Spray Painting Case Panel Tips

[Aldakoopa]

I'm not talking about primer, Bob. Most of the time I prime over 80 grit and block and it smooth with 240, then 400 and sealer, then 800 and paint. He was talking about leaving an area unpainted and clearing over it. At least with automotive clear coats, anything coarser than 600-800 will show through the clear. Base coat or single stage usually covers 400 grit, and anything coarser than that needs primer.

 

[bob4933]

I'm not talking about primer, Bob. Most of the time I prime over 80 grit and block and it smooth with 240, then 400 and sealer, then 800 and paint. He was talking about leaving an area unpainted and clearing over it. At least with automotive clear coats, anything coarser than 600-800 will show through the clear. Base coat or single stage usually covers 400 grit, and anything coarser than that needs primer.

haha, I was talkin about the primer only for 240!!! Oh god, 240 on color or clears.... yeah, we're on the same page now

 

[ThE_MaD_ShOt]

Yea I was saying he could sand entire panel with 6-800 grit then apply stencil. Paint then remove stencil after short period then clear entire panel to blend new paint with old so it would have as much of a rough edge with the new paint.

 

[GearingMass]

Ok so let's see if I've got the basic idea down.

Sand the entire panel down with a fine grit
Apply the stencil
Sand the stencil down to a courser grit so that the paint sticks
Apply primer coat(s) to stencil
Sand the primer
Apply main color coats to stencil
Clear coat the entire panel

Is that roughly what needs to happen?

 

[Kiwiness]

TBH when ive spray painted my cases, i have a coupl eof pictures of what ive done in a few threads ive started, and ive never clear coated them, like someone said earlier, just a waste of money imo

 

[Aldakoopa]

GearingMass, I need a refresher on what you plan on doing. Sorry. Is the stencil you're applying staying on the case or is it going to be removed to leave a design on the case?

Kiwiness, clear coat would have been unnecessary except for the fact he doesn't plan on painting the case one solid color... I think. Now I'm starting to get confused though.

 

[GearingMass]

GearingMass, I need a refresher on what you plan on doing. Sorry. Is the stencil you're applying staying on the case or is it going to be removed to leave a design on the case?

Kiwiness, clear coat would have been unnecessary except for the fact he doesn't plan on painting the case one solid color... I think. Now I'm starting to get confused though.

The end goal is to just put a design on one part of the panel. So yes, the stencil will be removed.

 

[Aldakoopa]

There is no need to sand and prime the stencil then. Just sand the entire case with fine paper, apply the stencil how you want it (make sure it can easily be removed later), paint the case whatever color you want, allow the paint to dry to the touch, and very carefully peel the stencil off. You want the paint fresh enough so that it's still soft and will tear along the stencil, but not dry enough that it will peel the surrounding paint off. At the same time, it needs to be dry enough so that it won't mess it up if you touch it while peeling the stencil off. Then after the stencil is gone and if all went well, you clear coat the entire case.

 

[GearingMass]

There is no need to sand and prime the stencil then. Just sand the entire case with fine paper...

What grit would you suggest?

 

[Aldakoopa]

I wouldn't go any coarser than 800 grit, but I don't know how well rattlecan clear covers. I would really suggest 1000 grit.

 

[Diggrr]

800 grit. Any more coarse and the clear coat won't fill the sanding marks on the rest of panel beyond the stenciled area very well.

 

[GearingMass]

And any particular white spray paint and clear coat?

I can upload pics of the choices at my local Home Depot if that helps.

 

[Aldakoopa]

NOT the cheap stuff.

 

[GearingMass]

NOT the cheap stuff.

Haha considering how much I've already spent, it'd be foolish to cheap out at the last minute

Any particular type though? lacquer, matte, enamel?
Some of those might be sub-sets of one another...I'm not particularly knowledgeable in this area

 

[Aldakoopa]

Bob keeps suggesting lacquer. I avoid that stuff like the plague (takes way too long to fully cure). Also, if there is enamel paint already on the case, expect BIG problems. Lacquer will lift enamel paint. I don't know what kind of paint is on the case though. Most likely it's powder coated from the factory, so you probably won't have to worry about lifting.

Then again Enamel spray paints aren't very resilient. Either type is fine for this job though, and really, most spray paints are enamel anyway. Just give either one plenty of drying time.

Matte (aka flat) is a type of finish that isn't really reflective. Satin has a slight amount of shine to it, eggshell is somewhere around there too, not sure if it's shinier or duller than satin though. Then there's gloss and super gloss. That's entirely up to your discretion on what you want it to look like afterwards.

 

[GearingMass]

So sand down with 800-1000 grit, apply stencil, apply ___ coats of white spray paint (primer or no?), remove stencil at correct time, let dry, apply clear coat...

 

[bob4933]

Bob keeps suggesting lacquer. I avoid that stuff like the plague (takes way too long to fully cure). Also, if there is enamel paint already on the case, expect BIG problems. Lacquer will lift enamel paint. I don't know what kind of paint is on the case though. Most likely it's powder coated from the factory, so you probably won't have to worry about lifting.

Then again Enamel spray paints aren't very resilient. Either type is fine for this job though, and really, most spray paints are enamel anyway. Just give either one plenty of drying time.

Matte (aka flat) is a type of finish that isn't really reflective. Satin has a slight amount of shine to it, eggshell is somewhere around there too, not sure if it's shinier or duller than satin though. Then there's gloss and super gloss. That's entirely up to your discretion on what you want it to look like afterwards.

I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE Enamel paint. They dry like play doh and scratch easier than talc. A properly applied lacquer is gonna dry just fine. They CAN take forever to cure if you let them get to thick of a coat.

The main reason I suggest lacquer, is because its much more chemically resilient and UV resistant than enamels. It's also less prone to bubbling under heat... which the inside of a computer case can get kinda toasty. Would be a real shame to get that panel nice and pretty and during an intense gaming session look over and see your paint bubbled up.


Whens the last time you polished enamel clear god I hate enamels...


edit: if the cost of entry wasn't so high, this sounds like a job for a preval unit and a catalyzed clear.

 

[bob4933]

So sand down with 800-1000 grit, apply stencil, apply ___ coats of white spray paint (primer or no?), remove stencil at correct time, let dry, apply clear coat...

Lets clarify some things

1) is your side panel aluminum, steel, or plastic?

2) if aluminum or steel, is it powder coated?

3) are you doing a base color, painting, then stencil over the base color and applying a different color?



Reasons ->

1) prepping plastic is much different than metal

2) if its powder coated or anodized, wont matter what paint you use. if its painted, you need to make sure its not an enamel. (a drop of paint on a q tip will let you know real fast)

3) process based on your color selections. If you;'re trying to put white stencils over a black base.... you may have issues. Other ways to do this.

 

[Aldakoopa]

Whens the last time you polished enamel clear god I hate enamels...


edit: if the cost of entry wasn't so high, this sounds like a job for a preval unit and a catalyzed clear.

I have never seen an enamel clear. I've only worked with catalyzed urethane clears.

Now that's the stuff.

GearingMass, where do you live? Feel like driving the case to NC so I can paint it with REAL paint?

 

[bob4933]

I have never seen an enamel clear. I've only worked with catalyzed urethane clears.

Now that's the stuff.

GearingMass, where do you live? Feel like driving the case to NC so I can paint it with REAL paint?

Yeah, I went from nitro to catalyzed... im NEVER going back! Ever use that spraymax 2k stuff? Debating on suggesting that or not... he'd have to have at least a semi decent DA and some compounds, which would raise the price considerably.

So, gearing, do you have access to a polisher and some compounds? Friend, relatives, someone?