[sdiy] Of mistakes and powder coating

[James Patchell]

I had the paint and lettering on one panel just peel off in one big sheet 
once.  This was spray enamel paint I am talking about here.  It seems that 
I did something wrong when I cleaned the aluminum panel.  Well, what I did 
was skip the final wipe down with denatured alcohol.  I thought the one 
cycle through the dishwasher was going to be enough...

Powder coating is a real durable coating.  However, I have no experience 
with putting a clear coat on it.  My guess is that should work out pretty 
good.  This is why I am pretty much sticking with Schaffer panels 
now.  Cheap, good looking, and no paint to mess with.  I do miss my red and 
white panels, however... :-(


At 03:19 AM 12/26/2004 -0800, Tom Arnold wrote:
>So, the case I've been working on nights for the last month is ruined.
>Well, the metal still exists ( a few minor dents from where I heaved it
>across the garage last night, but those are easily fixable ) and all the
>holes still exist, but the paint and lettering is all ruined.
>
>What I've learned.
>
>1. Many thin coats are better then even that one last thick coat you think
>will be a good idea.  It wont be.
>2. The BelDecal water transfer decals can look *DAMN GOOD*.  Here's what I
>found, prep your surface, apply decals.  clear coat 3 or 4 times.  Buff with
>0000 steelwool.  Clear coat some more. Buff some more.  2 or 3 rounds later
>the decals are invisible in the clearcoat, just the printing is visible.
>3. See 1.
>4. See 1.
>5. Never ever think that a case with a complex curve is a good idea.  No
>matter how enamored you are with that pretty case, the nice flat aluminum
>panel you can get from Schaffer in 7 days will give you that much more time
>to do something else that doesnt involve breathing spraypaint fumes.
>
>So, this little rant leads to a question.
>Has anyone dealt with Powder Coating?   Specifically doing a two-coat
>process with clear over a colour.
>
>Monday I'm going to take my case to a powder coating place and have them
>bead blast it shiney for me so I can start over.  My thought is to have them
>powder coat it, then I'll apply the decals and have them clear coat it.  The
>labels should have no trouble with the temperature although to test this I
>plan to bake one later today at 400F for 20 minutes just to see.
>
>Now to figure out why these VCO4d's I built a year ago dont work ( I dont
>know why but after assembling them I never tested them ).
>
>--
>  -----------------------------------------------------------------
>  - Tom Arnold       -  Free Synth DIY webspace http://www.sdiy.org
>  - SynthGeek        -
>  - BBD Fanatic      -  "...is it a virus, a drug, or a religion?"
>  - echo evho wjxo   -    Juanita Shrugs. "What's the difference?"
>  --------------------

         -Jim
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