best paint for HAMMOND metal box??

[loss1234]

i got a few hammon aluminum boxes (silver)
i want to make a few tiny synths/noisboxes.

what is the best way to pain these a solid color. i was thinking spraypaint?

thanks

[scriptstyle]

rustoleum is king!!!

[creatorlars]

I have the best luck with Duplicolor spray paint found at auto-supply stores like AutoZone. It goes on a lot smoother than Rustoleum. Rustoleum is great, though -- just be sure to get some steel wool to polish it up afterwards.

[Dan Lavin]

Loss,

I have good luck following method: (after you drill all your holes)
1. Use automotive primer spray paint if bare metal first Let it dry 24 hours. Skip this step if it already has a coat on it.
2. Use automotive spray paints: they're made for metal and they dry hard. Let it dry 24 hours
3. Put labels on ( I use Lazertran, but have had OK luck with Testors) Let it dry overnight
4. Use an automotive clear coat spray. Let it dry for 48 hours
5. Bake it in the oven set for 225F (~100C) for 30-60 minutes. I learned this from Thomas Henry. It really makes the clearcoat shine and makes the surface incredibly hard! Make sure you remove any rubber feet, etc. that would be destroyed by the heat! Let this "dry" for a day before attaching pots, switches, etc.

[scriptstyle]

if you are looking for a nice gloosy professional look go with the above steps and automotive paint.

if you are looking for a flat or satin finish i would def stick to rusto flat or accents satin they are by far superior in paint quality to any other spray paint. if you want real fancy color in gloss at a price you might want to check out montana or belton paints.

[loss1234]

ok great!

i figure i will spray paint and the use a paint pen for labelling.

now i should paint before i drill or after?

thanks

[StephenGiles]

[loss1234]

thanks antman---i didnt see your reply before when i asked about drilling.

now, can i get these automotive paints at any store or are they special?

also, is lazertran the same as the dymo labelmaker?

thanks

[Dan Lavin]

Loss,

you can buy the automotive paints at any car store like Pep Boys, Autozone, PartsPlus, etc. I use whatever looks good colorwise...whatever brand it is...nothing special. I suppose if I were actually painting a car that was sitting outside I'd be more careful.

Lazertran is a water activated decal like they use for plastic model cars. You print your panel, lettering, etc. on the lazertran paper using your printer, soak it in water for about 30-45 seconds and apply to the surface. It will have a white background initially when dry, but the clearcoat turns the white part transparent when applied. I like Lazertran because the decals are fairly strong and not too prone to ripping. A number of E-M Forum members use this method.

[prophei]

BIG thumbs up on the lazertran!

[synthmonger]

Make sure you do it in an oven you don't normally cook food in, or you'll poison yourself.