Would anyone care to share in detail their procedure for painting reels? Thanks, Joe.
I have painted a couple of Ambassadeur 5500s. Remove sideplates and everything attached to them. You may want to rough up the plates with fine sandpaper. Clean very well with a toothbrush and Dawn dish liquid under warm water. blow dry with an air compressor paying close attention to screw holes. cover with a light towel and let it sit for several days to make sure all water is gone. If there are any pits or deep gouges you can fill them with epoxy and sand flush. You will need to wash again in this case. After your reel has sat for a few days after washing spray with the air compressor again to make sure there is no moisture anywhere. Do everything with clean, sweat free hands. If everything is still clean and moisture free tape up any chrome or emblems that could not be removed. Don't cheap out on your paint. buy something good like Rust Oleum aerosol. Put the side plates down on a clean surface in a dust free environment and spray on your paint. Wait 24 hours and put on a second coat. wait 24 hours and put on a clear coat. wait at least 48 hours to make sure the paint is good and hard and reassemble. You want to make sure the paint is fully cured and hard so you don't damage the paint torquing down sideplate screws. Should look great. Now start using a reel cover!
Something that has worked for me when the reel has an emblem or something similar you don't want to get paint on: smear the emblem with a light coat of grease; the paint will not adhere to it; when you're done with the paint work, just wipe the grease off; take care while painting that you don't get grease on to a surface that you do want paint on.
Frank
You can accomplish almost the same as powder coating with paint by heating it in a toaster oven at 250 for 10 min and let the paint cure for two weeks
https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=17293.msg181752#msg181752
Marc..
Do you put it directly in the oven when wet or let it dry for a few hours first?
Quote from: publius on April 04, 2020, 02:59:34 AM
Do you put it directly in the oven when wet or let it dry for a few hours first?
Right after painted, but when you do this you can no longer use that oven to cook food, I have a small toaster oven just for that
Marc..
Oh, I'll still use it for food. :) I'm used to doing crazy stuff with my oven. Put leather boots in on low when I put snow seal or mink oil on so it soaks all the way in and I can put multiple coats on. Put some rifle parts in it yesterday because condensation formed on them when I hosed them down with carb cleaner.
That could be dangerous. The lady of the house might clobber you.
-steve
Don't have one of those anymore, OC. House is all mine!
Anybody ever try a solar "cooker"? Metal can large enough to hold the reel; cover it & set in sun for [how long?]. Will it get hot enough (should), or too hot ?
Frank
In the summer in Mississippi if you put that can in the sun it will get damn near hot enough to boil water!