[championart]

Here are some pics of my Berry Bold. I like my phone simple but I wanted to change my trackball like many other people but also didn't want to void my warranty. So i did the trackball myself. It is the standard trackball that came with the phone. What i did was I colored it black with a black permanent fine point sharpie marker and used vinegar and a q-tip to remove the excess ink and also to stain/dye it. The only thing i took out was the battery while doing this, the trackball remained in the phone. The trackball while black when the backlight is off lights up a very dark berry blue when the backlight comes on. The battery covers are the croc battery doors got them from ebay. The screen protector i also ordered from ebay a pack of three for $2 very good quality for that price.

[ed-flip]

pretty inovative with the trackball. i like how it turned out

[championart]

pretty inovative with the trackball. i like how it turned out

Hey thanks man, it wasn't a hard job to do at all. It took me about 15-20 minutes including to let it air dry. I have been catching myself turning on the backlight just to see the berry blue fade to black.

[Christopher387A]

That looks sweet. I'm going to have to try that with one of the spare trackballs I have.

[championart]

That looks sweet. I'm going to have to try that with one of the spare trackballs I have.

You would be surprised at how easy it is especially with the trackball already in due to the easy rotation of the ball when coloring it.

[savioAMG]

The trackball turned out really well, IMO. Nice job!

[championart]

The trackball turned out really well, IMO. Nice job!

Thanks really wanted a change from the stock trackball especially knowing the brown yellowish color that eventually turns into.

[Iceman]

Looks good nice job...

[savioAMG]

Just wanted to share that this thread inspired me to do the same, so... I finished taking apart, coloring the trackball, and putting my Bold back together about 7ish minutes ago. I'm happy with it, but I think I'm going to order a red and blue trackball and see how those look, now that I'm not afraid to take apart my Bold anymore.

[championart]

Looks good nice job...

Thanks

Just wanted to share that this thread inspired me to do the same, so... I finished taking apart, coloring the trackball, and putting my Bold back together about 7ish minutes ago. I'm happy with it, but I think I'm going to order a red and blue trackball and see how those look, now that I'm not afraid to take apart my Bold anymore.

Hope to see some pics on how it turned out. But you took out the trackball wow you are a brave man. When i did it i left the trackball in only thing i took out was the battery. Having the trackball in actually made it easier for as it rotates. But congrats real easy process hope you like it.

[savioAMG]

Thanks




Hope to see some pics on how it turned out. But you took out the trackball wow you are a brave man. When i did it i left the trackball in only thing i took out was the battery. Having the trackball in actually made it easier for as it rotates. But congrats real easy process hope you like it.

It still did rotate. I had the little mechanism thing out of the phone and I was holding on to it by the mechanism with the free-floating ball in the middle.

[championart]

It still did rotate. I had the little mechanism thing out of the phone and I was holding on to it by the mechanism with the free-floating ball in the middle.

Oh ok as long as you know what you are doing. I've haven't opened up the phone yet. Thats why i devised this method of coloring the trackball. Hope it turns out well for you as it did for me.

[sedative]

just curious how did you get the ring around the trackball white without taking it out?

i have a red and black sharpie here and im tempted to try it, but i'd like to keep the trim ring silver or get it white like in the first pic you posted.

[championart]

For people who wanted to see more pics of the Bold trackball colored black with a sharpie marker its on the first page.

[abhinavsg]

the trackball job looks absolutely stunning when the backlight comes on. Simply beautiful.

[championart]

the trackball job looks absolutely stunning when the backlight comes on. Simply beautiful.

Thank you, real simple process to do.

[abhinavsg]

Here are some pics of my Berry Bold. I like my phone simple but I wanted to change my trackball like many other people but also didn't want to void my warranty. So i did the trackball myself. It is the standard trackball that came with the phone. What i did was I colored it black with a black permanent fine point sharpie marker and used vinegar and a q-tip to remove the excess ink and also to stain/dye it. The only thing i took out was the battery while doing this, the trackball remained in the phone. The trackball while black when the backlight is off lights up a very dark berry blue when the backlight comes on. The battery covers are the croc battery doors got them from ebay. The screen protector i also ordered from ebay a pack of three for $2 very good quality for that price.

