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Painting pedal enclosure


nathanlux

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If you have a powder coat shop in your area, you can have the pedal included with an existing run for little money. You may have to do whatever surface prep they want and color selection is limited, but you get a bullet proof coating job.

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There's been several threads about this already. But here's what I did....

 

I presume you'll be using a standard cast aluminum box...

 

1) Wash the box with soap and water. This removes any oils or grease that would stop the paint from sticking. Dry box completely, and avoid handling it with your bare hands to keep skins oils from contaminating it.

 

2) Spray primer - grey or red, doesn't matter. Use several light coats, allowing to dry between coats. READ AND FOLLOW THE LABEL INSTRUCTIONS.

 

Some builders use a toaster oven to "bake" their finishes and speed up the cure time. You'll need an oven dedicated for that purpose, don't try it in an oven used to prepare food, the paint fumes will RUIN it.

 

3) Lightly sand the primer to smooth it out a bit. Don't sand down to bare metal, if you do, spray a little primer over it.

 

4) Spray color coat(s). Again, use several light coats, don't try to cover it completely with the first coat, it's liable to run. Again, read and follow the paint's instructions about re-coating.

 

5) Allow paint to dry completely.

 

- optional steps -

 

6) Apply graphics if you have them. Decals, rub-on letters, ect.

7) Apply clear coat to protect graphics.

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If your enclosure is rough you may be able to use a filler primer to fill the rough stuff. That involves priming, sanding and repriming till smooth. If it's an aluminum enclosure, see if you can get access to an alodine tank to etch the enclosure prior to paint. If it's steel, an etching primer can be used to accomplish the same thing. Etching the surface helps the primer adhere better. Not absolutely necessary but can make for a longer lasting finish.

I'm considering a powder coating rig that Sears has. I thinks it's around a buck and a half.

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I've just started to paint my first enclosure and I'm having some trouble with dust and debris sticking to my paint coats. Can anyone offer and suggestions or advice on how to get around this? It seems like I keep sanding and painting again but to no avail. Each time I try a new idea I get the same problem. Thanks for your help.

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I've just started to paint my first enclosure and I'm having some trouble with dust and debris sticking to my paint coats. Can anyone offer and suggestions or advice on how to get around this? It seems like I keep sanding and painting again but to no avail. Each time I try a new idea I get the same problem. Thanks for your help.

 

 

I use tack cloth first. Then I try to work in a clean area. Vacuum the area well and make sure there are no drafts that will kick up dust.

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First step when painting is to clean your shop area. Go well beyond where you're painting. Get out the shop vac and really go at it. When you think you have all of the dust vacuumed up, do it all again. Twice. Then use the tack cloth prior to painting. Dust is the easy part. The only solution I've seen when flying insects land in your work is to have a good vocabulary of swear words.

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I sand the box with a palm sander and a scotchbrite abrasive pad (fine sandpaper would work too). Then a wipe down with a clean paper towel and some alcohol. Let alcohol dry then spray immediately with a paint that is intended for use on aluminum; Krylon enamel works okay.

 

When dry, place decals on front panel... I print the decals reversed and then put them on the pedal with the toner side down. When thoroughly dry, I spray a couple of coats of clear lacquer to protect the decals and paint.

 

regards, Jack

 

.

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Thanks for all of your advice. I had tried tack cloth, but because it was pretty tacky, hence the name, it kept attracting fibers from the cloth itself. I will try the alcohol trick as well and, of course, vacuuming several times.

 

Will the alcohol compromise the existing coats of paint? I mean, it's not likely that it would act as a paint remover, right?

 

Thanks again for your guidance!

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Alcohol should not have any impact on good quality paint.


regards, Jack

Alcohol has a very large, detrimental impact on any paint. Drink too much, do some painting and the project will look like shit every stinkin' time.:lol:

 

SRSLY, using alcohol to clean a surface is just fine regardless of what you paint with. Just make sure all the alcohol has evaporated before you start painting. The major thing is to have the surface clean. I find soap and water to be the best. What you're looking for is known as a water break free surface. This means the water will sheet off cleanly without any breaks in it's path. Wherever you see that you still have some oil or other imperfection.

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