Raco boxes and bondo

[Alex C]

Hey, I've tried using Raco boxes and bondo to get a cheap enclosure.   My only problem is painting.

I'm going for a smooth top and sides, like on JD Sleeps's pictures, where you can't see the little punchout circles.  I'm not a perfectionist to say the least, and I don't have an extensive collection of tools.  When I spread the bondo on the box, no matter how careful I am, there are always some pits and such where the bondo just didn't go smoothly.  
I can't sand the rest down to match it, because then the circles show.  I don't want to put more and more on though.  I'm also not very patient, so I don't want to bondo a box, let it dry overnight, bondo it again to fill in the spots, let it dry overnight again, etc.  I'd like to do it once and be done with it.  

Is this possible, or do I need to slow down and be careful and be willing to spend some time on this?

(I think I already know the answer   )

Oh well, does anyone have any tips on this?


Alex

[petemoore]

yupp gonna take at LEast two coats
 I use quickset and that allows a rather short work time...starts setting up by the time I get it on 5 sides of one box, and I'm pretty quick with a credit card [gloves] slothing it on and floating it with the card to a fairly even, level coat.
  I got a heavy ole rasp I take excess off with, then I whipp another coat on there.  
  To get a perfect box takes probably three coats and a fair amount of sanding...I have an orbital I got at a garage sale...
 I don't even have a 'perfect' one...settling for the small dips and gouges where the bondo missed, that to me just give it character...otherwise though for 99% is a perfect finish...I should probably have gone the extra effort I guess to get the whole thing 'perfect'.
 I think they look cool with the black paint ad laquer on the smooth finished box with a couple teeny character flaws...:like me!!!!

[C Bradley]

What type of RACO boxes do you get? How much do they cost each, and about what does the bondo cost? I'm not even too particular about the perfect finish over the holes, but I don't want it to look like a junction box either. :roll:

Chris B

[BILLYL]

I USE THE 4x4 UTILITY BOX - COST ABOUT $1.50 WITH COVER.  BONDO - QUART SIZE $2-3.  I FIRST CLEAN THE BOX TO REMOVE ANY GREASE AND SAND THE BOX USING 220 GRIT. THEN MIX UP MY BONDO AND APPLY TO THE BOX.  ONCE DRY I THEN TAKE IT TO MY BELT SANDER AND SAND IT SMOOTH.  I MAY GO BACK AND FILL IN ANY IMPERFECTIONS.  SATISFIED WITH THAT I WILL THEN DRILL OUT THE NECESSARY HOLES.  THEN PRIME THE BOX AND I LIKE USING THE HAMMERTONE FINISH - I THINK THAT IS WHAT JD USES.  THIS PAINT WILL GIVE YOUR BOX A NICE FINISH AND FILL IN ANY MINOR PROBLEMS.

ONCE THAT IS DONE I GENERALLY CLEAR COAT IT WITH A LAQUER TO GIVE A HARD FINISH.

HOPE THAT HELPED

BILL

[petemoore]

Careful when drilling [expecially larger jack holes etc] not to knock out the punch holes...put something [2''x4''?] under where youre pressing and don't press so hard...I like to 'work it up' starting small, using progressively larger diameter drill bits [2-3 steps] because I have no unibit.
 I try to avoid having the holes [punchout and drill] like at the beginning of eclipse...the drill bit's edge can catch the punchout and grab it hard that way...I try to go In the punchout or outside the punchout...or real careful where it crosses a punchout line, and expecially the one tab [left there when stamped] that holds the punchout.
  Clean, Sand and JB quickweld the holes you're gonna drill [from the inside, and you should have no problems...not absolutely necessary if you're a careful driller...

[C Bradley]

Sounds good! Much cheaper than the boxes at Small Bear, not that there's anything wrong with Steve's boxes or prices. I'm in college and need a cheap alternative, and the RACO boxes might be just the thing.  

For drilling, I've got a glorified drill-press (a small milling machine) with a good vise on it, a Uni-bit, and end-mills so I shouldn't have a problem there.

Thanks!

Chris B

[C Bradley]

One more question, what's the address for JD Sleep's website?

Chris B

[zeppenwolf]

ONCE THAT IS DONE I GENERALLY CLEAR COAT IT WITH A LAQUER TO GIVE A HARD FINISH.

That's the part I'm curious about-- I think "laquer" means quite a few things, or at least, I saw what looked like a bunch of different things at the ol' Home Depot.  Can you, (or somebody), elaborate?

Eden

[petemoore]

I got from Stweart Macdonald.
 I'ts the ULTRA STINKY kind///you need a nast headache and to destry some millions of B cells...that's the stuff.
 I like it cuz it gets that high gloss glassy look when I put it over black spray paitng. Some say it's not hard but I think it's very hard drying and dries pretty fast to touch it/24 hours for scomplete.
 Plus the more coats the glassier, they use stuff like this on them cars and guitars you see with that super glass look
 And...it's always easily workable, sandable, refinishable, the pedals I have that have it on there are lookin real  good.
 it is supposed to be slightly flexible yet hard...I like it...it's the only stuff I tried [I always did imperfect finishes] [one summer when I decided I yes I would acheive a perfect finish building wood cigarette boxes for practice] that actually 'got it'.
 Everything else I tried had some problem: foggy [spraying while humid], runny, uneven, dirty, something always 'imperfected it' till this stuff.

[BILLYL]

THE LACQUER I USE IS FROM THE VARIOUS GUITAR PROJECTS - OR IN A PINCH MY LOCAL LOWES SELLS A SPRAY PRODUCT - NAMEBRAND - DEFT

COUPLE OF LIGHT COATS AND THE IT LOOKS PRETTY NICE.

HOPE THAT HELPS

BILLY