Painting engine covers, previously polished

[Kawtriplefreak]

Glass beading would work better than aluminium oxide as stated. If you aren't in a hurry I will gladly do them for you at a reasonable price.

[SoCal250]

Glass beading would work better than aluminium oxide as stated. If you aren't in a hurry I will gladly do them for you at a reasonable price.

Thanks for the offer! I can get them done semi-locally. The cabinet I will be using may be changed over to glass bead in the next few weeks (if I'm lucky). If not, I'll just deal with the alum oxide and be careful with it.

[SoCal250]

glass bead or sand blast , then acetone.

Exactly what I do. Works great. I also bake them at about 200 before installing.

Thanks Joe & Mark, This is my plan. I'll glass bead if the cabinet has been changed over when I use it, otherwise I'll just use aluminum oxide, then clean with acetone, and then bake after paint.

btw, dont prime over bare aluminum. just straight paint, will stick beautifully. 

Got it. Will do! Thanks

[SoCal250]

Que up the AC/DC back in black!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuQQgN4psb8&list=RDOuQQgN4psb8&start_radio=1

This is pretty ironic. I am setting up my turntable again so I brought home a few old LPs from my storage today. Guess what record was in the bin I brought home?! 

[Jspooner]

Would aluminum oxide work? I found a blast cabinet I can borrow

I've done it, the paint actually sticks better, it's a bit more work to make it look decent though.

[Jspooner]

I always heat the aluminum up to 100-150* just before painting,

I would not do this, IMO the paint dries too fast as it is going on and does not flow properly as you apply it. I paint them at room temp, let them dry to the touch or even longer and then bake them at about 200 to cure the paint.

[teazer]

I warm them at this time of year in front of the shop heater, so they are 60-70 degrees and the paint can has to be a similar temp.  Then I leave them to flash off/cure/degas for 24 hours before I stick them in the oven at 200 for an hour to properly harden the paint.

[2strokesforever]

I always heat the aluminum up to 100-150* just before painting,

I would not do this, IMO the paint dries too fast as it is going on and does not flow properly as you apply it. I paint them at room temp, let them dry to the touch or even longer and then bake them at about 200 to cure the paint.

You have a point. You must be more consistant when applying the paint.

Either works.
But I find metal, especially aluminum  holds so much moisture that it can negatively effect the durability of the paint/ product applied.

[Clem]

Que up the AC/DC back in black!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuQQgN4psb8&list=RDOuQQgN4psb8&start_radio=1

This is pretty ironic. I am setting up my turntable again so I brought home a few old LPs from my storage today. Guess what record was in the bin I brought home?! 

That's funny stuff. My second thought after that song popped into my head was McGrath coming out to Back in Black during the late 90's supercross intro's.

[SoCal250]

Success! Degreased, cleaned with acetone, then media blasted. Now just need to clean them up and find time to apply paint.

(forgot to shoot "before" photos)   :(

[paul1478]

whenever I see polished cases I remember being 16 in my neighbor garage and he was polishing the cases on his root beer colored R5. It was the coolest ever at the time.
I now prefer the black, but on the 350 I do like the polished stripe they come with (I think)

[Robert58]

Rough it up a bit with medium sand paper , then etching primer , then I used VHT engine paint
Rust-Oleum® Self Etching Primer is designed to prepare bare metal, aluminum and fiberglass surfaces to promote maximum adhesion and smoothness of the topcoat finish. Self Etching Primer is a rust preventive coating that etches and primes in one coat.

[Czakky]

How does the "PJ1 Fast Black" hold up to fuel?

[SUPERTUNE]

Very good, but needs aging or a oven bake.
Jspooner has a bake procedure.
I forgot it...
C

[Jspooner]

Very good, but needs aging or a oven bake.
Jspooner has a bake procedure.
I forgot it...
C

Clean all of the grease and oil off and then bead blast the surfaces you are painting. If you are going to polish the highlighted areas make sure you mask them before blasting. Once blasted pull the masking tape off and clean it all real well again. Re-mask the highlighted areas if you are going to polish them. Once you are done with all of that you are ready to paint. Apply a generous coat and then bake it at about 200 for a half hour to an hour. Once it's cooled down lightly sand it with 600 to remove imperfections, dirt, etc., then clean it, then apply another coat, then bake it again, then sand it again. Your third coat should be your final coat and that needs to be baked as well. If you aren't happy with the finished result sand it and give it a fourth coat. I use PJ1 satin black when doing this and have always had good luck doing it this way. It resists fuel spills, etc. but I wouldn't let it sit in gas too long because I doing how it will react. I have done it with the gloss black as well on other parts.