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

Wed May 7 11:58:46 EDT 2014

My experiences with Plasticoat wrinkle paint has not been good.  For example, on the replacement crystal doors that I make for the Heath DX-35 and DX-40, I usually paint them 9-doors at a time on a rack that holds them.  Out of 9-doors, I usually get 2, or 3, that are satisfactory.  The remaining doors the wrinkle is not even.  Some doors have no wrinkle and some doors have a wrinkle over a portion of them.  It doesn't depend on where the door was located on the rack.

I have had much better luck in getting wrinkle / crackle using Valspar Stone paint.  That paint is available in several colors but the Alabaster #11439 works the best.  I do suggest practicing on a piece of cardboard for a few minutes to get the "hang" of using this paint.  Depending on how the Stone paint is applied, the amount of wrinkle / crackle can be varied.

After application, a suitable color paint can be over-sprayed or the paint can be covered with a clear spray like Krylon Crystal Clear.

Glen, K9STH

Website:  http://k9sth.com
On Wednesday, May 7, 2014 9:01 AM, Mike Everette via ARC5 <arc5 at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

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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