Earl,
For $125 an hour, I am sure they would, but to do a pair of cabinets may be 20 or 30 hours. Long live DIY.
Block sanded the first two coats of resin on my test cabinets. Getting nice and flat. The base will probably be at least a 1/16 deep when I am finished and ready for primer.
I talked to the POR 15 folks. They suggested a primer coat of POR-15 with their tough color coat may work fine. I may try that in the future. I did several of my old car frames with it and boy is it tough.
For $125 an hour, I am sure they would, but to do a pair of cabinets may be 20 or 30 hours. Long live DIY.
Block sanded the first two coats of resin on my test cabinets. Getting nice and flat. The base will probably be at least a 1/16 deep when I am finished and ready for primer.
I talked to the POR 15 folks. They suggested a primer coat of POR-15 with their tough color coat may work fine. I may try that in the future. I did several of my old car frames with it and boy is it tough.
Thanks! I'm not throwing in the towel yet. Sanded until my arm felt like it was falling off today.
I've also had it happen as soon as the next day after painting. I've been told that about the only thing that can truly seal MDF is epoxy resin. Sanding seal or paint will not completely seal the MDF eventually allowing the moisture in although slowing it down. I would have to think a product like West Systems Epoxy by itself would stop seams from showing. Down side I think your around a $100 to do a set of speakers.
I've unfortunately became sensitized to epoxy and have to stay clear of it. After some research I found it is very important to wear respiratory protection along with keeping it off your skin or you can be sensitized at any time. Once it happens it's for life.
Dave
I had considered doing auto paint on some speakers after seeing others projects turn out really nice.
There are so dang many auto painting (non chain) places out here in socal.
I have mexican friends that paint both legal and illegally.
Watched a guy paint a 68 firebird engine bay in front of the shop where I use to hang out.
He gave me some good pointers.
I got an entry level job at a paint shop, but they closed shop after two weeks.
I did learn a lot in those two weeks 😀
Not enough to carry me in that career, though.
I have a compressor just big enough for small stuff, so may try it when I am ready.
I am surprised in this economy that no one will paint non car stuff for you... Very odd
Money is money, right?
There are so dang many auto painting (non chain) places out here in socal.
I have mexican friends that paint both legal and illegally.
Watched a guy paint a 68 firebird engine bay in front of the shop where I use to hang out.
He gave me some good pointers.
I got an entry level job at a paint shop, but they closed shop after two weeks.
I did learn a lot in those two weeks 😀
Not enough to carry me in that career, though.
I have a compressor just big enough for small stuff, so may try it when I am ready.
I am surprised in this economy that no one will paint non car stuff for you... Very odd
Money is money, right?
FWIW - Manufactures have ways to apply finishes in minutes, all toxic I'm sure and they have EPA exhaust filters etc.
What you may want to do is "paint one side at a time", this will take a couple days, but you'll be able to bring the paint to a gloss and not worry about runs.
You can spray more than one side per day, just wait a good hour before flipping.
E.g. (1) lay on a side - baffle/front away, give that a good coat. (2) wait 1-2 hours, flip on back and spray front (3) wait 1-2 hours, set up-right and spray top.
Next day paint remaining side, bottom if you wish.
What you may want to do is "paint one side at a time", this will take a couple days, but you'll be able to bring the paint to a gloss and not worry about runs.
You can spray more than one side per day, just wait a good hour before flipping.
E.g. (1) lay on a side - baffle/front away, give that a good coat. (2) wait 1-2 hours, flip on back and spray front (3) wait 1-2 hours, set up-right and spray top.
Next day paint remaining side, bottom if you wish.
I was watching some youtube videos showing automotive painting and these guys make it look so easy. Plus, the paint seems to go right on at a super high gloss without any polishing needed.
DIY How To Paint A Car Yourself Using Primer Sealer, Base Coat, Tri Coat, Clearcoat - YouTube
DIY How To Paint A Car Yourself Using Primer Sealer, Base Coat, Tri Coat, Clearcoat - YouTube
I spent about 10 years hanging around a body shop ( TVR Car Club). Yea, a real painter makes it look easy. The videos are misleading you on the finish quality. A good paint job means lots of sanding and buffing. In an environmentally controlled clean room with robots you can do pretty well. Look at a new car. Orange peal is not too bad. Usually no drips. To reproduce that level of quality in a body shop is a $10K paint job. A show quality is more. Lots more. Don't believe the TV shows that do a hot-rod in a week.
Yea, I painted my TVR. Came out pretty nice. Years of body work, Months of prep. Days of blocking primer. Many more days color sanding and buffing. Also remember decent paint is very expensive. Sealer, primer, color, cat, cleaners, solvents, reducers, clear, etc.
Yea, I painted my TVR. Came out pretty nice. Years of body work, Months of prep. Days of blocking primer. Many more days color sanding and buffing. Also remember decent paint is very expensive. Sealer, primer, color, cat, cleaners, solvents, reducers, clear, etc.
You could do many layers of lacquer however be aware that it is not friendly finish to work with. Dries really fast.
