Baking painted boxes for durability = myth

[Doug_H]

I have heard that barbeque grill paint works real well too, although you don't have a large selection of colors there either.

One of the issues with paint is that like a lot of things, the technology of it is changing/advancing all the time. So it is difficult to come up with a consistent process for finishing a stompbox with spray paint. Even if you take the time to learn how to work with different types of paints and materials today, you have to be committed to stay on top of the state of the art somewhat, so you can adjust your methods when the chemicals change tomorrow.

I don't have the time or interest to keep up with that so for spray paint I've settled on hammertone. It seems to have the biggest "durability/fuss" ratio, even though the color choices aren't great and I've given up on labeling in the process.

I think I'm going to move away from spray paint though and use a combination of a pre powdercoated box and one of the many computer graphic sticker/transfer methods for artwork & labeling on the top.  If it works I'll probably just get it over with and buy a powder coating gun. My wife is developing an interest in silk screening, so that may come in handy too.

Doug

[Doug_H]

2. (b) buy a powder coating gun from someplace like Eastwood's (car repair/customization stuff) for about $100.

Harbor Freight has one like that too. I saw it on the shelf a couple weeks ago, about $100. I'm not sure of the quality though. Some of their stuff looks kind of cheesy. (I'll probably spring for their $30 hammer drill though, since I won't use it that often anyway- non pedal related I know...)

Doug

[Fret Wire]

Just about anything Harbor Freight sells that isn't name brand, is cheap Chinese junk. I've been doing wood and metal working since my early teens, and live by the old motto that you only have to buy quality tools once. I've bought a lot of stuff from them over the years. Good prices on name brand tools though.

These guys are about an hour from me, and have decent plating and metal coating products.
http://www.caswellplating.com/powder/index.html

http://www.caswellplating.com/powder/powder_kit.html

http://www.caswellplating.com/vht/index.html

[Paul Marossy]

I have found that the quality/durability of spray paints also has a lot to do with the kind of paint it is. In other words, metallic paints are different from flat black, and that is different than a spray enamel, etc. IME, it seems like the best spray paint is flat black - it seems to stick to anything and is pretty scratch/chip resistant. But it's hard to label!

[bwanasonic]

A lot of auto paint involves a multi-step epoxy finish. If I can get enough boxes ready to make it worthwhile, I might look into having them sprayed *professionally*. I seem to remember this process using UV curing rather than heat.

Kerry M

[dubs]

I think powdercoating will give the most durable finish. With all the amount of time trying to find paint that works, and experimenting trying to get a  good finish it's just easier to take to a powdercoater. I found one locally who's happy to do it for a couple of  bucks a case.

[C Bradley]

Anyone tried the appliance touch-up epoxy spray paint? That ought to dry hard, but I've only seen it in white, tan, or black.  

[Skreddy]

Hobby shop (find a model specialty shop!)

Testor's enamel spray paint

Comes in awesome colors

Dries as fast as grass grows

Unless

You bake it in a toaster oven at ~200f for an hour or two

--then you have a glossy, smooth, rock-hard finish.

Check the metalflake purple...

[Paul Marossy]

The very first project I built, I used Testors spray enamel. Aside from taking a year to cure (LOL), it has held up beautifully. And you do get some really cool colors to choose from these days.