Has any one attempted to paint an aluminum toolbox black? Is there a paint to use that would require little or no sanding and would stick and not peal later? I'd preferr a spray paint so I can do it in the garage. I think I already know the answer but I figured I'd ask. I picked up a cheap Delta toolbox ($50) for my truck and would like to paint it black to match my grill guard and side steps. Thanks.

I painted one a few years ago, but i didn't use spray cans I used a gun to spray mine. There isn't any worry you can do it and it will look great and stick fine but you need to spray a certain kind of primer on it first so that it will stick. I can't remember the name of the primer but if you will give me a couple of days i will look and tell you cause i have some left in the garage.

Rough it up with 420 grit wet/dry sandpaper first. Then rinse and dry very well. Prime it with sandable auto body primer. Use 600 grit wet/dry to smooth it out and again wash it and let dry. Paint it with your preference of paint, Duplicolor auto paint in spray cans works pretty good. Look for the harder enamels or poly urethane if you can find it.

I painted one a few years ago, but i didn't use spray cans I used a gun to spray mine. There isn't any worry you can do it and it will look great and stick fine but you need to spray a certain kind of primer on it first so that it will stick. I can't remember the name of the primer but if you will give me a couple of days i will look and tell you cause i have some left in the garage.


The fire trucks we build from Aluminum are primed with an acid etching primer so that it sticks and stays that way. This is a hard material to make paint stick to unless you do the priming good in the beginning.

Just a question/comment here...but isn't 'zink cromate' the primer? I have looked for it, but haven't seen it for a loooong time.

Bill

Just pick up a few cans of self etching primer and do the basic steps of cleaning and sanding.

i use self etching primer, tractor enamel paint from tsc, and add enamel hardener.

Thanks for the help guys.

Have it powder coated.

I used a rust transformer(it's suppose to make rusty metal....not rusty??) as a primer base coat and then used Rust-o-leum semi-gloss black and I've had no chipping/flaking issues for 4+ years...

How would you effectively sand diamond tread???