Customizing a laptop

[Russell Nash]

I'm finally getting a new laptop.  Problem is that it's only a newer model of my wife's computer. 

How should I customize it, so that they don't ever get mixed up? 

I was already thinking of Shelby stripes.




Edit: Clarified subject

[wintermute]

I would totally go for this, though it might take a weekend or two...

[Russell Nash]

I'm not looking to do anything that I couldn't quickly undo.  I may want to sell it sometime in the furture.  I also don't want to diminish any of the functionality or portability.

[CammoBlammo]

I'm not looking to do anything that I couldn't quickly undo.  I may want to sell it sometime in the furture.  I also don't want to diminish any of the functionality or portability.

I suspect you wouldn't have too much trouble selling that steampunk one...

[Russell Nash]

I'm not looking to do anything that I couldn't quickly undo.  I may want to sell it sometime in the furture.  I also don't want to diminish any of the functionality or portability.

I suspect you wouldn't have too much trouble selling that steampunk one...

But it doesn't slide into my backpack.

[Planish]

I'm not looking to do anything that I couldn't quickly undo.

What is the original surface? Some kinda' plastic? Polycarbonate? Brushed metal? Painted or anodized metal?

Simplest mods that occur to me at the moment:
- a strip (or strips) of vinyl electrical tape. It comes in many colours. The glue from vinyl tape is easier to remove than duct tape or masking tape.
- a Dymo embossed label with "Russell's Laptop" printed on it.
- a whole bunch of little felt dots, applied in a polka-dot pattern.
- bullet hole decals


- get a high-rez scan of a vintage lunchbox ...

... print it out, spray with a fixative, and use an UHU glue stick to glue it to the case. UHU glue will come off with a damp sponge if you want to change the image. Probably more convincing if it was a really small laptop, like a MacBook Air, or a portable hard drive.

- draw something with an uhu stick, and then apply fake gold leaf (visit a craft supply shop) to the glued areas. (Might not be sufficiently resistant to abrasion)

[Russell Nash]

It's a MacBookPro.  It's a brushed metal case.

I was going to use eletrical tape for the Shelby stripes.

What's a Dymo embossed label?

[stePH]

What's a Dymo embossed label?

These:

[Planish]

MacBook Pro, hmmmm. That would be brushed aluminum, so no fridge magnets would work.

A typical old-school Dymo labeler looked like this...

...with a tape cartridge in the handle. You just kept dialing the letters on the daisy-wheel, and squeeze to emboss them into the tape. When the text is done, snip it off and peel off the backing. They were used on a zillion things, like tool boxes, shelf labels, lunch boxes, on locker doors, as asset number tags, emergency numbers on telephone sets, you name it. They are extremely durable.

[Russell Nash]

That was just one of those things I never knew the proper name of.

(This is my first message on the new machine)

[Planish]

(This is my first message on the new machine)

Are you sure about that? (ie. It's not your wife's?)

[Russell Nash]

(This is my first message on the new machine)

Are you sure about that? (ie. It's not your wife's?)

Once it's on they're easy to tell apart.  I can't stand the way she has hers set up.

[Thaurismunths]

Have you considered spraying it with shellac then painting it with latex?
The shellac will keep the latex from embedding in the brushed metal and let you peel it off later.

[Russell Nash]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I ended up going with Shelby stripes.  I'm a sucker for the classics.

[CammoBlammo]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I ended up going with Shelby stripes.  I'm a sucker for the classics.

May I suggest you add a big number 53 on there?

[Russell Nash]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I ended up going with Shelby stripes.  I'm a sucker for the classics.

May I suggest you add a big number 53 on there?

Adjust your glasses or start drinking again.  That's two white stripes as on a classic Mustang Shelby GT500.  Not three stripes in red, white, and blue.

[Russell Nash]

Pics of a Classic Mustang Cobra.  Unfortunately this is not a GT500, but the stripes are the same.  Someone can correct me, but I think this is a GT350.

The funny thing is that all of these guys restore these wonderful cars and do such great work on them, but not one of them knows how to take a good picture.  These were the best i could find.

[CammoBlammo]

Pics of a Classic Mustang Cobra.  Unfortunately this is not a GT500, but the stripes are the same.  Someone can correct me, but I think this is a GT350.

I'm thinking it would have been better in a light shade of Volkswagen.

[Russell Nash]

Pics of a Classic Mustang Cobra.  Unfortunately this is not a GT500, but the stripes are the same.  Someone can correct me, but I think this is a GT350.

I'm thinking it would have been better in a light shade of Volkswagen.

You really seem to have Beetle on the brain.  If it itches, be careful.  You might scratch right through your skull.