently with the plastic. I had absolutely no issues!
 
Very slick! Are you going to bite the bullet and do the palmrest / LCD bezel as well? ;)
Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that the G4 Titanium Powerbook's black keyboard uses the same keycaps as the iBooks - this would look great on your iBook.
 
harrymatic said:
Very slick! Are you going to bite the bullet and do the palmrest / LCD bezel as well? ;)
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I might have to! I do have that part, but I hate taking these machines apart. It's awful. :D I might do that, though, as long as I've gone this far.
On that note, does anybody know if PB G4 Ti keyboards fit ibooks? I could do the entire thing, and have a sufficient black keyboard, then!
EDIT: I could just replace keys, I guess. Didn't think of that! ;)
 
My favourite Apple systems, in terms of pure aesthetics, are the 'Darth Vader' Apple II for Bell Labs, and the Mac TV, as both are a nice, clean back.

Why Apple went with white is beyond me, as all that it does is become easily dirty.

The only problem with recolouring the cases, is that you can't also treat the keycaps without making a custom silksreen, unless you have access to a laser engraver.

I had made a blue Powerbook Duo a decade-and-a-half before the Bondi iMac, and I had to make a set of screens to treat the keys (using silver paint).

I really wish that Apple would give up on the white look, and try for something else. Some black, or cherry-red systems would look nice. At least the metal finish systems don't become filthy after a mere two weeks.
 
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