On Apr 5, 11:32 am, Sam Goldwasser wrote:
Has anyone seen problems using common hardware store gloss enamel to
touch up a microwave oven interior?

Someone emailed me all in a huff that they followed this advise and it now
smells "funky" and smokes. They said the paint color was white and they
waited 24 hours before use. This was apparently under the turntable.

The smell could make sense if there was some residual solvent present and
should go away after awhile, but the "smokes" part is strange unless they
didn't bother to clean and sand beforehand and there was trapped debris.

Any comments appreciated.

Sam:

A couple of things come to mind, both of them pretty remote:

a) the batch of paint used had Titanium Dioxide as the white pigment.
It is just possible that the paint as-applied was more absorbtive than
the OEM paint & metal combination and so that area turned into a 'hot-
spot'. If they did an area say the size of a business card or more,
that would be the second thing that came to mind and that based only
on very careful prep... see b) below.
b) conversely and more likely, the prep-work took the microwave-
reflective primer off and exposed the steel. BAD MOVE as without that
reflective coating the metal will get very hot no matter what sort of
finish coating may be on top.

Just my random thoughts.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA