In the spirit of DIY audio I would like to get the ball rolling on discussing what your favorite paints or finishes work well for speaker cabinet projects. Wal-mart DIY truck bedliner, specialty paints, carpet, etc. Post what products you like, where you can get them, and what techniques you use to apply them. This thread could be handy for those about to tackle the forthcoming coax wedge project.
The "official" cabinet finishing thread
- Thread starter Tom Manchester
- Start date
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
Warnex. I get it applied for me. Environmentally friendly, creates many different textures depending on application, available in a wide variety of colors, and easy to patch up down the road. Also, unlike some of the other "durable" coatings, it doesn't tear up my knuckles when I'm moving boxes around.
Warnex. I get it applied for me. Environmentally friendly, creates many different textures depending on application, available in a wide variety of colors, and easy to patch up down the road. Also, unlike some of the other "durable" coatings, it doesn't tear up my knuckles when I'm moving boxes around.
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
Duratex. Yes, I sell it, but even if I didn't I'd use it. Easy, fast, and completely customizable. Just about any faux finish technique you can do with paint you can do with duratex. I do mostly standard spatter in various sizes of spatter, but I've done a few with a distressed leather look that I like a lot.
Duratex. Yes, I sell it, but even if I didn't I'd use it. Easy, fast, and completely customizable. Just about any faux finish technique you can do with paint you can do with duratex. I do mostly standard spatter in various sizes of spatter, but I've done a few with a distressed leather look that I like a lot.
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
Do you use a hopper to apply spatter? I have a cheap spayer, but not a gravity hopper...I was wondering if I could spatter using a paint brush with a flick of the wrist. I plan on rolling on the first coat, and then trying to spatter.
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
even the orignal turboblue is from them ...
+1
even the orignal turboblue is from them ...
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
+1 on Warnex. That is what we use.
+1 on Warnex. That is what we use.
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Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
You're in Parsons? Wow, I was just through there a few weeks ago (had to wave at the last roll of Kodachrome) on my way to a gig.
Can you compare working with DuraTex and Polane-T (if you used the water-based formula)? We're getting ready to finish some new work boxes and cable trunks.
Have fun, good luck.
Tim Mc
You're in Parsons? Wow, I was just through there a few weeks ago (had to wave at the last roll of Kodachrome) on my way to a gig.
Can you compare working with DuraTex and Polane-T (if you used the water-based formula)? We're getting ready to finish some new work boxes and cable trunks.
Have fun, good luck.
Tim Mc
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
I have used duratex also. I used the roll on version. I used a foam roller with no other texture. It turned out nice but was a little like having sand in the paint. If you have any tips on rolling the paint on but getting texture like a splatter that would be great.
It wears well and is easy to retouch up.
db
I have used duratex also. I used the roll on version. I used a foam roller with no other texture. It turned out nice but was a little like having sand in the paint. If you have any tips on rolling the paint on but getting texture like a splatter that would be great.
It wears well and is easy to retouch up.
db
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
Do your base coat with the regular roller, then use a textured roller for your "splatter" coat
http://www.speakerhardware.com/4_duratex_roller_refill-Duratex4refill.php
Do your base coat with the regular roller, then use a textured roller for your "splatter" coat
http://www.speakerhardware.com/4_duratex_roller_refill-Duratex4refill.php
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
Hello Tom,
Do not use the Wally World bed liner. It is easy to splatter spray on. But it does not last more than a year or two. It starts to crack, peel, shed, grind.
I used Rhino one time. Curtis described it as having been drug though the cow pasture. I think that was apt. Probably more the monkeys than the monkey wrench though.
I use a company that sprays turbo liner. It has been great for me.
Regards, Jack
Hello Tom,
Do not use the Wally World bed liner. It is easy to splatter spray on. But it does not last more than a year or two. It starts to crack, peel, shed, grind.
I used Rhino one time. Curtis described it as having been drug though the cow pasture. I think that was apt. Probably more the monkeys than the monkey wrench though.
I use a company that sprays turbo liner. It has been great for me.
Regards, Jack
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
I had an occasion on another woodworking project to use the Rust-O-Leum Truck Bed Liner spray - not particularly happy with the outcome.
