Paint Plastic Casing Trim Shell - anybody performed this ? tips ?

You can get a spare case here: http://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=category&id=28

 Let me know if you like the results what material you used and the paint process, I would like to paint it a dark gray myself. Could you post some 'before and after' pics ?

BTW, I have noticed that you have a Dothan 2.0. Does the system run hot for you ? what are your idle temps ?

Thanks!

I have not actually received the 8600 yet, but am due to get it today, june 8 BUT... i'm away from home and will not be back until mid-july, so it will be probably 2 months before i have any good before / after pics to post and that depends on whether or not I decide to do it... it may be more effort than it is worth, especially considering a new casing parts / paint will cost about $100 in material alone, and i'm not a painting pro and don't have an airbrush and all of the other goodies...

AND I can't find any really good solid Info from anybody who has done this... but i'm willing to be a guinea pig, but as stated before, expect an answer in 2 months

As for the Dothan 2.0 GHz, I haven't been able to use my 8600 but after reading reviews and especially after considering the specs, it should be pretty efficient and not too hot. I do plan to run some games with all high graphics options enabled, but believe this cpu should handle it without getting too hot. If not, i can sacrifice some graphics. Just glad I read reviews on 'Desktop Replacements' before purchasing because i had been stalking the 9100 for some time before i decided to go with the 8600. I do plan to travel with my laptop and the 8600 looks sleeker, albeit it can't compete with the 9100/xps in gaming, but i really don't game that much.

Also, I use a heat sink that i removed from a motor driver for cooling down my laptop. it's aluminum with fins and is about 10" x 10" x 2" ... so my laptop perches on top of it and it really helps to cool down the cpu. When i say really helps, it cuts the temperature by half. I have a Vaio now so don't have any software for monitoring temps so have no accurate data but the temp reduction is very significant. So I wanted the 8600 cuz it has a flat bottom surface for my heat sink to sit on... it does have a flat bottom right ??? , or do the fan gills stick out and the button latches stick out ? ... (may have to file those down)...

So i've been thinking about selling these laptop heat sinks commercially. And REAL HEAT sinks, not those laptop pads for you to set a laptop on and protect your lap from heat, and not those "coolpads" which just prop your laptop up for airflow, but actual really effective aluminum heat sinks that absorb and remove heat at least twice as effectively. I'm sure there are enough people, especially gamers, who use their laptops daily for hours on end and would appreciate a heat sink to REALLY cool the laptop down... and if you have a desktop replacement, a heat sink would be very helpful cuz those thinks run really hot from what i've read and sometimes have failures due to heat. Only problem is many laptops don't have flat bottoms and have stuff sticking out here and there, but i'm sure Heat sinks can be made to fit the bottoms of laptops...(if you have enough money to pay or the right tools for this production)

Well, i'm off topic but curious to see what the responses may be to this idea...

So Pics of my 8600 casing will be in 2 months (early august - if i decide to do it)

2.0 Dothan i'm pretty sure doesn't run too hot (especially compared to desktop CPU's) and is similar to the temps of the 1.8 Dothan AND...

if it does run hot, i've got a big heat sink to keep it cool that sits right under the bottom of the laptop ... anybody interested in buying one?

Inspiron 8600, P-M 2.0 GHz, 384mb 2-dimm(will buy 1GB 1-DIMM), 80 GB HD, 128 Mb Radeon, WUXGA, 8xDVD+RW, Intel Wireless, Dell Bluetooth....maybe 2 extra plastic casings

Sony Vaio PCG-FX270 (August 2001), P-3 850 MHz, 512mb 2-dimm, 20 GB HD, 8xDVD/CDRW, 15" Computer still runs great, only prob is the battery life is 20 minutes...

For I8600/D800 painting, take a look at this thread (with pictures!):

http://notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=26625

That is a PERFECT Link ...  thank you very much...

I guess we will be seeing you there as well ...

Kiweil - pass this link on to that guy:
http://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=item&id=218&prevaction=category&previd=28&prevstart=0