Re-surfacing the the TI99/4A's casing

[Omega-TI]

Has anybody tried the automotive brushed aluminum vinyl sheets?

 

Hmmm, neat concept! I'd love to see some photos when you're done, especially how you deal with the vent slats by the cartridge port.

[OX.]

This gives me an idea to try guilding the metal case, could try gold, silver, platinum or (the cheap option) tin leaf, there's even some funky variegated metal leafs if you want something really custom - https://www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/gold-metal-leaf/variegated-metal-leaf/

[jjh76]

Cricut brand copper foil adhesive found at a local arts and crafts store:

 

(ignore the missing keyboard, still working on fixing it)

[digdugnate]

dude, that looks neat! be interested to see how it holds up

[warpman]

This may be an option. I have not tried it on a TI console, but I have used it on plastic model kits with excellent results.

 

https://www.bare-metal.com/bare-metal-foil.html

[+helocast]

Has anybody tried the automotive brushed aluminum vinyl sheets? I just ordered enough to do eight consoles. Specs are .3mm (.012"), so it's thin enough for stretching around corners to hide edges, adhesive, but repositionable, and supposedly is UV resistant.

I'm going to try my hand and report back after I get it and lay out a step-by-step plan to see just how many tangs I can break off so the base metal won't attach to the black plastic Normally I wouldn't entertain what amounts to shrink wrap or combat acetate as we used to call it (the kind you put around an ID or business card to protect it), but this seems workable. That's my due out to y'all.

 

Doug

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Brushed-Aluminum-Vinyl-Film-Metallic-Wrap-Sticker-Decal-Bubble-Free-Air-Release/272013660582

 

EDIT: If it turns out to be more opaque than I think it is, I've done enough work with two other sellers to have all the TI writing redone to vinyl labels as well in same style/font. ::crosses fingers::

Yeah, NO. Can't recommend this at all.

Product was honestly nothing more than a cloth-like contact paper; little to no adhesive.

It was also nearly opaque hiding TI logo/writing which would then have to be made into a sticker and applied over this at additional cost.

[Omega-TI]

Thanks for checking it out and letting us know your recommendation.

[jjh76]

The stuff I used on mine looks like metal, but it's actually some kind of plastic. It is slightly transparent if you hold it up to the light after taking off the backer, but not enough for the TI logo to show through it. It does stick on pretty good though, and the packaging claims it can be peeled off without leaving any residue.

[Shift838]

Cricut brand copper foil adhesive found at a local arts and crafts store:

20180224_180927.jpg

 

(ignore the missing keyboard, still working on fixing it)

 

And this stuff comes in multiple colors too! I have used it on other items..

[OX.]

Well I got my hands on a speech synth module that had quite a tatty metal surface so decided to rub it down with aluminium oxide paper and finished off with steel wool and it's definitely an improvement, only thing is I now need some TI decals for the unit as I had to rub off the old markings, I'd need decals for the 4A unit as well if I rubbed it down, any ideas if and where I could lay my hands on such decals?

Edited April 19, 2018 by OX.

[Omega-TI]

Well I got my hands on a speech synth module that had quite a tatty metal surface so decided to rub it down with aluminium oxide paper and finished off with steel wool and it's definitely an improvement, only thing is I now need some TI decals for the unit as I had to rub off the old markings, I'd need decals for the 4A unit as well if I rubbed it down, any ideas if and where I could lay my hands on such decals?

 

If you have a INK JET printer, you could always buy some << color slide paper >> and 'liberate' some graphics from the Internet.

[OX.]

 

If you have a INK JET printer, you could always buy some << color slide paper >> and 'liberate' some graphics from the Internet.

 

Good idea but I don't own a printer.

[Moe]

Using some of the advice from this topic; I attempted to restore one of my TI99/4a.  I sanded down the metal, this including standing off the TI logos.  I then used Waterslide Decal Paper Clear for Laser Printer ( https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07FSF69RM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ).  I did the sanding in stages using the following grits 120 -> 320 -> 600 (wet) -> 2000 (wet).

 

Here are some before, during, and after pictures.  The case looks a lot better, but it's not 100% .  I wasn't able to remove the dents.  I thought about trying to remove the metal and hammer out the dents, but I wasn't sure how to remove/dissolve the double side adhesive used on the TI.  Also, the waterslide decal are not 100% opaque, but you have to look closely to notice it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nightengale]

Here's a rough up of

 

Livelynine Brushed Nickel Peel and Stick Wallpaper Silver Stainless Steel Contact Paper for Appliances Dishwasher Cover Fridge Refrigerator Wrap Adhesive Decorative Vinyl Film Shelf Liner 15.8x78.8 In https://a.co/d/66DrqFV

 

It's not really to my mind "nickel"

 

 

[Nightengale]

[99V]

It is worth refinishing the TI. It was such a futuristic looking console which I think was part of the draw. I imagined it would be the type of thing you would see sitting next to Captain Kirk at the helm, except his would have voice recognition built in ☺️

[Rafael1138]

On 3/25/2021 at 1:08 PM, Moe said:

Using some of the advice from this topic; I attempted to restore one of my TI99/4a.  I sanded down the metal, this including standing off the TI logos.  I then used Waterslide Decal Paper Clear for Laser Printer ( https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07FSF69RM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ).  I did the sanding in stages using the following grits 120 -> 320 -> 600 (wet) -> 2000 (wet).

 

Here are some before, during, and after pictures.  The case looks a lot better, but it's not 100% .  I wasn't able to remove the dents.  I thought about trying to remove the metal and hammer out the dents, but I wasn't sure how to remove/dissolve the double side adhesive used on the TI.  Also, the waterslide decal are not 100% opaque, but you have to look closely to notice it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice job! I only recommend to buffer after the sanding, that probably will remove the small scratch lines, but still a great job.

[+OLD CS1]

But the pahteeeeenahhhhh!!!!!

[+OLD CS1]

@Rafael1138 How in the he🏒🏒 did you do this??

[senior_falcon]

That looks a lot nicer!

Seeing the copper color console above made me wonder how the TI would look with a hammered metal spray paint finish. This is a bit tricky to use - you cannot be too dry or it will not look very hammered, but if the coats are too heavy then runs develop. A finish like this might hide the dents. How it would hold up to hard use is unknown.

Edited August 15, 2023 by senior_falcon

[GDMike]

On 8/13/2023 at 1:06 PM, OLD CS1 said:

But the pahteeeeenahhhhh!!!!!

 

[Boschloo]

On 2/20/2018 at 2:06 PM, OX. said:

I noticed that quite a few machines suffer from the crawling corrosion lines under the lacquer, has anyone tried to re-surface the aluminium casing to remove the lines (and scratches) and is there a best way of doing this?

If it were just one, I'd buy a parts machine for $10 and replace the casing.

[Artoj]

Let us consider a 3D printed case, then try multiple finishes. A fair few printers can do the TI case size of 380x260, most can't, still you can do a seam at 255x260 + 125x260. has anyone have a TI99/4A STL file?