HP Forum Archive 17

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Pioneer touch-up paint Message #1 Posted by Seth Morabito on 27 July 2007, 2:26 a.m. I have an early 42S with a paint chip and a few scratches around the LCD bezel. It's really very minor. The practical and safe side in me says that I should ignore it, live with it, there's nothing I can do, and besides it's incredibly insignificant. It doesn't affect how well the calculator works, why should I care what it looks like? But the irrational, obsessive-compulsive side of me is drawn to that paint-chip like a moth to a light bulb every time I pick up my calculator. My beautiful bezel, ruined! If I were to be crazy enough to want to try to touch that chip up, what sort of paint would I use? Has anyone here ever done that?

Re: Pioneer touch-up paint Message #2 Posted by Namir on 27 July 2007, 8:20 a.m., in response to message #1 by Seth Morabito Seth, My guess you had a parent or a caregiver that was very hard to please. I think the issue is not the paint chipped off the HP-42s. It's in your childhood. I suggest investing some of your energy and time there and leaving a good functional HP-42s be. Just have fun with the calculator. Namir PS: There is a lot of psychology behind our "love" or "obsession" with vintage calculators. I wonder why are we so attached to old machines when our current computers offer software (Excel, MatLab, Mathematica, Maple, SPSS, MINITAB, and so on) that we would have drooled over in the days of the old calculators. The vintage machines are kinda like songs that connect us with the past and what that era represented for us--most commonly an era full of promises and potential. Somehow we want to go back and relive the past, because ???? that's where each person fills in the blanks. Our unconscious mind is using vintage calculator to draw our attention to something ... not get us in more debt or get us hooked on buying stuff. That's what happens when one visits Freud's apartment in Vienna. The place is still contagious!!! He may have died long time ago, but his energy is still there.

Re: Pioneer touch-up paint Message #3 Posted by Eric Smith on 27 July 2007, 10:58 a.m., in response to message #2 by Namir Quote: I wonder why are we so attached to old machines when our current computers offer software (Excel, MatLab, Mathematica, Maple, SPSS, MINITAB, and so on) that we would have drooled over in the days of the old calculators. I don't think there's any mystery there. It is not very convenient to carry around Mathematica in a pocket device, even if one is willing to spend several thousand dollars on a UMPC or OQO style device. I don't have to wait for my calculator to boot up, I don't need a stylus or an itty bitty "thumb keyboard" to operate it, and I don't need to recharge it after two hours of use. Spreadsheets, Mathematica, Maple, etc. are great for some things, but when what I need is a calculator, they are a poor substitute. It's like using a BLU-82B to swat a fly.

Re: Pioneer touch-up paint Message #4 Posted by Vincze on 27 July 2007, 2:33 p.m., in response to message #3 by Eric Smith Quote: Spreadsheets, Mathematica, Maple, etc. are great for some things, but when what I need is a calculator, they are a poor substitute. It's like using a BLU-82B to swat a fly. Slide rule can do as well, AND can use to swat flies too. :) As for me, I would leave the chip be. Worn looking calculator shows love. Fixed up and painted calculator shows vanity. Sort of like old lady getting bigger breasts. God give you what he gives you. Be happy with it. Always remember, not everything is gold that is shinny.

Re: Pioneer touch-up paint Message #5 Posted by Paul Brogger on 27 July 2007, 1:07 p.m., in response to message #1 by Seth Morabito Once upon a time, I wanted to touch up an HP-48G that I'd scratched in disassembly. I scoured the local art supply stores. They have felt-tip art markers in quite a variety of shades. I was able to match the dark blue quite closely, but not perfectly. It did reduce the scratches from glaringly obvious to subtly discolored. Good hunting! Edited: 27 July 2007, 1:08 p.m.

Re: Pioneer touch-up paint Message #6 Posted by Ron G. on 28 July 2007, 4:19 p.m., in response to message #1 by Seth Morabito Leave it. It won't make it any more useful. It won't make it any more valuable. Most touch-ups look like... You guessed it - Touch-ups. Edited: 28 July 2007, 4:20 p.m.

Re: Pioneer touch-up paint Message #7 Posted by Seth Morabito on 28 July 2007, 6:17 p.m., in response to message #6 by Ron G. Yeah, I figured that would be the end result. I'll just have to deal with my absurd OCD responses and get over it ;)

Re: Pioneer touch-up paint Message #8 Posted by Les Wright on 28 July 2007, 7:47 p.m., in response to message #6 by Ron G. I find a black sharpie worked fine to improve the appearance of a well used 11C. But the keydeck was black. Dark brown is a tougher match. I paid too much for a field grade 42S, with the initials DOE carved thereon. Probably govt surplus. Writing over the name branding made it less attractive. But, strangely, cleaning over the scratch made the carve job look less rough, and to me less noticeable. Les

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