Some tips in regards to my reply on this thread
http://forums.pcapex.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44


Like I mentioned, Ive been experimenting with Dupli-color's new Metalcast paint.. Unfortunately I made the dumb decision to experiment on the main door prize for a LAN event next saturday! I'm a fanatic about quality and hate working under a deadline. Metalcast really tried my patience! Its got it's PROS and CONS (above thread)


Heres what a Anodize splotch looks like. Going over them with additional coats doesn't help. The paint is too thin. I had to sand it down and start over. btw: I bought two seperate cans and both did this. I haven't decided if I want to blame the old style spray nozzle or the paint.






Dupli-color claims their Anodize paint is "durable" I beg to differ after chipping paint on EVERYTHING I painted. Nothing harsh, just a little bump or ting against a hard surface and surprise! Okay, I guess you really gotta lay down the coats to prevent this. Did I mention it took 2.5 cans to do the chassis and drive trays! $5.99 per can baby.

A tip to save you from scratching the paint.

Mask off those sliding HD trays, fan hanger or whatever else has exposed slides. You'll learn fast what I mean about chipping. I opted for the polished look. (fan hanger was polished & clearcoated)


Fan Hanger




HD Tray slide should be masked off.





Chassis so far




I'll post pics after the case is finished.

Its already been proven that dipping the chassis IS the way to go and I whole heartly agree, but I'm DIY guy and had to find out for myself. I personally wouldn't use it on a chassis again because the splotchs really set me back for time. Otherwise its great stuff when it works.

That's unfortunate Bill. I have often wondered how durable a painted inside would be. That Anodized color seem like it would be the same consistancy of Candy colored paint. With Candies a person does have to be mindfull of the splotches as well.

Placing the can of paint in warm water for a while helps the paint to flow better when sprayed. These are sometimes the limitations of a spray can.

It still looks good, but I know how you feel. I tend to be anal about things like this as well.

Bill i feel your pain. Been there many times, being a DIY'r also I have to know more, to help me out.

How did you prep the inside of the chassis? What grit of sandpaper? Just wonder if lack of "tooth" could be the cause. Or maybe it just has too much build and the only way to cure it is not to paint it, like you mentioned.

Did you clean the inside of it with a solvent to remove any oils? Just wondering if that splotch is a contaminent of some sort. If it sprays on like Kandy then if the first coat was contaminated and made a splotch than it will show on every coat.


Just a few questions, please let me know, I am very curious.

Quote: What grit of sandpaper?

400 grit. btw: You may have missed the other post, the Anodize is being applied to their Groundcoat on this chassis. Groundcoat didn't present any real problems other than it creates more overspray dust then regular paint or primer.

Quote: Or maybe it just has too much build and the only way to cure it is not to paint it

Paint seems watery to me. The first splotch was larger then the one pictured. It dripped from the nozzle right from the beginning. Again, maybe "bad" nozzles. "****, okay, lets just continue and see if we can cover this." After 4-5 more coats, the spot was still apparent, just darkened. I had to think hard about starting over. I almost thought Id make a base plate from Lian Li scrap alum (Lian Li scrap?... LOL!)

Quote: Did you clean the inside of it with a solvent to remove any oils? Just wondering if that splotch is a contaminent of some sort.

No, I didn't. Pretty sure the nozzle caused the splotch. I think because its runny like a clearcoat, it just wouldn't cover up like regular paint. I've never used a candy-style paint, but it sure sounds like this.

Sounds like you did everything the same way I would have. Unfortunate, that a product can cause so many problems and on such a nice machine especially with a deadline. I have looked into buying a electroplating gun, for parts and such in the shop. Ok I used that for an excuse to paint computers.
My experience spraying Kandies is charge lots of money and expect everything to go wrong. I have painted a few computers with aerosal cans so I can give advice in these forums. I hate 'em haha, I will always grab my Sata, but for tutorials I use 'em. One thing I noticed right away was no control, it is like flippiing a switch and hanging on, no material control, no fan control. I had a can with no pressure and poor atomization, so I heated it in a bucket of hot water and that straightened it right up.
Your project on the other hand is very frustrating and I do feel for you, been there....but the customer doesn't want to hear about what happened, just when can I pick it up.
I want to take time to let you know that I was not second guessing your painting skill, or in no means wanted to come across like a "know it all". I have been in the business for many years and the one thing I will gaurantee you is that no one in the paint business "knows it all", right when we think we do... whomp.

