"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"ahgu" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a small Aluminum box (4x4x8") with electronics inside that I
want to give it a nice finish. I tried with water based latex paint and
acrylic oil based paint. I found the even though the oil has stronger
smell, it gives a smoother furniture looking surface. The latex stays
sticky and rough.

Should I go with oil for better look and feel?

How can I paint it with a professional smooth finish? What are the
rules I need to follow?

I used primer and have brush, roller. Only simple equipment.
Can I bake the paint to give it better look?

thanks
Andrew

spray can?

did you acid etch prime it first? that will get it smoother, and also get
the paint to stick to Al better.

Agreed. Etching is essential with aluminum. Follow that with a sandable
primer and put a couple of good heavy coats on. Lightly sand it down with
500 grit sandpaper to make it ready for your finish coat. Use simple spray
bombs from your local hardware store. The etching primer may be something
you have to buy from an automotive paint supply store and it's quite
expensive. Expect to pay around $10 for a spray can of it. Use it lightly,
but evenly and fully on the bare aluminum. The sandable primer is
definitely available at any hardware store and is only a few bucks.


you can also powder coat it. harbor freight has cheap tools to do this.



This is definitely worth considering. Powder coats do require the same
primer preparations though, so they will not save you the above steps.

If you decide to spray paint it, do a google search in this group for past
posts that give a lot of helpful advice on getting a good finish with a
spray can.
--

-Mike-