Staining and finishing for Kaiju amp

[pfontana]

Hi,
I would have posted this in the gallery section, but I understand it's temporarily down.

How do you do the wrinkle black finish for the Kaiju amp?
Any ideas?

thanks,
Philip

[Paul Birkeland]

The best option would be to have the chassis plate powder coated with wrinkle black powder.

You could also use Hammerite enamel paint, but it takes a very long time to cure sufficiently to be handled.

[Doc B.]

You can also try something like VHT wrinkle paint (as opposed to hammered finish, which to my eye is completely different). The rattle can wrinkle has a bit of a learning curve in terms of coverage. It can hold up very well given adequate time to harden. Proper application usually takes a medium heavy coat applied a minute or two after a 50% mist coat and it's important to do a practice run on scrap material. Powder coating by a shop avoids the learning curve.

[pfontana]

Hi All,
One more quick question....
by painting the top steel plate with wrinkle paint, do I need to mask off or worry about the drilled holes being painted?
I won't paint the underside, just the top.  I'm sure there will be overspray in the holes.
Let me know if that is an issue.
Thanks,
Philip

[Paul Birkeland]

The critical holes will be the ones for the power transformer and output transformers/plate chokes.  These holes have shoulder washers that sit inside the drilled holes to electrically isolate the screw bodies from the plate.  You can certainly spray the plate, then just run a round file through those holes once the paint has cured to remove it. 

[Doc B.]

To clarify, PB is talking about filing the paint from the holes if the washers won't fit. If they fit in the painted holes you don't need to do this, since the shoulder washers are electrical insulators just like the paint would be. One spot you want great electrical contact with the chassis panel at is the safety ground screw. That connection will be fine if the bottom is unpainted. The toothed lock washer/solder tab under the safety ground nut will make good contact with the metal of the panel.

[Paul Birkeland]

On the Kaiju, there is also the star ground in the middle of the chassis, which should get the same treatment that Doc B. describes. 

You can double check your work by measuring the DC resistance between the ground lug by the power entry module and the ground lug at the front of the chassis.  It should be about the same reading as when you touch your meter probes together.