I have a beat up PPI sedona 500ix amp that i wan to refinish. does anyone know how to remove the old paint and refinish it? I would like to do the heatsink fins in black the middle flat part with a design on it.
You are talking about removing paint right? Not anodization? I've used automotive gasket remover in the past to remove paint. Spray it on, let it sit maybe 3 mins or more and the paint will bubble up and can be brushed off with a soft brush and water.
Gasket remover is some pretty nasty stuff though so wear protective gloves and do it outside where the fumes won't build up and kill your brain cells. You may have to repeat the process for stubborn spots.
if anyone else has a better method, chime in.
Gasket remover is some pretty nasty stuff though so wear protective gloves and do it outside where the fumes won't build up and kill your brain cells. You may have to repeat the process for stubborn spots.
if anyone else has a better method, chime in.
Aircraft stripper is what I used at a bodyshop. Is like gel, you put plastic down and part on stand. Apply and leave for 5 min. Scrape off. Repeat if needed. Clean with solvent like lacquer thinner or enamel reducer, sand if needed but on that I'd try not to and use plastic brush (all plastic tools if you don't want to scratch it up) to clean what is left. A home paint remover might work, hard to say. If the paint is catalyzed it takes more powerful stripper, I doubt it is but could be. Stuff stinks, do it outside.
Another impressive way to do it is get it media blasted. You will have to find a place that does it, is used on boats often and sometimes warranty on new cars. They sand blast but with plastic or egg shells, something like that. It is amazing will take paint right off metal without touching it. They sandblast older corvettes to the original glass even, though it will mess it up a little sometimes. They use huge blasters to do it, so not many places have them. They could strip that thing in 30 seconds. You can often follow paint layer by layer with them when stripping, strip down to the layer you want long as the stuff under does not come off easier. GM recommended it on their cars for example because you could leave the original primer on the car was dipped in, then car has much better corrosion resistance than anything one could spray on it.
Another impressive way to do it is get it media blasted. You will have to find a place that does it, is used on boats often and sometimes warranty on new cars. They sand blast but with plastic or egg shells, something like that. It is amazing will take paint right off metal without touching it. They sandblast older corvettes to the original glass even, though it will mess it up a little sometimes. They use huge blasters to do it, so not many places have them. They could strip that thing in 30 seconds. You can often follow paint layer by layer with them when stripping, strip down to the layer you want long as the stuff under does not come off easier. GM recommended it on their cars for example because you could leave the original primer on the car was dipped in, then car has much better corrosion resistance than anything one could spray on it.
If you happen to know a plating shop, they might have dipping tanks of stripper they use before plating. Some don't like to do paint though because it fills the tank with junk. Another nasty chemical you can use is soak it in spray gun cleaner, for auto paint spray guns. Its nasty stuff but made to take paint off aluminum. It can discolor it but that does not matter if you paint it plus it will polish off if you desire. You can lay it in a flat pan, then cover it to soak for a day or so. It stinks too and use gloves, but that stuff you can keep in one pan at least, or get a tub with a cover. Assuming it is aluminum, as most amps are.
so far the dipping options sound good. I am not a huge fan of chemicals though. I will have to take the amp apart to keep the stuff off the transistors and the board inside. The amp has a fined heatsink so getting in between the fins was going to be the hardest part.
If you want to go the environmentally friendly way you can use some of the citrus based strippers that you can get at home depot. Otherwise I've had a good luck with the Jasco brand paint stripper.
You may also want to call around and check powder coaters in your area as they will normally have a stripping tank for when they have a goof up. They can also powder coat it for you... Around here, Maryland, it would cost you about $40 to get your amp stripped and powder coated. You just have to make sure to tell the coater the specific areas where you do not want the coating!
I powder coated an old audio art that I had laying around with a cheap powder coating kit and spare home oven an it looks original.
Good Luck
KC
You may also want to call around and check powder coaters in your area as they will normally have a stripping tank for when they have a goof up. They can also powder coat it for you... Around here, Maryland, it would cost you about $40 to get your amp stripped and powder coated. You just have to make sure to tell the coater the specific areas where you do not want the coating!
