Powder Coating The Steal Antenna

[littledigger]

I wonder if/how the reception would be effected by having the steal antenna powder coated with a funky colour?

Anyone on here in that industry?

Can anyone do a photoshop with different coloured antenna?

 

[tjespo22]

i do powdercoating. That would be a very cool idea, just would be annoying to take apart

 

[littledigger]

i do powdercoating. That would be a very cool idea, just would be annoying to take apart

Yep, you already can imagine the custom colours offset against the black or the white. What costs would we be looking at?

It might also solve the signal loss problem some people are having (I'm not having this problem btw).

 

[dontworry]

Are the seams plastic? Would they hold up to the baking process or would the entire thing need to be disassembled? What about spraying a clearcoat over the stainless?
I thought about welding a ring to the side for a lanyard loop. I'd love to be able to see the thing in person but AT&T is holding it for ransom in some warehouse.

 

[travel4fun]

Look at this if you want to customize the antenna part of the iphone 4.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50329659/iphone-4-decal-wrap-many-colors-set-of-3

 

[MikePA]

Are the seams plastic? Would they hold up to the baking process or would the entire thing need to be disassembled? What about spraying a clearcoat over the stainless?
I thought about welding a ring to the side for a lanyard loop. I'd love to be able to see the thing in person but AT&T is holding it for ransom in some warehouse.

No part of the phone could withstand the baking process, except maybe, the glass. And welding? That'd fry everything inside the phone.

 

[ClutchThese]

haha...that's too funny. My wife sells stuff on etsy!

 

[travel4fun]

@ClutchThese

Is she making iphone gear?

I love to buy handmade stuff as the things on etsy.

 

[littledigger]

Are the seams plastic? Would they hold up to the baking process or would the entire thing need to be disassembled? What about spraying a clearcoat over the stainless?
I thought about welding a ring to the side for a lanyard loop. I'd love to be able to see the thing in person but AT&T is holding it for ransom in some warehouse.

No part of the phone could withstand the baking process, except maybe, the glass. And welding? That'd fry everything inside the phone.

I was going to type something sarcastic here, but i you wouldn't of got it anyway.

Yes, you would have to take it apart before baking it in the oven.

 

[ClutchThese]

@ClutchThese

Is she making iphone gear?

I love to buy handmade stuff as the things on etsy.

She actually makes EVRYTHING!!! I'm so amazed at what she can do. She just purchased a $8,000 sewing machine and she does embroidering for businesses. She makes handbags, quilts, personalized...anything. If you have an idea of something for her to do, i'd be glad to have her do one and send you it. BTW, she makes her own patterns.

 

[ijen0311]

She actually makes EVRYTHING!!! I'm so amazed at what she can do. She just purchased a $8,000 sewing machine and she does embroidering for businesses. She makes handbags, quilts, personalized...anything. If you have an idea of something for her to do, i'd be glad to have her do one and send you it. BTW, she makes her own patterns.

iPhone cozy!!

 

[mdwsta4]

agree with others that i doubt the skeleton would survive the baking process; especially the antenna.
another option might be to anodize it.

either way, PITA to do as you'd have to take everything apart.

 

[shadowfax]

Stainless steel is not gonna have a problem getting baked for powdercoating, provided you take the phone apart down to just the antennas and do them individually. That said, the iFixit teardown doesn't even get it broken down far enough to what I'd think would be a safe powder-coatable set of pieces; that big frame would have to be very carefully protected. Tough work, but I'm sure Colorware will do it for lots of money.

Anyhow, I don't think you can anodize stainless as you can aluminum, and I don't think oxidizing the surface in some way (chroming, galvanizing, black oxide, etc.) would protect against the transmission problems, as the metal oxides are all going to be nontrivially conductive as well. Powdercoating is what you want if you want something to protect from grounding/bridging the antennas. Getting a decent case or using vinyl/other stickers is a way more pragmatic and economic if less polished solution to the problem.

 

[splizaat]

This guy sells these on etsy as well in a bunch of colors

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50468353/iphone-4-vinyl-wrap-sticker-antenna-many

I have his carbon fiber back cover on my phone and it fits awesome. I'm sure this one is made the same.