painting polished aluminum
- Thread starter motorgod
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motorgod,
no experience with something like that directly, but I've had aluminum wheels powder coated and they simply sandblast them then powder coat them. I think if you can take it apart to basic casing it should be do able?
regards,
no experience with something like that directly, but I've had aluminum wheels powder coated and they simply sandblast them then powder coat them. I think if you can take it apart to basic casing it should be do able?
regards,
I concur. Strip down to the metal, quick sandblast to scuff up the chrome, and then your choice of a matte or gloss powdercoat.
....But then I just bought a powdercoating unit from Harbor Freight last weekend and have been going nuts with it!
....But then I just bought a powdercoating unit from Harbor Freight last weekend and have been going nuts with it!
vectervp1
Well-known member
I concur. Strip down to the metal, quick sandblast to scuff up the chrome, and then your choice of a matte or gloss powdercoat.
....But then I just bought a powdercoating unit from Harbor Freight last weekend and have been going nuts with it!
Oh no, did you try and powder coat your cat again?!
No, I learned at a much younger age that you can't put them in an oven for longer than a couple of minutes. The powder coating needs at least 30 minutes at 350 degrees.....But then I just bought a powdercoating unit from Harbor Freight last weekend and have been going nuts with it!
Oh no, did you try and powder coat your cat again?!
AZrider
Well-known member
You can paint or powder coat Aluminum as has been commented upon. Abrasive blasting (honing) or etching the Aluminum surface produces a rough surface for "tooth" and allows the paint or powdercoat to adhere. Aluminum oxide (which is produced fairly quickly) also prevents paint from sticking so if you prepare the surface don't let it sit for a week in a box waiting for the paint. Many aerospace Aluminum components are finished this way. I've used this for tooling and optical equipment (powder coating).
I might like to suggest another process but it depends on how much effort you want to put into the lights and where you live. If I were going to coat those lights I would anodize them. It's not expensive and comes in a lot of colors, red, black, blue, green, gold and clear. If you live near any moderately sized city there are platers and they will usually toss your light housings in with other parts and they're pretty reasonable if you drag your parts in. They will also have a abrasive unit or will etch the Aluminum before anodizing. Anodizing uses electricity so it's a lot like plating in that it's a tough, corrosion resisting coating.
Just another process to consider.
AZ
I might like to suggest another process but it depends on how much effort you want to put into the lights and where you live. If I were going to coat those lights I would anodize them. It's not expensive and comes in a lot of colors, red, black, blue, green, gold and clear. If you live near any moderately sized city there are platers and they will usually toss your light housings in with other parts and they're pretty reasonable if you drag your parts in. They will also have a abrasive unit or will etch the Aluminum before anodizing. Anodizing uses electricity so it's a lot like plating in that it's a tough, corrosion resisting coating.
Just another process to consider.
AZ
Hit the Road Jack
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AZRider is correct with his process.
But, since the parts are already clearcoated, you might try just lightly abrading the clearcoat with behrtex or similar, wipe it down with alcohol, spray a layer of primer and then paint (cheap option).
If that doesn't work, then blast, etch, etc.
But, since the parts are already clearcoated, you might try just lightly abrading the clearcoat with behrtex or similar, wipe it down with alcohol, spray a layer of primer and then paint (cheap option).
If that doesn't work, then blast, etch, etc.
FJRandy
Well-known member
Absolutely no problem painting over clearcoated aluminum. Just scuff with a red Scotchbrite pad, prime it, and paint away. just make sure you put enough paint.
If it was uncoated, yes the process would be different. Clearcoat, after all, is just clear paint.
tip.....DO NOT scuff in two different directions!!!
If it was uncoated, yes the process would be different. Clearcoat, after all, is just clear paint.
tip.....DO NOT scuff in two different directions!!!
What color are you painting it. If you want a dark color, I would probably scuff it with a green pad and then use a gray epoxy primer under the top coat. There is a clear adhesion promoter out there called Bulldog that seems to work well - you can buy it at Wally World. That might work if you want to top coat it silver.
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