Chassis and heatsink thermal paint

[arnach]

I am wondering if anyone knows a good paint to use on heat sinks and chassis that will not impede their thermal properties but gives it a nice looking finish?

I have heard of Nextel or something like that that reduces vibration??

Thanks..

[grataku]

Anarch,
I haven't heard of the Nextel but I just remembered that here in the US they sell some kind of powder coating specific for aluminum. It's normally used to coat hot-rods engine parts, carburators, and other details. It is very simple to apply, it uses a special electrostatic spray gun, a wire is connected to the part to be sprayed so that the powder sticks to the aluminum. After the powder is applied the part is baked in the oven. The paint is obviously resistant to heat and the finish is very similar to the anodized finish. I think there are a wide variety of colors including black though you could go for magenta or cyan!

[arnach]

Thanks, I'll look for that. Nextel is a spray normal or electro paint which creates somewhat of a spongy surface and a nice finish, where the spongy surface reduces vibration. It is used on the Accuphase M-2000 which are some very, very expensive amplifiers.

[OliverD]

Nextel is very expensive and not at all easy to work with.

However, it looks great and is far more scratch resistant than any other paint I've ever used.

I used it for aircraft interior, not for heatsinks, though

[Aud_Mot]

To get the job done:

Black flat (not shiny or high gloss) paint will work about as well as anything else. As long as the paint sticks to the metal.

There was a thread on the subject in Pass Labs Forum: black anodized heatsinks, thread 6128.

In there is a reference that shows anodize is overrated as a heat conductor.

Of course there is the asthetic aspect, then your budget will have be at odds with your ego.

Aud_Mot