Painting Apache fans

Phenomenologica

Phenomenologica

Phenomenologica

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Joined
11 Apr 2011
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710
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Somerset
So, I have an Asaka Apache and I'm considering grabbing a few more of them. However I'm cheap, and the camouflage version is a few pounds less than the black one. So my question is, how simple would it be to paint them? A quick google search was unhelpful, but I imagine due to the special bearings it isn't easy/possible to disassemble them? Does their moisture and dust protection mean I should be fine spraying them if I'm careful not to direct any into the joint area, or am I better off plugging it up with something first? Or just leaving well enough alone? :p
 
I would suggest having a look at the fan to determine whether it is easily removeable or not. Some fans will have blades that just pop off, others will have a little circlip that needs removing. Just peel the label, have a butchers and go from there.

I wouldn't try and paint with the fan in place on the frame as some paint will go to undesirable places and it's also quite tricky to get good coverage with the frame in the way. I've tried with a non removeable bladed Xilence LED fan and it just didn't paint well.
 
Thanks for the advise, I'll have a good look at the fan later this evening. Is it fine just to go straight for the paint on a fan, or do I need to faff around with primer? Haven't done much in the way of custom painting.

Edit: Have removed the labels, nothing that looks like any form of attachment, but a firm pull on the fan doesn't remove it.
 
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You would be best to use a light sand paper to rough the surface, then clean thoroughly, apply a few thin coats of primer and then a few thin coats of paint. The primer is pretty important so you shouldn't really leave it out.

What do you see when you remove the label? Do you see a metal spindle? A rubber seal? Just seamless pastic?

One fan I dissasembled had a rubber cover to seal the hole where the spindle sat (A coolermaster LED fan). The spindle sat in a reservoir of low viscosity grease and was held in place by a circlip and a small rubber ring. I was able to remove the ring and circlip with suitable tools and the blades were then free to move past the magnet of the rotor with a push.

Another fan I tried to take apart had the spindle covered my the mould of the fan frame. I removed the plastic from around the area but found it nigh on impossible to get the spindle free.(Xilence LED fan)

That's all the experience I have I'm afraid.
 
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How many are you buying?

They're a little over £4 each cheaper.

By the time you've paid for primer, paint etc. is it worth the hassle and risk of it going wrong?
 
If the apaches are like the vipers then you cannot take off the blades like other fans. As I only wanted to paint the blades I used masking tape to tape up the frame and painted the fans. They came out alright in the end, though in the end I probably spent more time taping than anything else.
 
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