I had an occasion on another woodworking project to use the Rust-O-Leum Truck Bed Liner spray - not particularly happy with the outcome.
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
+1
On bare aluminum prepped with solvent du jour (I believe it was acetone), it seemed to be about equivalent to standard textured rustoleum from a rattle can. Certainly not abrasion resistant.
+1
On bare aluminum prepped with solvent du jour (I believe it was acetone), it seemed to be about equivalent to standard textured rustoleum from a rattle can. Certainly not abrasion resistant.
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
I have used Duratex and it works well, pretty decent price at $50 / gallon. I currently have a rack, some small trap boxes, and a few other projects covered in it.
I tried the dupli-color DIY bedliner at about $20 / gallon from walmart about 6 years ago and it was ok. It had these little granules of rubber like material mixed in it that were hard to get consistent, but I was using a brush and not a roller so that could have been a lot of it.
I think I did hercu-liner on one of my DIY's back in the day, but I can't recall what it was. That stuff is a bit too expensive for what it is, imho. For about $30 less you can get a gallon of duratex, which I like better.
I saw the rust-oleum spray on bedliner at lowes today when I was picking up bondo putty knives, it seemed tempting to try at $8 / can, but evidently not that good according to what you guys are saying.
I perused the other off the shelf paint options at Lowes to see what was a good compromise between quality and price and became somewhat interested in the "epoxy" garage floor coatings. You can get an expensive kit at about $80 that is a two part mix. Then they also have an "epoxy acrylic" style that is around $30 / gallon that is supposedly tint-able like a regular house paint. I didn't buy it to try because I've had bad experience at Lowes with them getting a good dark black tint. Last batch (of latex paint) I bought was more of a dark olive green.
I have had good luck with Home Depot tints because they apparently have a pure black tint for their paints so they can get it reasonably dark. I'm tempted to see if they have a tint-able acrylic epoxy garage floor paint that's worth trying.
For me, finishing budget depends on the application of the project. My plywood cable trunks get $20 / gallon black paint because they can get repainted and don't have to look nice. My nicer FOH and monitor cabinets get duratex because it looks much more presentable, but at almost $60 / gallon when you factor shipping. I'd like to find something off the shelf that has a fairly hard enamel like finish in the $30-40 / gallon range for basic utility projects.
I have used Duratex and it works well, pretty decent price at $50 / gallon. I currently have a rack, some small trap boxes, and a few other projects covered in it.
I tried the dupli-color DIY bedliner at about $20 / gallon from walmart about 6 years ago and it was ok. It had these little granules of rubber like material mixed in it that were hard to get consistent, but I was using a brush and not a roller so that could have been a lot of it.
I think I did hercu-liner on one of my DIY's back in the day, but I can't recall what it was. That stuff is a bit too expensive for what it is, imho. For about $30 less you can get a gallon of duratex, which I like better.
I saw the rust-oleum spray on bedliner at lowes today when I was picking up bondo putty knives, it seemed tempting to try at $8 / can, but evidently not that good according to what you guys are saying.
I perused the other off the shelf paint options at Lowes to see what was a good compromise between quality and price and became somewhat interested in the "epoxy" garage floor coatings. You can get an expensive kit at about $80 that is a two part mix. Then they also have an "epoxy acrylic" style that is around $30 / gallon that is supposedly tint-able like a regular house paint. I didn't buy it to try because I've had bad experience at Lowes with them getting a good dark black tint. Last batch (of latex paint) I bought was more of a dark olive green.
I have had good luck with Home Depot tints because they apparently have a pure black tint for their paints so they can get it reasonably dark. I'm tempted to see if they have a tint-able acrylic epoxy garage floor paint that's worth trying.
For me, finishing budget depends on the application of the project. My plywood cable trunks get $20 / gallon black paint because they can get repainted and don't have to look nice. My nicer FOH and monitor cabinets get duratex because it looks much more presentable, but at almost $60 / gallon when you factor shipping. I'd like to find something off the shelf that has a fairly hard enamel like finish in the $30-40 / gallon range for basic utility projects.
