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Cabinet and Chassis Restoration and Refinishing For help with cabinet or chassis restoration (non-electrical), please leave a message here. |
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21st Mar 2019, 9:21 am | #21 |
Heptode
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Tonbridge, Kent, UK.
Posts: 686
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Re: Crackle paint
Why was this finish used? I wonder if it has some property that makes it worthwhile compared to normal finishes. It may be aesthetic for car dashboards but this is irrelevant in say, US WW2 military kit which uses it quite a lot. Better to grip maybe but again not relevant to a radio fixed in place. And every time I come across it the finish is different so each manufacturer has had his own formula. Again, why bother?
Confused of Tonbridge |
21st Mar 2019, 9:49 am | #22 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 2,511
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Re: Crackle paint
I can see being hard-wearing and non-reflective as two advantages.
Andy |
21st Mar 2019, 9:58 am | #23 |
Triode
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Wrexham, Clwyd, Wales, UK.
Posts: 47
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Re: Crackle paint
i used wrinkle paint on my grampian amplifier there is a picture of it on here in another thread it is very critical for temperature i sprayed it in my electronics shed i have thermometer and fan heater to get things right just clean item to bare surface and follow instructions on can oh, and i switch fan heater off when spraying just in case there is a flash over from fumes
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21st Mar 2019, 11:16 am | #24 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 3,326
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Re: Crackle paint
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21st Mar 2019, 12:27 pm | #25 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,433
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Re: Crackle paint
Exactly what my dad did with a R1155 cabinet, came out perfect.
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Frank |
21st Mar 2019, 1:38 pm | #26 |
Octode
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Wimbledon, London, UK.
Posts: 1,465
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Re: Crackle paint
I don't think my photo of the MGB dashboard was very informative, so here is a better one. No ruler for comparison, since the bit near to it wasn't so clear.
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22nd Mar 2019, 3:13 am | #27 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Olympia, Washington, USA.
Posts: 664
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Re: Crackle paint
I have purchased "Black & Grey Crackle paints here in the U.S.and it said on the spray can for best results to bake item in the oven at 150-200 F for 1- 2 hrs. It produced the same finish as the U.S. military had on many items. I'd pull the chassis out of the cabinet & bake it.
Note: It DOES smell a lot. The XYL may strongly object to "HER" oven being used. Likely a heat gun would work, and the XYL won't get into a tizzy. When you get into the U.S. Military "CARC" paints, that's a whole 'nother ball game. 2 part, epoxy base, very fast setting. (IIRC "CARC" stands for Chemical and Radiation Coating). Most often used on aircraft and vehicles, but I have seen it on radio gear too. Easy to I.D. as the surface feels like sandpaper, and if you happen to bark your knuckles on it, have a plaster ready. It removes skin like 80 grit sandpaper. (I still have the scars from that from working on my T925 A.M. General 6X6 5 tonner.) |
22nd Mar 2019, 6:00 pm | #28 |
Octode
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 1,657
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Re: Crackle paint
Can all these paints be sprayed direct onto bare aluminium, or does it need an etching primer?
Mike |
30th Aug 2019, 4:21 pm | #29 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK.
Posts: 723
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Re: Crackle paint
Hi
These lovely panels for the Link Trainer at NELSAM. Just look close up at the 'wrinkle' - just like a brain! I did two coats of Halfords etch primer but had to do each panel twice at it turns out that three coats of the wrinkle paint 5 mins apart isn't really enough and I got 'flat' regions. These were from 4 heavy coats and then the panel laid flat to stop it drooping to one end! Cheers James |
30th Aug 2019, 4:34 pm | #30 |
Heptode
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 711
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Re: Crackle paint
Good result there James.
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30th Aug 2019, 5:05 pm | #31 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 14,005
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Re: Crackle paint
Nice work! I've done various homebrew power-supplies/test-gear/accessories in wrinkle-finish (I have a bit of a thing for the WWII/1940s-industrial aesthetic - my latest is a mains-filter in an Eddystone diecast box intended as an analog to the Eddystone "Cat 732") and with a good 'key coat' the wrinkle sticks well enough.
Time spent on surface-preparation before applying the top-coat is always time well-spent. I'd suggest making sure it's really fully-dried [ideally a week or so] before you handle it too much or in your enthusiasm start fitting controls, meters etc - the paint remains slightly soft under the skin for some time and it's easy to inadvertently snag/tear the surface. Always use washers under all fastener-heads too - this stops the surface tearing-up when tightening. |
30th Aug 2019, 5:34 pm | #32 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK.
Posts: 723
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Re: Crackle paint
Hi thanks
Yes, on the first bad coat the paint could be 'slid' irreperably, even after two days! Not an issue as part of the surface was flat anyway. I learned a lot from that experience! The paint can dry for weeks now as I don't need to bolt it up yet. Cheers James |
10th Sep 2019, 10:05 pm | #33 |
Triode
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 34
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Re: Crackle paint
I remember using crackie paint on projects in the early sixties and recollect that the paint had to dry in an atmosphere where a gas or paraffin flame was burning to get it to crackle !
No I haven't imagined it ! John |
10th Sep 2019, 10:46 pm | #34 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK.
Posts: 723
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Re: Crackle paint
Hi
Here are before and after for one of the crackle panels. James |
11th Sep 2019, 11:18 am | #35 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 841
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Re: Crackle paint
In the 1960's there used to be a company (I think in Tottenham Court Road London), called 'Ucan'
They sold a really good one-part crackle paint, that smelt strongly of Naphthalene. It required no special techniques, & was simply brushed or sprayed on. It produced an excellent hard-wearing finish, that looked very much like that used on RAF equipment. Does anyone know if there's anything like it still available? David. |
11th Sep 2019, 4:14 pm | #36 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 14,005
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Re: Crackle paint
Quote:
Car-restoration places [Frost etc] sell it - it's used on the dashboards of MGBs and Midgets. |
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11th Sep 2019, 6:46 pm | #37 |
Octode
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 1,657
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Re: Crackle paint
I've been following this thread, but, never having used this stuff, I'm still confused over when you need a primer and when you don't. Do all types require an etching primer for use on aluminium? Is unprimed steel OK for "one-coat" types?
Mike |
11th Sep 2019, 7:04 pm | #38 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 14,005
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Re: Crackle paint
For aluminium I'd always use an etch-primer; you can get a reasonable one - by UPol - from Halfords.
https://www.halfords.com/motoring/pa...-8-etch-primer I prefer to etch-prime bare steel too. When painting, remember that 90% of the final result comes from time spent in the preparation! |
11th Sep 2019, 9:30 pm | #39 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK.
Posts: 723
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Re: Crackle paint
Quote:
Cheers James |
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12th Sep 2019, 2:02 pm | #40 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,832
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Re: Crackle paint
Does it really matter what it's called? People will argue for ever and day over such matters. The real issue is, 'is it what I want?'.
It's exactly the same with shoe sizes. You see people in shoe shops agonising (literally) trying to shoehorn themselves into that size 42 that they "know is their size", when the size 43 fits them a treat?! What does it matter, the 'number' on the sole of the shoe? It doesn't. Just my quirky take on these matters!
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