I powder coated an old audio art that I had laying around with a cheap powder coating kit and spare home oven an it looks original.
Good Luck
KC
I would recommend not using a chemical paint remover, and many of them will attack the aluminum.
Jol50 mentioned media blasting.
He is right on track but didn’t mention the best media to use for this application.
This would be called "soda blasting". This is a somewhat new form of media blasting and has some advantages for a heat sink.
This will remove all the paint without damage to the surface and is not toxic.
A shop with a soda blaster would charge you in the 10-15$ range
(guess).
Jol50 mentioned media blasting.
He is right on track but didn’t mention the best media to use for this application.
This would be called "soda blasting". This is a somewhat new form of media blasting and has some advantages for a heat sink.
This will remove all the paint without damage to the surface and is not toxic.
A shop with a soda blaster would charge you in the 10-15$ range
(guess).
There is a lot of media blasting, walnut shells is another. The one I watched was plastic they were like button holes. They did not damage metal, but could be they would not get into tight corners as well as a smaller media. This guy could unpaint a car coat by coat, I'm not kidding. He could do a car and go right over bondo, it didn't even rough it up.
You need to take every thing off the sink, might want to plug any threaded holes, and cover the area the transistors contact the sink. That area must stay smooth and clean to transfer heat. We used duct tape.
You need to take every thing off the sink, might want to plug any threaded holes, and cover the area the transistors contact the sink. That area must stay smooth and clean to transfer heat. We used duct tape.
Well how would the soda blaster do at gettin into the grooves on the heastink? That was the amin reason i was thinking chemcials but they would attack the aluminium and i dont want to ruin it. I was thinking a pain thinner of some sort. Would that damage the aluminium?
Thanks for everyones help.
I really have no idea what im doing and all the input helps a bundle.
Thanks for everyones help.
I really have no idea what im doing and all the input helps a bundle.
Paint thinner is not paint remover. Once the solvents flash from paint (and or) it catalyzes paint thinner won’t remove it.
There are some exceptions based on paint but I would highly doubt any paint used on a sink would be affected (other then it might be really clean or have a dull look).
3 reasons why soda would be a good choice:
1. Because of the soda is made of tiny particles it will get into areas that other physically larger media (glass beads or shells for instance) can not get into.
2. Soda will effectively remove paint without any surface deformations. This means the aluminum will look as if it were just out of the cast. Other medias can pit the metal (but may more aggressively remove rust or paint) but other medias would work but I would use caution before using them.
3. Soda is not toxic and biodegradable. Plus (doesn’t really apply here) if you are doing a steel part (maybe a car door) but don’t want to paint it immediately after you soda blast leave the soda on the part, the soda acts like a rust inhibitor and when you are ready to paint just rinse it off with a hose. Other media doesnt protect the metal and you need to do some sort of protectant or it will rust in a few hours.
If you choose to soda blast it, dont worry about masking holes or the transistor pads....they wont be affected. You will only need to rinse it off in a sink for a few seconds after its done.
I suggest googling it or asking a machine shop/ auto refinishing place.
-JH
There are some exceptions based on paint but I would highly doubt any paint used on a sink would be affected (other then it might be really clean or have a dull look).
3 reasons why soda would be a good choice:
1. Because of the soda is made of tiny particles it will get into areas that other physically larger media (glass beads or shells for instance) can not get into.
2. Soda will effectively remove paint without any surface deformations. This means the aluminum will look as if it were just out of the cast. Other medias can pit the metal (but may more aggressively remove rust or paint) but other medias would work but I would use caution before using them.
3. Soda is not toxic and biodegradable. Plus (doesn’t really apply here) if you are doing a steel part (maybe a car door) but don’t want to paint it immediately after you soda blast leave the soda on the part, the soda acts like a rust inhibitor and when you are ready to paint just rinse it off with a hose. Other media doesnt protect the metal and you need to do some sort of protectant or it will rust in a few hours.
