Painting the top plate - what sort of paint to go for

[loz_the_guru]

Hi all,

I'm waiting on my crack to arrive and buying up bits needed for the build in preparation.

I'd quite like to paint the top plate and the bell of the transformer too. I've got a can of unused heat sensitive black spray, which was originally designed for painting disk brake calipers/other engine bits and bobs in cars. Would this do the job? If so would I need a clear lacquer finish to protect it?

If not, what sort of paint would people recommend? I'm in the UK so brands often mentioned in these threads aren't always readily available. I looked at some cheap stuff on ebay too - can't link to it here but it's called 151 spray paint and says it's suitable for metal.

Any thoughts?

[Doc B.]

Caliper paint is just fine.

[loz_the_guru]

Caliper paint is just fine.

Thanks! How long do you think I should leave between coats, and also to dry before mounting components? It's fairly quick when using on calipers, but I imagine the heat from the brakes helps!

Also, do you think a clear coat of lacquer is needed?

[Paul Birkeland]

Thanks! How long do you think I should leave between coats, and also to dry before mounting components? It's fairly quick when using on calipers, but I imagine the heat from the brakes helps!

Also, do you think a clear coat of lacquer is needed?

The instructions on the can are the best indicator of what you want to go for.  Usually it's something like "spray a coat, wait 10 minutes, then recoat and repeat as necessary".  If the paint calls for some heat curing, you can throw it in the oven to attempt to replicate that process (put aluminum foil between the plate and your oven rack and put the panel on top of a couple of glass jars to keep it from sticking to the foil).

[caffeinator]

I don't think a clear coat is necessary to protect your color coats.

If you do opt for the clear coat, be sure to follow label instructions carefully.  Recoat times are for successive coats of the same paint; covering with clear may require waiting for the color coats to fully cure prior to application, which for a lot of rattle can paints is perhaps on the order of 10 days.

The one time I went for a clear coat I used the same material in clear, hoping to get a nice gloss coating that would give a 'depth' to the finish.  In spite of waiting about what the label instructed (recoat within 15 minutes or after 10 days), the clear still fisheyed to an unacceptable extent.  I don't know if I could have clear-coated within the recoat time, given that it was the same material.  Perhaps an experiment to run sometime in the future.

So, whatever you do, observe the recoat instructions (and, of course, surface prep) - they are there for a reason.

[Jimb0]

You should be fine with the heat resistant spray paint. Since its heat resistant I assume it's going to be really tough stuff so I doubt you will need a clear coat. Good luck and be sure to post pictures

[loz_the_guru]

Thanks for all of the input guys! And yes, I'll be sure to post some photos once it's done - provided it doesn't look too awful!