Good luck to you in the future.

did i ever mention real anno jobs? anyone like paint ball? then go over to a pro paintball store that will do custom milling and they can send your case to be annoed. or you can do it your self. it involes a dash of acid and a high amperage battery charger. the colors are just standard dye to fill the nano sized pores after the zapp acid bath. a pro anno shop can usually do fades splash etc. you want tight? try your hand at the 70's van art of the airbrush.

Hey Insomniac, I just checked out your great tutorial and appreciate the input. I agree about the "no control" aspect. Im always leary about new paint. Every one has it's own technique for achieving an ideal best finish.

Heres a couple "spray techniques" that work for me with 2 popular metallics.. I'm not going to get into surface prep or finishing. Insomniac has already done that for you.

First, we toss away the Rule Book.


1, Rust-o-leum metallic.

The panel is laid flat.

I use a technique where I "tap" the nozzle on-off-on-off-on-off about 6" away as I sweep back and forth from end to end in 12" long sweeps. Its taken me awhile to syncronize my arm and finger movement. Almost machine like. You want to apply the paint heavily, but have flow control in preventing globs and streaking. Look close at the paint while sweeping and overlap just enough to keep a mirror-like consistancy as it dries. You have to be quick, consistant and NOT stop till the other side. Sometimes my tap finger will ach. Switch fingers!

Then I repeat after 4-5mins in the (east- west) direction so I cross hatch. Then diagonally. All Metallic paints leave a trace of your pattern so you must cover your tracks.

This Rust-o-leum technique takes a long time to learn and results very near a pro finish.


Method 2 is with Plastikote metallics.

Because this paint tends to not run as much as Rust-o-leum, I can place the panel UPRIGHT instead of flat.

It doesn't run like Rust-o-leum, but I can't use my "tap" technique anymore. If I do, it creates little paint splatters. I know its not one particular can, every can does this. So instead, I paint in long strokes from the bottom up. Hold the nozzle down, go back and forth, side to side to the top. Sound normal right? Its not, because at the same time you must gauge the consistancy of the paint. You want the paint to be "almost" on the verge of running. It takes a lot of practice to find a paint's sweet spot. Which means how far you hold the can from the surface. Insomniac knows what I mean. For this paint, Im about 7- 8" away. They recommend 10 - 12" I call that the "public safe zone."

Once you find your sweet spot, (on the verge of a run and gives that mirror-like consistancy) you hold that nozzle, work across to the top, back and forth, slightly overlapping and never stopping.
Wait 4 - 5 mins and cross hatch like Method 1. If you stop mid stream on your proposed final coat, you'll have to cross hatch again and cover your tracks. Which is fine, but that could have been your final coat. I usually psych myself up for the final coat and be as "machine-like" consistancy as possible.

You have to do a hell of a lot of painting to visually read the right consistancy of a particual paint. Unless you love rubbing out a lot of overspray. I think most people just live with it. It is better than Beige right?...

The flaw with my techniques and the great compromise of using spray paint over pro equip is that a can's pressure drops at 1/2 or 1/4 full. I now can't use it on any large coverage areas like a side panel. The spray gets unpredicatable. This applies even more so to clearcoats. 1/4 can clearcoat is useless to me. I had literally bought out Home Depot's shelf of Laquer clearcoat at one time

Heres some more update pics... The case will be "Gun metal grey" by Plastikote. It still needs clearcoat. The case is an Addtronics 6896. Flipping great case to work with! Let me know if you ever want one.

Hand made steel mesh grill (anodized)




The grill really gives the front a wild look.



Just to get an idea, heres the Handles. They really have glow about them... almost violet