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has anyone painted their amp a mirror-finish glossy black?

post #1 of 10
2/17/10 at 3:43am
Thread Starter 
I'm wondering if it's worth the effort of going for a mirror finish or just let it stay black. I think I've done 5 coats of glossy black already.

Thanks for the help
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post #2 of 10
2/17/10 at 4:48am
I was concerned about "mirror finish" showing more finger prints and dust when I prefer to see the reflections of the tubes. That said, I decided for a less glossy finish for my Bijou case.
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post #3 of 10
2/17/10 at 6:05am
singlepower kinda did, if you like orange peel.
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post #4 of 10
2/17/10 at 6:19am
Go to your local PPG auto paint supplier buy a spray gun and air compressor and paint it like its a car with thier base and clear. Then buff it. I used to paint cars so I have all the equipment, if you're near me you can borrow.
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post #5 of 10
2/17/10 at 1:47pm
Piano finish is a LOT of work, and you would have wanted to wet-sand between each of your 5 coats. That said you could still go for it, just need a sanding block and a lot of elbow grease, and a clear glossy automotive lacquer for the topcoat.
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post #6 of 10
2/17/10 at 2:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TimmyMac View Post
Piano finish is a LOT of work, and you would have wanted to wet-sand between each of your 5 coats. That said you could still go for it, just need a sanding block and a lot of elbow grease, and a clear glossy automotive lacquer for the topcoat.
I disagree - there isn't much point in wet-sanding between paint coats - it just adds a lot of work. This is especially true if you're planning to cover the topcoat with a separate clear coat (which you definitely should - the glossy layer in glossy paint isn't thick enough for good polishing).

Also, if he used an enamel top coat, he is better off using an enamel clear coat (or lacquer formulated to go over enamels, like Krylon). Some of the better case workers over at DIY Audio prefer polyurethane. Unfortunately, the very best clear coats are 2-component and extremely dangerous to work with.

You are correct, however, in your assertion that very glossy finishes take a LOT of work. You can get a matte, satin or even orange-peeled glossy finish in a small fraction of the time it takes to get a true glossy finish.

There's a lot of good information in this DIYAudio thread.
A 'how to' for High Gloss Finishing - diyAudio
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post #7 of 10
2/17/10 at 3:44pm
I did my M3 trying for a glossy finish. I would like to recommend lacquer over polyurethane. Polyurethane doesn't dry totally clear and under direct sunlight, my amp looks yellow instead.

Second I would recommend something not as quick-drying as a spray. The fast drying time means the coat can't settle into an even coat if you didn't put it on perfectly.

Once the coat is dry, meaning not even tacky, make sure it's smooth and even, sand if it isn't. Put another coat on top of that. I didn't have a whole lot of luck with polishing personally but I know next to nothing about it. I just let the urethane dry glossy.

Finally, as everyone says, it is A LOT of work to get a nice glossy finish. Especially on black.
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post #8 of 10
2/17/10 at 4:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emooze View Post
I did my M3 trying for a glossy finish. I would like to recommend lacquer over polyurethane. Polyurethane doesn't dry totally clear and under direct sunlight, my amp looks yellow instead.
Yes, I had a brain fart - polyurethane is great for finishing wood but not so great over paint, unless you have access to the professional-grade 2-component polyurethanes (and the necessary equipment).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emooze View Post
Second I would recommend something not as quick-drying as a spray. The fast drying time means the coat can't settle into an even coat if you didn't put it on perfectly.
Sprays are the only feasible option for most people - most people don't have a compressor and HVLP gun, much less an airtight paint booth and the required safety equipment to work with the 'good stuff'. Dipping or pouring is do-able, but it's beyond the ability of most DIYers to mix the paint properly for that. I have, however, seen excellent results from pouring thinned paint.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Emooze View Post
Once the coat is dry, meaning not even tacky, make sure it's smooth and even, sand if it isn't. Put another coat on top of that. I didn't have a whole lot of luck with polishing personally but I know next to nothing about it. I just let the urethane dry glossy.
Patience is a big virtue in finishing work. One of the most common mistakes when finishing is not allowing enough time to dry - you should not be sanding when the paint may be barely dry. It can take several weeks for a clear coat to properly dry, and if you try polishing it prior to that, you'll get a weird, milky finish and will have to start from the beginning.

Basically, if you can stand the sight of orange peel, you can save yourself days of work.
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post #9 of 10
2/17/10 at 5:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoodySteve View Post
There's a lot of good information in this DIYAudio thread.
A 'how to' for High Gloss Finishing - diyAudio
Thanks for that link! What a great read.
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post #10 of 10
2/17/10 at 5:22pm
I don't think that painting a computer case would be too different from painting an amp case, so here's a link on how to get a glossy finish on a computer case with spray paint.
Guide To Case Mod Computer Case Painting Page 2
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