Painting Tips for First Timer

[lycos]

Hi,

I'm currently waiting for my crack delivery.
Like others, I would love to paint the aluminium metal with hammered spray paint.

Is it easy for a first timer? I read it's hard to get an even/good finish?

I know nothing about painting, unfortunately.

What are the methods? From my understanding it's just:
- Paper sand unitl it's smooth (Is it needed?)
- Clean the surface with thinner (or maybe with lens cleaner?)
- Spray using etch primer and wait until it's dry
- Another spray of etch primer and wait until it's dry
- Spray using hammered spray paint and wait until it's dry
- Do 2 more sprays
- Done?

Also, could you share how your bottlehead cracks look like (if you paint them yourself)?
I would love to see different colour and finishing combination

Thanks

[oguinn]

You don’t really need to sand it. You want a surface for the paint to adhere to. You do want to prep it with some acetone.

EDIT: removed the primer advice since you're talking about hammer paint, which I skipped over.

[oguinn]

Also I have a gallery site at www.diyaudiogallery.com with some examples.

[Paul Birkeland]

You're missing the last step, which is to let the panel sit for 10-14 days so the paint can cure.  Hammered paint takes eons to cure well.

[jivex5k]

You're missing the last step, which is to let the panel sit for 10-14 days so the paint can cure.  Hammered paint takes eons to cure well.

Yep, I got impatient, now I have a long line in the paint where I flipped it over to work on it and it rested on the wood shelf.

[Doc B.]

Hammer paint does not need a separate primer. Surface prep with a good solvent like acetone and consistent spray application is everything. One light coat (50% coverage), wait a couple minutes, then one medium coat followed by another medium/heavy coat a few minutes later. Spray well past the edges of the panel to keep the coverage even near the edges. Alternate coats - left to right passes, then top to bottom, then left to right.

I have been meaning to make a panel painting video for a while, and I plan to build myself a custom painted Eros2 to match my limited edition BeePre and Kaiju. Perhaps I can carve out some time for that this month, as I have no phono preamp at the moment.

[greenneedle]

Hi,

I'm currently waiting for my crack delivery.
Like others, I would love to paint the aluminium metal with hammered spray paint.

Is it easy for a first timer? I read it's hard to get an even/good finish?

I know nothing about painting, unfortunately.

What are the methods? From my understanding it's just:
- Paper sand unitl it's smooth (Is it needed?)
- Clean the surface with thinner (or maybe with lens cleaner?)
- Spray using etch primer and wait until it's dry
- Another spray of etch primer and wait until it's dry
- Spray using hammered spray paint and wait until it's dry
- Do 2 more sprays
- Done?

Also, could you share how your bottlehead cracks look like (if you paint them yourself)?
I would love to see different colour and finishing combination

Thanks

IF it is Hammerite then I sprayed the bell in that.  It was tacky, so I carefully put it in my oven at 100C (210F) for an hour and it was fine.  If you want the larger hammered effect then lots of fine coats.  Don't go for full coverage, just spray, spray, leave for 15, spray spray.  leave for 15 etc.  (spray spray means 2 quick passes)

Baking will give a finer finish.  smaller hammered effect.

As per post above.  "Good" hammered paint does not need primer.  Hammerite is actually advertised as "direct to rust."

[Doc B.]

In my experience many fine coats 15 minutes apart will not hammer well. That is the way to avoid the hammer effect if you so desire. You will end up with a uniform colored light texture instead. The deepest hammer occurs from a very wet final coat. And the hammer effect will appear as the coat goes tacky, not after it has dried and been put in the oven. I can demonstrate this when I do a video.

Also, use some caution when baking. Keep the temp low, 200F or less as suggested. A higher temp can make the paint go brittle and it can crack and chip when the hardware is installed.

[lycos]

I have been meaning to make a panel painting video for a while, and I plan to build myself a custom painted Eros2 to match my limited edition BeePre and Kaiju. Perhaps I can carve out some time for that this month, as I have no phono preamp at the moment.

This would be an excellent tutorial for people like me who know nothing about painting.

You're missing the last step, which is to let the panel sit for 10-14 days so the paint can cure.  Hammered paint takes eons to cure well.

Wow, I didn't know this. I don't think I will be patient enough to wait that long.
I guess I will have to find different paints type.
Do you have a recommendation for fast drying and easy one?
Honestly, I just want black/dark colour to compliment my desktop colour.

Also I have a gallery site

Thank you.

As per post above.  "Good" hammered paint does not need primer.  Hammerite is actually advertised as "direct to rust."

I was planning to use rustoleum universal hammered spray paint
Are they different?

[Paul Birkeland]

Black lacquer (not acrylic lacquer, not polyurethane lacquer, just plain black lacquer) goes on pretty easily and hardens up nicely in 3-4 days. 

[Doc B.]

Nitrocellulose lacquer (one used to be able to get it from Ace Hardware in clear many years ago) hardens in about 20 minutes. I did a whole lot of antique radio restoration with the stuff. Not super durable, but very easy to repair. Not sure if there is a black nitro lacquer available anymore. Last black lacquer job I did was on a guitar that someone borrowed and never brought back.

If you want to get really hardcore you can get 2K acrylic urethane in spray cans these days. It's really good stuff, very tough and very expensive.

Wear respirators with any of this stuff.

Or just get it powder coated.

IMO Hammerite is the easiest thing next to leaving it nekked.

[Paul Birkeland]

Yes, the 2K rattle cans from Eastwood are excellent.

[lycos]

Nitrocellulose lacquer (one used to be able to get it from Ace Hardware in clear many years ago) hardens in about 20 minutes. I did a whole lot of antique radio restoration with the stuff. Not super durable, but very easy to repair. Not sure if there is a black nitro lacquer available anymore. Last black lacquer job I did was on a guitar that someone borrowed and never brought back.

If you want to get really hardcore you can get 2K acrylic urethane in spray cans these days. It's really good stuff, very tough and very expensive.

Wear respirators with any of this stuff.

Or just get it powder coated.

IMO Hammerite is the easiest thing next to leaving it nekked.

Thanks.
Is this what you referred Doc?  sydneyguitarsetups.com/nitrocellulose-lacquer-sydney-paint-australia-guitar
It also says: "This is a base coat, so it needs a clear top coat over it.". If I don't want to be glossy, I assume it's fine without any clear top coat?

I would love to get it powder coated - but we're currently in lockdown and can only travel at most 3.1mil (5km). I cannot find any company who does this within the radius.

Thank you. I would love to get Hammerite but waiting for 2 weeks is a bummer.

Yes, the 2K rattle cans from Eastwood are excellent.

Is this what you meant: ppcco.com.au/eastwood39e.html
Yeah, it's quite close to the cost of it being powder coated.

[Doc B.]

Those prices are on the high side. Generally nitro lacquer is a high gloss finish. If you want a satin finish I'd be inclined to recommend the 2K and it will be much more durable than the lacquer. The advantage of the lacquer is that it is easy to repair if it gets messed up. Do wear a respirator and work with lots of ventilation. 2K is very, very bad for your lungs.