How deep into the aluminium would i have to sand?
And would sandblasting it be an option?
Blank aluminium is quite distinct in its look from the anodized coating, you'll know when
you're there. I have a Lian Li PC-343B, and when I scratch the surface or make a cut it can
be quite clearly distinguished from the anodized part, even the ones that are not coloured.
Can't speak as to the sandblasting, surface treatments are as much an art form as a science.
I did an internship once at a company where they did some of their surface treatments
internally (anodizing, nitriding, painting, sandblasting etc.). The older, more experienced people
working there were quite invaluable and were making pretty decent money because of that.
If i was to spend a heap of time , Could I possibly get a decent finish?
Decent? Probably. But it's going to be a big heap of time.
If the priority in this project is getting the best possible paint job then I'd say get it professionally
done. If the priority is learning new stuff and experimenting, and if you're willing to invest the
required time and money (as well as accepting the possibility that you'd screw it up), then
doing it yourself might be more what you would want to do. Basically you have to weigh the
end result's quality against the path which gets you there and decide which is more important
to you.
EDIT:
Personally I would get it powder coated as IIRC it costs a fair chunk less and is much more durable.
I looked into this when I was considering a scratch build, and I asked around in a few local
shops. Powder coating was definitely cheaper where I asked. I much prefer the looks of it
anyway, but that's just a matter of personal taste. And the quality of my Caselabs' powdercoat
is absolutely stunning, very durable indeed.