If you choose to soda blast it, dont worry about masking holes or the transistor pads....they wont be affected. You will only need to rinse it off in a sink for a few seconds after its done.
I suggest googling it or asking a machine shop/ auto refinishing place.
-JH
Well I placed a call to a local shop. They said that sinse its such a small job that instead of charging me 400 for setup and takedown that next time they do a car or somethin like that they would have me come over and just blast it when everything is already done for like 25$. They said it would take about 25 minutes or so. sounds good to me.
so now im considering finishes for the amp. The middle flat part will have a celtic/ irish design on it and the fins are going to be black (I think). But im throwing around the idea of having it anodized because i think that would look really good if done right. Any tips out there? As i said before i have no clue what im doing.
I had a huge heatsink that I stripped with aerosol automotive paint stripper, the stuff you can buy at walls-mart. It seemed to have no reaction at all with the aluminum. I painted it with the hammer finish stuff.
http://i27.tinypic.com/14sfaxf.jpg
http://i29.tinypic.com/2u9pptt.jpg
http://i28.tinypic.com/9jemf4.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/14sfaxf.jpg
http://i29.tinypic.com/2u9pptt.jpg
http://i28.tinypic.com/9jemf4.jpg
What kind of paint was it? hammer what? btw that is some very nice work right there. came out really good.
refinish
Cover the machined area where the transistors are mounted. Sand blasting will ruin the fine surface that conducts the heat. Cover with masking tape and instruct the person who blasts the heatsink to avoid this area at all cost. Sand blast the outside of the amp only. This will pit the metal. It will be a flat silver color, nice. Spray it with clear. You will like it. Make sure the machined area is perfectly clean. Do not rush with reassembly. One mistake and you will ruin your project. George. Done it more than once.
Cover the machined area where the transistors are mounted. Sand blasting will ruin the fine surface that conducts the heat. Cover with masking tape and instruct the person who blasts the heatsink to avoid this area at all cost. Sand blast the outside of the amp only. This will pit the metal. It will be a flat silver color, nice. Spray it with clear. You will like it. Make sure the machined area is perfectly clean. Do not rush with reassembly. One mistake and you will ruin your project. George. Done it more than once.
IrishboyM4 said:
Thanks, it's rustoleum hammered spray enamel......
http://www.rustoleum.com/Product.asp?frm_product_id=21&SBL=1
I put on a coat of self etching primer first.
I have always been a fan of the anodizing and thanks for the tip on taking my time. I wasnt going to do green but black anodized should look pretty sick. I am really trying to restore this amp to a good finish and it has a few dents as well that i have to hammer out before this is all done. Are there shops that can anodize it for me? What do you think it would cost?
thanks a bundle everyone!!!!!!!!
thanks a bundle everyone!!!!!!!!
http://www.anopros.com/
This company is very reliable and fair priced.
One of the issues you will find with anodized products is that the quality of the finish is 100% dependant on how the product looks before its dipped.
You would want the heatsink to be polished to a mirror shine BEFORE it gets anodized. This may be a problem for you. If you seek a method for polishing aluminum to a mirror shine I can help get you going.....but you are asking for a whole bum-load of work.
BTW:
I just build a turbo plenum for my race car and used a finishing process called machine turning. I have always wanted to do this to a heatsink.
This company is very reliable and fair priced.
One of the issues you will find with anodized products is that the quality of the finish is 100% dependant on how the product looks before its dipped.
You would want the heatsink to be polished to a mirror shine BEFORE it gets anodized. This may be a problem for you. If you seek a method for polishing aluminum to a mirror shine I can help get you going.....but you are asking for a whole bum-load of work.
BTW:
I just build a turbo plenum for my race car and used a finishing process called machine turning. I have always wanted to do this to a heatsink.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I am thinking about a matt black paint job on it. I have no idea how i would polish teh aluminum whithin the heatsink grooves. If you know how i would be willing to do the work to make it look good.
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