Enclosure painted, now what!?

[DJPsychic]

Happy Sunday everyone!

So...I've spent the entire weekend basically destroying enclosures trying to paint them. 

I sanded, primed and now have coated (my 5th attempt) with 4-5 layers of Enamel spray paint and let dry overnight and I think I finally got one to look somewhat decent (Although the water slide decal is still somewhat visible)

I am now getting ready to clear coat using a "Gloss Crystal Clear" spray enamel this morning. I've read pretty much every thread on the interweb concerning the topic but am still hesitant to apply the finishing touches. I don't want to mess this up! 

What's your fail safe method to ensure best cure/protective coating?

I'm considering finding a toaster oven, Is baking the best way to go?

What is next?

[patrick398]

Never used enamel paint myself so can't really comment on that, but generally speaking using a toaster oven does greatly speed up cure times. Things to watch out for would be the enamel not being fully cured when you put the clear on. It's been a while since i painted enclosures, i lost patience and got a powder coater.
I think Davent is the enamel paint pro from memory, i'm sure i remember reading a tutorial of sorts that he did.
The other plus for a toaster oven is that if you want to upgrade to a powder coating set up you'll need one anyway.

[antonis]

What is next?

Scrape off  the lips of the holes (vertical enclosure width) and flatten them out with a sandpaper in case you use "bare" metal jacks..
(thread/nut in cintact with sleeve..)

[DJPsychic]

Never used enamel paint myself so can't really comment on that, but generally speaking using a toaster oven does greatly speed up cure times. Things to watch out for would be the enamel not being fully cured when you put the clear on. It's been a while since i painted enclosures, i lost patience and got a powder coater.
I think Davent is the enamel paint pro from memory, i'm sure i remember reading a tutorial of sorts that he did.
The other plus for a toaster oven is that if you want to upgrade to a powder coating set up you'll need one anyway.

Yes, this is definitely not effective use of time, might be my last painted pedal

[DJPsychic]

What is next?

Scrape off  the lips of the holes (vertical enclosure width) and flatten them out with a sandpaper in case you use "bare" metal jacks..
(thread/nut in cintact with sleeve..)

Yes, I'm going to clean it up for sure. My question was more so what's the best next step when clear coating. My plan was to just apply a few light coats and let it sit for a few days. But I've read sometimes it can take months for the clear coat to fully cure.

i want to make sure I do it right, so I don't have to do it ever again 

[amptramp]

Since you are using enamel over enamel, it should be OK.  You can spray enamel over lacquer but you cannot spray lacquer over enamel because the solvents in the lacquer will cause crazing of the enamel underneath caused by the more active solvents in lacquer.

The reaction time is cut in half for every 10 degree C rise in temperature so as long as you stay below temperatures that can damage the paint, a toaster over in a good idea.  It also reduces the humidity of the paint and the surface.

[DJPsychic]

Since you are using enamel over enamel, it should be OK.  You can spray enamel over lacquer but you cannot spray lacquer over enamel because the solvents in the lacquer will cause crazing of the enamel underneath caused by the more active solvents in lacquer.

The reaction time is cut in half for every 10 degree C rise in temperature so as long as you stay below temperatures that can damage the paint, a toaster over in a good idea.  It also reduces the humidity of the paint and the surface.

Ok. I've read somewhere between 90-200 degree F, although I'd probably stay around 90-100.

Do you bake in between coats, Or should I just give a few good coats then bake?

And how long typically?

[amptramp]

Some toaster ovens have a lower limit of 150°F so be sure you can actually set the temperature where you want it.  Larger ovens offer better uniformity of temperature.  I got mine at a garage sale for $5 but I haven't used it yet and garage sales seem to be forbidden this year.

There are usually instructions on the can about when you can apply a coating, usually expressed as within an hour after the last coat or after 48 hours after the last coat.  Heating the enclosure may reduce the two days limit but it also reduces the one hour time, which is unnecessary.

