r/metalworking • u/TotalPizzaBuff • 1d ago
Stop writing from faiding on steel casing
Built my first pc about two years ago and my partner signed it - it's starting to fade a bit, always figured it was a nice finishing touch.
Materal is listed as steel on manual, completely out of my depth on fishing something safe to use- any coating I could use to stop faiding?
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u/Sturmgeher 1d ago
the fading of colors occours because of sunlight. There is not much you can do but keep it dark to stop it in total. Having it out of direct sunlight will buy time. Thats why modern museums keep old paintings and books in dark rooms and only show them occasionally.
As this is possibly not a thing you want to do, try a coat with UV-blocker. But clear coats are not survivalexperts against light, even with additives. So, this will also only buy time.
The question, how long shall this tower be with you? 2 years? a coat will do. 5 years? move it to a dark room. 10 years? Rewrite it with a better marker.
But, the more it think about it, how old is this? i have seen markings that had been exposed 5-7 years that looked better. How do you clean the tower side? If you use chemics, each rub will take a part of the pen with it.
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u/Idonotgetthisatall 1d ago
Frog Juice. It's a clear coat with a UV blocking component used in the sign industry. Film productions like the stuff too. It works well, and doesn't react with basically anything it's covering.
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u/KokoTheTalkingApe 1d ago
But think of the frogs!
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u/Idonotgetthisatall 1d ago
Don't fret, they're not blended. They're squeezed and released, and given a fly for the inconvenience.
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u/TotalPizzaBuff 1d ago
The case is 2 years old. I'll hang onto it as long as I can as it's got a good bit of sentimental value.
it's fairly handy (good air flow, modularized and easy to get into it's guts for maintenance) so I won't be swapping it out unless the form factor for parts drastically changes.
Sun wise it's out of the direct path of the window (also Irish - we see the sun maybe 3 times a year)
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u/hoffncough420 1d ago
Clear nail polish if your just worried about losing the writing. paint over the writing let set ,it may make the metal a different color darker shade of grey I do this with my dogs collar tags so they don’t wear as fast
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u/Leather__sissy 1d ago
Could maybe put a piece of uv glass over it like for a picture frame? I think you can get acrylic like that and use whatever magic glue is on command strips around just the perimeter. I think they make stickers with a uv coating but that might ruin it if it peel off. Or you could etch it into the metal with a dremel. Wow I’m full of ideas
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u/50safetypins 20h ago
Not a solution so much as a heads up: ALWAYS DO A TEST FIRST
The solvent that is in nail polish and clear coat can cause the ink to run But what The finish that The writing is on, The specific kind of marker it was made with, And what you're using to cover it all plays a role so if at all possible try to do a test with The finish you decide to go with with the same marker on the same surface in a hidden spot.
It would suck to be trying to save it and ruin it.
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u/SirRonaldBiscuit 1d ago
Hit it with clear coat, I use rustoleum clear because it’s cheap and it works much better than the fancy rattle can auto body clears. Idk how your going to spray it though, you don’t wanna spray in your pc with rattle can