[ARC5] Wrinkle Paint alternative (was Antenna Current Meter Needed)

[Mike Everette via ARC5]

If you need to repaint a BC-224, BC-348, LM freq meter or anything else which has a very "fine" original wrinkle finish, the truck bed liner works just great.

On an aluminum surface, a self etching primer is needed.  Clean the dirt and dust off the metal, rub it down with ReaLemon juice, then apply the primer.  Paint over with bed liner when the primer's good and dry.

You'll like the results.  No mess, no heat guns, no problems.

If you want a color besides black (is there such, for radio equipment...?) the bed liner comes in other colors.  Check the hardware or auto parts store.

73

Mike
WA4DLF

--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 5/6/14, Steve Gajkowski <grasshopper at epix.net> wrote:

 Subject: RE: [ARC5] Wrinkle Paint alternative (was Antenna Current Meter Needed)
 To: "'Mike Everette'" <radiocompass at yahoo.com>, "'Robert Eleazer'" <releazer at earthlink.net>, arc5 at mailman.qth.net
 Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2014, 4:34 PM
 
 I have seen another trick
 work but would require experimentation... Spray on
 flat black, or gloss, what ever you like and
 before it cures overspray with
 clear.  I
 have seen this create quite a nice crackle appearance but
 have not
 noted the exact conditions...
 
 Kd3ht
 
 -----Original Message-----
 From: ARC5 [mailto:arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
 On Behalf Of Mike Everette
 via ARC5
 Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2014 3:29 PM
 To: arc5 at mailman.qth.net;
 Robert Eleazer
 Subject: [ARC5] Wrinkle Paint
 alternative (was Antenna Current Meter Needed)
 
 Here is an alternative to
 wrinkle paint.  It's much more durable, and far
 less trouble:
 
 Rust-Oleum 248914 Truck Bed Coating.
 
 Enjoy.
 
 73
 
 Mike
 WA4DLF
 --------------------------------------------
 On Mon, 5/5/14, Robert Eleazer <releazer at earthlink.net>
 wrote:
 
  Subject: [ARC5]
 Antenna Current Meter Needed
  To: arc5 at mailman.qth.net
  Date: Monday, May 5, 2014, 9:10 PM
  
  I have done extensive work
 on wrinkle
  paint.  My efforts to repaint
 one particular BC-348-J
  (3 repaints, with
 paint remover and sanding in between)
 
 ultimately yielded satisfactory results - and I think my
  description of that saga nearly brought the
 esteemed David
  Stinson to tears.
  
  To summarize:
  
  VHT wrinkle paint produces
 the deepest and most noticeable
  wrinkle
 finish - which makes it unsuitable for BC-348
  faceplates, where you have to have a very thin
 wrinkle to
  prevent covering the letters,
 which I later pick out with a
  sliver fine
 point Sharpie marker.
  
 
 Plasticoat wrinkle paint appears to be most suitable for
  attaining a thin wrinkle.
  
  DO NOT PREHEAT THE CAN!  This is an old trick
 from
  model airplane days, of sitting the
 spray can in a tub of
  hot water before
 painting.  This approach likely will
 
 prevent the wrinkle finish from ever appearing. 
 Don't
  ask me how I know....
  
  Primer coats appear to be
 unnecessary and probably
 
 counterproductive.  They did not primer the originals
  and this probably is not a coincidence.
  
  Baking the freshly painted
 subject in an oven is not
  required - but
 application of hot air via a handheld
 
 hairdryer is a definite plus and may be essential in some
  cases. 
  
  Age
 of the paint is a factor.  I had an old can of
  Krylon wrinkle paint and figured I would try
 it out on the
  case of a Heathkit SG-6,
 since I had to paint it
  something.  The
 spray can leaked horribly and created a
 
 huge mess - and embarrassingly enough left a very nice
  wrinkle finish where none was really needed. 
 So maybe
  age of the paint is not a real
 factor if you can work
  outside, in the
 grass, and have a spare 5 year old child
 
 around you can blame the mess on.  My claim that the
  dog did it was not found to be credible.  
  
  Good Luck!
 
 
  Wayne   
 
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