[Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE] Concordium:
[HOW TO] Sanding Top Cover to Matte Black - DIY Instructions

Attempt this physical modification at your own risk. None of the individuals mentioned in this post, nor those who offer advice and opinions outside of this post, are responsible for any success/failure you may experience during your attempt.

Credit for this idea goes to boonxeven

Credit for this How-to write up goes to mrnamster. I simply made a standalone thread for it, added some process modifications, and added some pictures of the sanding job I did on my LTEvo.

**CLICK HERE** to view the original thread and please make sure to click the thanks button on boonxeven (OP) and mrnamster's (p. 4) posts.

Materials

600 grit or finer wet/dry sandpaper, cut and folded

1000 grit wet sandpaper, cut and folded (optional)

Water to unclog sandpaper. I used a spray bottle.

Lint-free cloth (for wiping)

Evo LTE cover, removed from phone

Knife, flathead screwdriver, or flat safepry tool. (optional Step)

Superglue(Optional step)

Procedure

Remove Camera lens from rear cover by breaking soft welds in the areas indicated in the pictures below. (optional step)

Pictures:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f238/Concordium/IMAG0108B.jpg

Wet sandpaper

Lightly sand the cover using a small symmetrical circular motion. Start with the difficult areas first (around lens cover and on rounded edges). Do the sharp edges last as those sand quickly.

Use the folded end to sand around the lens cover. You can opt to press the lens cover off or tape it. It's metal so it's not likely to scratch.

Pictures:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f238/Concordium/IMG_1123.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f238/Concordium/IMG_1120.jpg

Wipe with damp lint-free cloth, let dry and resand any spots if necessary.

Pictures:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f238/Concordium/IMG_1119.jpg

***Remember, your cover is going to look horrible until you finish the job. So if you start getting nervous halfway through when your cover looks like the picture above then don't worry. It's normal until everything gets evened out.

Pictures:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f238/Concordium/IMG_1128.jpg

Periodically dip the sandpaper in water if it starts to get clogged (usually turns white as it builds up).

(Optional Step) Use 1000 grit wet sandpaper to even up stroke marks and bring the entire rear cover to a nice, clean and even finish.

Rinse, clean, and dry rear cover before reinstalling.

Using superglue, reinstall camera lens cover onto phone rear cover. Superglue is used to ensure a solid fit. (optional step)

Notes

Take your time to lightly sand away the gloss finish of the paint by applying minimal pressure to the sandpaper. Periodically wipe, let dry and sand some more. If you sand too much it will dig into the plastic and turn light black/gray.

Do not try to rush this job. Using large strokes or trying to sand using rapid strokes will not make the job go any faster. If anything it will make it take longer due to the uneven and sloppy results such a method will yield. Patience is the key here. Slow and steady will yield the best results.

Avoid getting the inside of the cover wet. If you do happen to get it wet make sure to dry the entire inside, especially the metal contacts, thoroughly before reinstalling onto your phone.

A soft brush helps clean the nooks and crannies when done.

End Results:

boonxeven -

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f238/Concordium/Finished.jpg

mrnamster -

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f238/Concordium/evo-1.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f238/Concordium/evo-2.jpg

Concordium -

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f238/Concordium/IMG_1117-1.jpg

YoungCorruptionV2.0 -

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f238/Concordium/2012-06-13_15-11-14732.jpg

Evo_Shift -

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8508/p10706241.png

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/1981/p10706271.png

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/179/p1070625b.jpg