The can will usually give a dry-to-the-touch time, a time you can handle it and a fully hardened time.  With the last paint I used, it was 20 minute touch time, 1 hour handling time and 24 hour full hardness time and a 5 - 7 day maximum adhesion time on plastic (all times given here were for Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover primer plus paint which I used on wood).

[davent]

Never used enamel paint myself so can't really comment on that, but generally speaking using a toaster oven does greatly speed up cure times. Things to watch out for would be the enamel not being fully cured when you put the clear on. It's been a while since i painted enclosures, i lost patience and got a powder coater.
I think Davent is the enamel paint pro from memory, i'm sure i remember reading a tutorial of sorts that he did.
The other plus for a toaster oven is that if you want to upgrade to a powder coating set up you'll need one anyway.

I'm the waterborne artist's acrylic guy with airbrushes.

I'm afraid enamels, spray cans and toaster ovens are a foreign language for me but i'm always interested in options.
dave

[patrick398]

Never used enamel paint myself so can't really comment on that, but generally speaking using a toaster oven does greatly speed up cure times. Things to watch out for would be the enamel not being fully cured when you put the clear on. It's been a while since i painted enclosures, i lost patience and got a powder coater.
I think Davent is the enamel paint pro from memory, i'm sure i remember reading a tutorial of sorts that he did.
The other plus for a toaster oven is that if you want to upgrade to a powder coating set up you'll need one anyway.

I'm the waterborne artist's acrylic guy with airbrushes.

I'm afraid enamels, spray cans and toaster ovens are a foreign language for me but i'm always interested in options.
dave

If you're acrylic guy, who the hell is enamel guy? Clearly i've been breathing in too much of this shit

[vigilante397]

Does everyone really cure their boxes that low? I always did 15 minutes at 300 fahrenheit and it always went well.

[DJPsychic]

Does everyone really cure their boxes that low? I always did 15 minutes at 300 fahrenheit and it always went well.

Most people go with the "slow and low" from what I've read, but I'm no expert.

Do you bake in between coats? And what kind of paint are you using?

[vigilante397]

I always bake between coats (though for most things I only do one coat). Rustoleum rattle cans have always been my go-to, though admittedly it's been a month or two as I've recently gotten into powder coating

[DJPsychic]

I always bake between coats (though for most things I only do one coat). Rustoleum rattle cans have always been my go-to, though admittedly it's been a month or two as I've recently gotten into powder coating

ya after this adventure might be just leaving my enclosures bare metal 

Do you bake after every clear layer?

[vigilante397]

Do you bake after every clear layer?

Absolutely. Let every coat fully cure before adding another.

[DJPsychic]

Do you bake after every clear layer?

Absolutely. Let every coat fully cure before adding another.

Right on. Any chance you'd share a pic of one of your pedals?

[vigilante397]

Sure, here are a couple I have laying around that are spray painted and lacquered. I think the black one there was the very last box I used spray paint and lacquer instead of powder coat.

[DJPsychic]

Sure, here are a couple I have laying around that are spray painted and lacquered. I think the black one there was the very last box I used spray paint and lacquer instead of powder coat.

Very nice thanks for sharing!

So you're using lacquer? Maybe that's why the high temps don't effect your finish negatively.

I'll be using enamel clear coat. I'll just have to make a couple test runs.

*Btw found a free toaster oven off Facebook 

[patrick398]

Sure, here are a couple I have laying around that are spray painted and lacquered. I think the black one there was the very last box I used spray paint and lacquer instead of powder coat.

Very nice thanks for sharing!

So you're using lacquer? Maybe that's why the high temps don't effect your finish negatively.

I'll be using enamel clear coat. I'll just have to make a couple test runs.

*Btw found a free toaster oven off Facebook 

I think the negative effects from high temperatures are going to effect your decals badly, not your finish or clear coat. As far as i'm aware, Nathan's pedals are painted and then the graphics are laser engraved, no decals.

[DJPsychic]

I agree, going to do a couple Thin layers of clear coat, bake at low temp, see what happens.