I m thinking of following ur method to color my trackball as well. What exactly is a "q-tip" & how did u use the vinegar, I mean didn't the vinegar make ur ph wet? Please explain ur process a bit more so that I might follow it properly. The best part is the color of the trackball when it glows with the keypad.

Also, how much time did the whole process take?

Thanks in advance.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[trdtrung]

good job and props on the work, turned out good

[JC_Miller]

wow looks great

[championart]

I m thinking of following ur method to color my trackball as well. What exactly is a "q-tip" & how did u use the vinegar, I mean didn't the vinegar make ur ph wet? Please explain ur process a bit more so that I might follow it properly. The best part is the color of the trackball when it glows with the keypad.

Also, how much time did the whole process take?

Thanks in advance.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

The process took me about 15-20 minutes. It wasn't the first time i did one so maybe tops 30 minutes if you want to be real careful. Three things needed 1) Permanent black Sharpie marker 2) q-tip 3) Vinegar (Some other people who have done it after me have reported that they had succes with alcohol pads instead of the q-tip and vinegar) but i can only tell what i used.

A q-tip is the stick with the cotton at both ends that you clean your ears with. I started out by first taking my battery out, i don't recommend doing it with your battery in the phone. Next i got a new black permanent fine point marker (not super fine, or the huge tip as they do sell it). I then colored the front facing part of the track ball that is exposed with the marker (some of the marker might get on the ring around the trackball but it can be cleaned by using the q-tip with with vinegar or alcohol pad just don't let it sit there and dry do it right away) Next i let it dry for about a minute or two before rotating the ball to the next side and coloring. Keep repeating that process till the entire trackball is completed. After finishing the entire trackball i let it air dry for a couple of minutes then use the q-tip and dip it in some vinegar just enough not too much to the point where the q-tip is dripping vinegar. Then proceed to wiping the excess ink of the trackball. After you are done let the trackball air dry for a couple of minutes. When that is complete the trackball at first will feel stiff, this is normal. What you do is play with it, rotate it for a couple of minutes with your thumb as you would when normally use it and it will get back to normal. Simple process.

good job and props on the work, turned out good

wow looks great

Thanks guys.

[championart]

Looks really nice bro. Looks good

Muy gracias.

[abhinavsg]

The process took me about 15-20 minutes. It wasn't the first time i did one so maybe tops 30 minutes if you want to be real careful. Three things needed 1) Permanent black Sharpie marker 2) q-tip 3) Vinegar (Some other people who have done it after me have reported that they had succes with alcohol pads instead of the q-tip and vinegar) but i can only tell what i used.

A q-tip is the stick with the cotton at both ends that you clean your ears with. I started out by first taking my battery out, i don't recommend doing it with your battery in the phone. Next i got a new black permanent fine point marker (not super fine, or the huge tip as they do sell it). I then colored the front facing part of the track ball that is exposed with the marker (some of the marker might get on the ring around the trackball but it can be cleaned by using the q-tip with with vinegar or alcohol pad just don't let it sit there and dry do it right away) Next i let it dry for about a minute or two before rotating the ball to the next side and coloring. Keep repeating that process till the entire trackball is completed. After finishing the entire trackball i let it air dry for a couple of minutes then use the q-tip and dip it in some vinegar just enough not too much to the point where the q-tip is dripping vinegar. Then proceed to wiping the excess ink of the trackball. After you are done let the trackball air dry for a couple of minutes. When that is complete the trackball at first will feel stiff, this is normal. What you do is play with it, rotate it for a couple of minutes with your thumb as you would when normally use it and it will get back to normal. Simple process.

Really-really nicely explained. I'v understood the process very-very well & now I have the confidence of doing it myself (i might use spirit, used by doctors/nurses to clean the skin etc...). The result of the process is just absolutely awesome.

Thanks a lot for you help. I really appreciate it.

Abhinav

[ARSC]

wow good job and explained well.

[championart]

wow good job and explained well.

Thanks hopefully its simple enough and can help others who would like to do the same to their trackball.

[SURF_AND_TURF]

Im sitting in class and im temped to do it right now lol... ill just have to be really careful cause nothing to wipe with...