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Best way to colour waterblocks (transparent/translucent)

Oshino Shinobu

So, I'm planning out what I want to do for my next build. I plan on creating a black and purple build, as it's not a common colour scheme. The issue that I have is that I want to have the waterblocks (cpu at least) in a transparent purple. 

 

So, kind of like EK's coloured supremacy EVOs, but purple. 

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I figured tinting, painting or wrapping the clear version of the Supremacy EVO is my best bet. 

 

db_file_img_10488_800xauto.jpg

 

The top acrylic cover can be removed, so doing the work if pretty safe, as far as damaging the components goes, but I'm not sure on the best way to do it. I've been looking around for some transparent paints for acrylic, but haven't really found anything. Not sure if it doesn't exist, or if it's just because the search results come up with acrylic paints, rather than paints for clear acrylic surfaces. Because of this, I'm thinking that using a transparent vinyl wrap may be the best option, as there's no risk of paint getting on the inside of the inlet/outlet, and it can be taken off without any effort, unlike paint. 

 

So, for vinyl wraps, I'm now wondering how to do the corners correctly. Is it best to make a slit in each corner, so I can do the whole thing with one piece of wrap, or should I do the top with one piece, and then the sides with another? 

 

I'd also like to do this with GPU waterblocks, I think it'd give a really nice look if I can do it well. It will be easy to cut out the EK logo and inlet/outlet holes as well. 

 

Anyone got ideas for other ways to go about this, or a link to a good tutorial for this sort of thing? 

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There's dye that you add boiling water to and just dip you plastic components in, I don't remember the name of it but someone either here on LTT or OCN dyed Noctua's black (prior to the PPC existence) and it worked really well. I'm guessing if you find the dye in purple and only dip them for a short time you'll get results like the EK but in purple. Just make sure the inside is covered as you don't want that in your loop.

Mein Führer... I CAN WALK !!

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Have you thought about looking into purple window tint? I'm not sure if it would apply to the plastic but if it did it should look good 

560_purple_tnt2.jpg

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There's dye that you add boiling water to and just dip you plastic components in, I don't remember the name of it but someone either here on LTT or OCN dyed Noctua's black (prior to the PPC existence) and it worked really well. I'm guessing if you find the dye in purple and only dip them for a short time you'll get results like the EK but in purple. Just make sure the inside is covered as you don't want that in your loop.

Yeah, I've heard about something like that. I'm not sure how to go about preventing it from getting on the inside though, but I'll look into it. 

 

Have you thought about looking into purple window tint? I'm not sure if it would apply to the plastic but if it did it should look good 

-snip-

That's the sort of thing I was thinking of. It should be fairly simple, and it comes in large quantities, so I can retry if I mess up. 

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-SNIP-

 

There are transparent spray paints at art stores or ones like Metal Cast series from Duplicolor. I'd personally wrap the block in the window film Dietrichw suggested or a headlight wrap of sorts.

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