Pro paint booth, Pro paint gun, Pro paints and Pros doing it. Eliminate any one of those and it won't come out like that.
ahh, matte black and finish with clear lacquer, it's really not that difficult
the worst problem is dust particles 😱
but if white instead of black, I don't know what white would substitute matte black
only the 'preperation' is hard work
but like anythings else, even the 'simple' sanding takes practice
the worst problem is dust particles 😱
but if white instead of black, I don't know what white would substitute matte black
only the 'preperation' is hard work
but like anythings else, even the 'simple' sanding takes practice
I do automotive paint and body for a living. I've been doing for about 15 years. A couple of tips. Never put any 2 part product, with the exception of filler on top of a single stage. Yes you can put filler on top of any primer, although single stage primers are junk if you want long term results.
Never use an orbital to try to sand something flat and straight. You need a long board...but most hand sanding blocks will do for this. Filler is a great first step to leveling. But if you are really wanting good results trying to get something flat, use whats called a guide coat.
SEM 38203 Guide Coat Black Aerosol
You spray the guide coat before sanding. The black paint will sand off in your high spots, and stay in the low spots, and you can really pick up ALL imperfections quickly and easily this way.
More later when I have more time. BTW, you DO NOT need a paint booth!
Never use an orbital to try to sand something flat and straight. You need a long board...but most hand sanding blocks will do for this. Filler is a great first step to leveling. But if you are really wanting good results trying to get something flat, use whats called a guide coat.
SEM 38203 Guide Coat Black Aerosol
You spray the guide coat before sanding. The black paint will sand off in your high spots, and stay in the low spots, and you can really pick up ALL imperfections quickly and easily this way.
More later when I have more time. BTW, you DO NOT need a paint booth!
Interestingly enough, the first three coats of primer are ending up acting as my guide coat. I've been just sanding the faces flat until I get down to the point where I am hitting all of the primer. I'm working on just one of the smaller speakers right now to try to learn a process. Once I am satisfied that it is flat I guess I can prime again or maybe throw on some auto body filler and then sand that flat. I was toying with the idea of taping all of my seams, kind of like drywall installers tape the seams of drywall. Throw down a skim layer of filler, press in some paper tape, and then coat over the tape and the rest of the surface. Then sand all of that flat. Hopefully the paper tape will hide the seam problem that everyone has been discussing here.
I've tried spraying coatings for years and could never get a pro finish because of dust.. For clear finish over veneer, spraying Dissolved shellac flakes outdoors is my favorite because the alcohol evaporates fast before dust or bugs get in but its still not always perfect uniformity.. For paint forget it. I decided to look for a pro for colors and clear now..
I tried Powder coat as shown in the first picture.. It's cheap but the cabinet shape distorted from the heat.. it did return, to near, it's original uniformity after a month but not completely..
The white cabinet in pic 2 was painted in a booth by a person who specializes in painting speakers. Its one primer coat and 2 top coats.. Posting pictures on this forum wont show how good the finish really is, but I can tell you, mine is flawless..
I'm sending all my projects to the an experienced pro with a spray booth..
I tried Powder coat as shown in the first picture.. It's cheap but the cabinet shape distorted from the heat.. it did return, to near, it's original uniformity after a month but not completely..
The white cabinet in pic 2 was painted in a booth by a person who specializes in painting speakers. Its one primer coat and 2 top coats.. Posting pictures on this forum wont show how good the finish really is, but I can tell you, mine is flawless..
I'm sending all my projects to the an experienced pro with a spray booth..
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"How do you control dust without a paint booth?"....first of all you are making the assumption a paint booth controls dust...A proper paint booth is designed to remove particulates from the paint booth...and the "AIR POLLUTION they cause.
A paint booth is nothing more that an air tunnel! If the booth, and more importantly the vehicle is not completely sterile, you can and likely will have problems...because of the air flow that goes on inside one...but not with dust, because everything is blowing around in a paint booth.
You need to worry about contaminates...like tire dressing etc...
Dust is manageable. You just have to know how!!!
A paint booth is nothing more that an air tunnel! If the booth, and more importantly the vehicle is not completely sterile, you can and likely will have problems...because of the air flow that goes on inside one...but not with dust, because everything is blowing around in a paint booth.
You need to worry about contaminates...like tire dressing etc...
Dust is manageable. You just have to know how!!!
Joel may be spraying crap....and you never had any training for working in outdoor conditions. Most dust, is from the job you are working on any way! Not from the outside...
I do this everyday...I know what I am talking about...
I spray stuff outside that is almost always better then the body shop! Not because I am better then the body shop, but because they are lazy!
I do this everyday...I know what I am talking about...
I spray stuff outside that is almost always better then the body shop! Not because I am better then the body shop, but because they are lazy!
Use a 2lb cut of shellac (zinser bullseye sealcoat is perfect and widely available)to seal the flattened MDF prior to painting. This will stop it from warping and prepare the surface for paint adhesion. A thinner (1lb) cut will probably work better, but will require more coats, though it dries faster. Sealcoat is a 3lb cut so you will have to thin it with denatured alcohol (methyl hydrate). Just google "thinning shellac", I'm sure it will yield all the information you need. For best results practice on some scrap. Cheap, easy and proven.
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