First NeXT Restoration: Cube repainting and restoration questions

Hello!

After many years, I finally acquired some NeXT equipment for my pretty extensive collection of retro machines. I've wanted a Cube for ages, so much appreciative of a colleague at Apple giving me a Dimension Cube, NeXTStation Turbo, color MegaPixel display, two mice and keyboards (non-ADB) and three Soundboxes.

I'll make some separate threads about other topics and questions - but my primary request here for the braintrust is guidance on a proper repaint of the Cube. I'm aware of and have obtained the copies floating around for the original paint formula and will hit up my local Sherwin-Williams soon in hopes they will mix up a can to spec.

What I'm most curious about is stripping and priming it and the best techniques. Chemical stripping? If so, what product and process? I'm hesitant with magnesium to do something that creates a ton of heat, but perhaps that concern is overblown and sanding in some manner is safe?

Also, once stripped - is there any fill process for a few of the nicks and dings? Being less obvious once painted is likely adequate and some wear and tear is historically part of the machine... but curious to know what others think.

Lastly, I can try my hand at spraying it - but I'd be willing to pay someone in the industry to do that and wondered if anyone has experience getting auto body shops or similar to do this.

Any and all advice is VERY much appreciated. I'm attaching a couple photos - the dirty unit as received and what it looked like after a concerted wipe down.

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Congratulations on joining the club!

I'll be following this thread as I just finished cleaning up my own new-to-me dirty cube and was contemplating how/if to address the handful of dings in the paint :)

Hi and welcome aboard.
There are two systems for your cube: completely strip it using a paint stripper, bringing the cube to bare metal, or you lightly sand the original paint, filling where necessary.
In the first case you will need to apply two or three coats of paint, in the second case a single coat of light paint will suffice.
I had a body shop do the job, and the cubes came out well with both systems :-)

Thanks for the reply!

In the case of stripper - do you recommend a particular product or type of stripper?

In the case of sanding - do you take it down to the metal, or is the idea just to smooth it (and apply filler) but leave behind previous paint as a sort of primer/undercoat?

Come to think of it - do you do primer after stripping to the metal? I'm going to talk to a body shop I have in mind tomorrow, so primer might be their natural process anyway.

Appreciate the insights! Will report back as I go, too.

Thanks!

Quote from: halfpress on December 04, 2024, 07:27:59 PMIn the case of stripper - do you recommend a particular product or type of stripper?

I would try with a water-based product, not very aggressive. If it is not effective the first time, you can repeat the operation. Try first on the bottom face of the cube, so if it were to be ruined the metal will remain hidden  ;D

Yes, just to smooth it (and apply filler) but leave behind previous paint as a sort of primer/undercoat.

Primer is probably necessary, but don't spray too much so that it doesn't create thickness. However ask a body shop for best advice.
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Thank you, krazycat!

I have a request into Sherwin-Williams for the pain. Awaiting their response. Calling a local body shop today to broach the topic of priming and painting.

Will keep this thread going with updates.

So... shocker... Sherwin-Williams says that is no longer made and "discontinued". Some aspect of it is, anyway. To their credit, they appear to have contacted the original store associated with the part number/codes on the formula I've seen cited here and other places online.

They are offering to try to do a match off a sample, but I thought I'd inquire here as to whether anyone has done this more recently and if there is an updated formula / part number / code I can reference.

Anyone had success very recently for a reasonably accurate match?

Thanks!

My 2 cents: keep it as is. The patina, the scratches and the chipped paint are part of the history of that machine.

Quote from: paolo.bertolo on December 05, 2024, 04:15:18 PMMy 2 cents: keep it as is. The patina, the scratches and the chipped paint are part of the history of that machine.

Yeah, I definitely am still on the fence on whether I want to go with historical accuracy of this box (whose particular history I don't actually know) or restoration to have a more pristine example. I've gone both ways on a case by case basis with other systems in the past. I'll probably decide that as I continue to evaluate how realistic restoration really is with the paint being harder to get, etc.

Quote from: halfpress on December 05, 2024, 03:08:43 PMSo... shocker... Sherwin-Williams says that is no longer made and "discontinued".
...
Anyone had success very recently for a reasonably accurate match?

Since here in Italy it is impossible to get the Sherwin-Williams paints, I simply went to the body shop with the back cover of the cube, and asked him to replicate it for me.
He did it identically, same point of black, same matt  :-)

It's interesting that in the vintage car community folks have begun to talk about "patina", and not artificially restoring a classic 1970s car with a two-stage clearcoat.

It's easier to suggest this if your paint is in good condition, but I do wonder several decades from now if cubes with original paint will be quite rare -- and a circa-2020s repaint all too common.

(Not to suggest one should only care about resale value, of course!

Quote from: krazycat on December 06, 2024, 05:34:02 AMSince here in Italy it is impossible to get the Sherwin-Williams paints, I simply went to the body shop with the back cover of the cube, and asked him to replicate it for me.
He did it identically, same point of black, same matt  :-)

Can you give more information about that ? Would it be posiible to get that paint ?

Quote from: oneNeXT on December 14, 2024, 10:06:59 AMCan you give more information about that ? Would it be posiible to get that paint ?

Unfortunately I didn't see the painting, but he told me that he used a basic black (PPG/MaxMeyer brand) and added a bit of white and cyan to get it close to the color. Then he sprayed a coat of semi-matt to protect the color.