Acceptable chassis finishes?

mofugly13 · May 17th, 2008, 10:29 PM

I am building a 5e3 and bought a raw steel blank chassis on ebay. I've drilled it all out with the proper holes for everything. Bu I am wondering what finishes/coatings are acceptable for an amp chassis. The originals are chromed, no? I dont want to pay to have mine chromed, unless I could have it done for $25 or so. Not knowing wgat chrome plating costs, I'm gonna assume that having it done would push the price of my chassis up above the price of a "ready to go" chassis. Is sparay paint acceptable? Powder coating? I don't want to leave it raw as it will end up rusting. Would I be correct in assuming that almost any finish is acceptable as long as there is good electrical contact between the chassis and that components that need metal-to-metal contact for electrical continuity?

mojo2001 · May 17th, 2008, 11:08 PM

First...don't paint the inside of the chassis...or make allowances for the places where chassis grounds must be made and don't paint there.

Powder coating is cool but not cheap if you walk in with one piece. I figure 40-50 bucks.

When I was painting hi-fi chassis a lot, I used Sherwin-Williams direct to metal enamel (the alkyd is a bit better than the latex)...like $30 a gallon. They can match your desired color. Sprayable with a Preval spayer or a Wagner gun if you cut it 1/2 with mineral spirits. Very durable and good looking finish that is easy to get right. It cures overnight and most imperfections in the spray job will disappear.

Rustoleum hammertone is another possibility. It will flow a lot better if the can is heated up in hot water and the chassis is hot from sitting in the sun. Durable but tricky to apply...try some samples first. Figure out how to get the texture right. Very durable.

Maybe lawn furniture paint if you like white or green?

In general, I have not found typical spray paint to stick to steel that well, even with a good primer job. It is easy to scrape, chip, etc. If there are any pros out there, love to hear other advice. My best technique was always direct to metal enamel.

mofugly13 · May 17th, 2008, 11:19 PM

Thanks,I figured almost any durable finish is cool as long as theres good electrical contact with bare metal in the locations where it is required. Funny you mention Hammertone paints, I've had good luck with it on properly prepped metal parts I've fabbed for my offroad Blazer. I have my own powdercoat setup, but it is kinda messy to use. I think I might just try and shine it up and apply a cold gun blue to it.

mojo2001 · May 17th, 2008, 11:44 PM

Quote:

I think I might just try and shine it up and apply a cold gun blue to it.

Say no more. THAT would be super bad @$$ !!

Be sure to post a pic if you achieve success!

One other option that I have had good results with is using a thin piece of lexan as a transparent faceplate --you can reverse paint on the lexan, back light it, cover a laser printed panel...all sorts of neat tricks. Still got to paint the metal though...

There is also REAL hammertone paint, not the Rustoleum version, which I believe is nitro based. This is a total classic. Available usually in black , brown or gray.

mofugly13 · August 1st, 2008, 11:00 AM

Hey mojo, here you go. It's still full of "assembly-troubleshoot" fingerprints, but the cold blue turned out really nice.

11 Gauge · August 1st, 2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojo2001

Rustoleum hammertone is another possibility. It will flow a lot better if the can is heated up in hot water and the chassis is hot from sitting in the sun. Durable but tricky to apply...try some samples first. Figure out how to get the texture right. Very durable.

+1.

Once you get the technique down, the stuff is super durable, and looks great. I use it on any steel surface that's going to take a beating.

It also comes in a variety of colors besides the typical hammertone colors. I even used it on the medium blue HH Strat in my photo gallery, that I built for a friend. The texture is clearly visible.

marshman · August 1st, 2008, 02:40 PM

Too late now, but I think a lot of manufaturers leave the chassis unfinished, and have faceplates made to cover the visible fronts, like the classic Blackface plate or the Marshall Plexis...I'm gonna try getting some thin plexi, lettering the back with the appropriate text and then 'fish-scaling' (you know, the '70s dashboard stuff) before I bolt it down. But don't tell anyone, it's a secret.

May 17th, 2008, 10:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
mofugly13 Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Francisco Age: 34 Posts: 154	Acceptable chassis finishes? I am building a 5e3 and bought a raw steel blank chassis on ebay. I've drilled it all out with the proper holes for everything. Bu I am wondering what finishes/coatings are acceptable for an amp chassis. The originals are chromed, no? I dont want to pay to have mine chromed, unless I could have it done for $25 or so. Not knowing wgat chrome plating costs, I'm gonna assume that having it done would push the price of my chassis up above the price of a "ready to go" chassis. Is sparay paint acceptable? Powder coating? I don't want to leave it raw as it will end up rusting. Would I be correct in assuming that almost any finish is acceptable as long as there is good electrical contact between the chassis and that components that need metal-to-metal contact for electrical continuity?

August 1st, 2008, 02:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
marshman Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SE PA Posts: 987	Too late now, but I think a lot of manufaturers leave the chassis unfinished, and have faceplates made to cover the visible fronts, like the classic Blackface plate or the Marshall Plexis...I'm gonna try getting some thin plexi, lettering the back with the appropriate text and then 'fish-scaling' (you know, the '70s dashboard stuff) before I bolt it down. But don't tell anyone, it's a secret. __________________ 42

May 17th, 2008, 11:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
mojo2001 Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Colonial Virginia Age: 49 Posts: 313	First...don't paint the inside of the chassis...or make allowances for the places where chassis grounds must be made and don't paint there. Powder coating is cool but not cheap if you walk in with one piece. I figure 40-50 bucks. When I was painting hi-fi chassis a lot, I used Sherwin-Williams direct to metal enamel (the alkyd is a bit better than the latex)...like $30 a gallon. They can match your desired color. Sprayable with a Preval spayer or a Wagner gun if you cut it 1/2 with mineral spirits. Very durable and good looking finish that is easy to get right. It cures overnight and most imperfections in the spray job will disappear. Rustoleum hammertone is another possibility. It will flow a lot better if the can is heated up in hot water and the chassis is hot from sitting in the sun. Durable but tricky to apply...try some samples first. Figure out how to get the texture right. Very durable. Maybe lawn furniture paint if you like white or green? In general, I have not found typical spray paint to stick to steel that well, even with a good primer job. It is easy to scrape, chip, etc. If there are any pros out there, love to hear other advice. My best technique was always direct to metal enamel.

May 17th, 2008, 11:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
mofugly13 Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Francisco Age: 34 Posts: 154	Thanks,I figured almost any durable finish is cool as long as theres good electrical contact with bare metal in the locations where it is required. Funny you mention Hammertone paints, I've had good luck with it on properly prepped metal parts I've fabbed for my offroad Blazer. I have my own powdercoat setup, but it is kinda messy to use. I think I might just try and shine it up and apply a cold gun blue to it.

August 1st, 2008, 11:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
mofugly13 Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Francisco Age: 34 Posts: 154	Hey mojo, here you go. It's still full of "assembly-troubleshoot" fingerprints, but the cold blue turned out really nice.