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
Okay, I should check in a shade more often.
Hopper gun, HVLP, and airless can all be used to apply duratex. I use a hopper gun for a box or two, when it gets serious I break out the airless. If you use a hopper gun you want either the smallest or middle size opening depending on the texture you want. Set the trigger stop so the gun BARELY opens, and move fairly quickly. It builds very fast. Too thick of an application will run, and also not set up properly.
With an airless you need a big tip, .20 to .24, and very low pressure. Plus a pretty serious airless. This stuff is elastomeric, and the cheaper machines either won't spray it, or it will eat the packings lunch. I use an Airlessco which is about a 2k sprayer. Once again move pretty quickly. I have shot it with a .17 tip for a first coat, it goes on like paint with that tip.
To roll it don't use any nap style roller. Has to be the foam rollers. Acrytechs works the best of any I've found. But you can use any faux finish technique with this stuff you can do with paint. Watch your film thickness. 1st coat very thin, just make the cab black. Then apply a texture coat. Above 70deg you should wait about 1/2 an hour.
Can you compare working with DuraTex and Polane-T (if you used the water-based formula)? We're getting ready to finish some new work boxes and cable trunks.
Polane is a harder finish. Also harder to apply, nastier stuff. I think Duratex applied correctly is probably just as tough, and easier to apply and repair if dinged.
You're in Parsons? Wow, I was just through there a few weeks ago (had to wave at the last roll of Kodachrome) on my way to a gig.
My Uncle was featured on the Today show story on Kodachrome. He was a professional photographer here for 40-50 yrs. The actual last roll to be processed was shot by the owner of Dwaynes photo.
It was crazy, they were getting TRUCKLOADS literally of Kodachrome to process. Stop by some time if you're through. I'll be in tatown this weekend for the Opera Gala. My daughter is a young artist with the WGO.
Okay, I should check in a shade more often.
Hopper gun, HVLP, and airless can all be used to apply duratex. I use a hopper gun for a box or two, when it gets serious I break out the airless. If you use a hopper gun you want either the smallest or middle size opening depending on the texture you want. Set the trigger stop so the gun BARELY opens, and move fairly quickly. It builds very fast. Too thick of an application will run, and also not set up properly.
With an airless you need a big tip, .20 to .24, and very low pressure. Plus a pretty serious airless. This stuff is elastomeric, and the cheaper machines either won't spray it, or it will eat the packings lunch. I use an Airlessco which is about a 2k sprayer. Once again move pretty quickly. I have shot it with a .17 tip for a first coat, it goes on like paint with that tip.
To roll it don't use any nap style roller. Has to be the foam rollers. Acrytechs works the best of any I've found. But you can use any faux finish technique with this stuff you can do with paint. Watch your film thickness. 1st coat very thin, just make the cab black. Then apply a texture coat. Above 70deg you should wait about 1/2 an hour.
Can you compare working with DuraTex and Polane-T (if you used the water-based formula)? We're getting ready to finish some new work boxes and cable trunks.
Polane is a harder finish. Also harder to apply, nastier stuff. I think Duratex applied correctly is probably just as tough, and easier to apply and repair if dinged.
You're in Parsons? Wow, I was just through there a few weeks ago (had to wave at the last roll of Kodachrome) on my way to a gig.
My Uncle was featured on the Today show story on Kodachrome. He was a professional photographer here for 40-50 yrs. The actual last roll to be processed was shot by the owner of Dwaynes photo.
It was crazy, they were getting TRUCKLOADS literally of Kodachrome to process. Stop by some time if you're through. I'll be in tatown this weekend for the Opera Gala. My daughter is a young artist with the WGO.
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
Tom, I tried the spray can stuff at it wasn't worth it to me.
I also asked them for some black paint and they tried to make it - duh... you get grey when you put in black tint into anything not black...
Tom, I tried the spray can stuff at it wasn't worth it to me.
I also asked them for some black paint and they tried to make it - duh... you get grey when you put in black tint into anything not black...
Re: The "official" cabinet finishing thread
I was thinking that might work. Good ole' Bondo.
I was thinking that might work. Good ole' Bondo.