Another painting question ...but a bit different

[DryRoasted]

I know there are lots of threads on painting our enclosures but the genreal consensus seems to be to bake the box in a toaster oven.  Over here in Blighty we dont have toaster ovens (AFAIK) in the same vein as America.  What do you UK builders use to get the paint dry ?  Leaving it outside at this time of year is a no no as its cold and damp and I dont have a garage I can use.

[pyrop]

I would use paint that is quick drying and I would warm the enclosure slightly with a hair drier say to about 20-25degC. Paint it and wait a few minutes then hit it with the hair drier again til dry.


pyrop

[tazwolf]

I'm in the same position as you, can't find a toaster- i live in Sweden plus that I live in a tiny flat.
I don't know if it will  work but i read somebody here suggested
leaving the painted box under a lamp - so thats what I will try next.

A hair dryer might work as well but then theres the problem of too much heat all at
once and the surface may begin to crackle.

/taz

[DryRoasted]

Well heres the Monty Python Holy Grail version of my box painting experience. 

1) I sprayed it with white primer outside, waited a few hours and went for a look, it looked dry so I picked it up and smeared the paint all over.

2) Next day I sanded the lumps in the primer down and sprayed a lovely metallic blue over it, not too thick, not too thin, nice and even.  A few hours later the wind blew the wire frame over and got grit and crud ingrained in the still soft paint.

3) See 2 with the addition of the dog sticking his nose in the drying paint and then knocking over the wire frame etc etc

4) Decided to do several thin coats today, that way it'll dry quicker and I can minimise the chances of accidents.....  wind blew it over, the top was dry so no damage but the sides weren't..... now I got a finger print on the side, a blue thumb and the missus has decided the paint gives her a head ache and has banned me from spraying

[Beo]

Get a basic bottle feed external mix airbrush, a small automotive compressor, a Direct To Metal etch primer, some acrylic colors, and a water-based lacquer, and you are off to the races. Indoor spraying year round, fast dry (no toaster), no smell. And there's lots of artistic stuff you can do with the airbrush (color blends, stencils, etc).

Harbor Freight has some made in china airbrushes good enough for coating enclosures, and a cheap compressor with tank. You can shoot almost any acrylic paint through a basic siphon bottle airbrush with a heavy needle... might need just a bit of thinning (water works). I use a Badger 350, but I have other more precise airbrushes too.

I use an Auto-Air Direct To Metal sealer for priming, but they don't seem to make this any more. I'm sure there are other brands. Davent turned me on to Target 7000 water based laccquer (now EM7000HBL I think). Or you can do your final clear coat using regular spraycan or epoxy.

Auto compressors are loud... but the tank lets it stay off for long periods. I ended up getting a low noise dentist compressor (Jun-Air) at a pawn shop... quieter than a mini-fridge.

Check out Davent's posts here... he's done some amazing things with airbrush, acrylic paint, acrylic medium transfers, etc. Acrylics are awesome!

Travis

[Beo]

Some more info, if you are in the USA:

Airbrush with hose and bottles 10$
https://www.harborfreight.com/34-and-3-oz-airbrush-kit-62294.html

Compressor: 55$
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-gal-13-HP-100-PSI-Oilless-Pancake-Air-Compressor-60637.html

Regulator & Filter: 14$ (sometimes comes already with compressor)
https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-air-line-filter-regulator-with-gauge-68228.html

DTM Primer: ?
Rustoleum has a product, but only in 1 gal. Need to search for a 1 quart affordable product.

Paint: Createx, Auto-Air, and many others. 1-2$ per ounce (a little goes a long way)
http://www.dickblick.com/products/createx-airbrush-colors/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=25308-6003&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI78aKhdu01QIVMhbTCh2fagS6EAkYASABEgL2GPD_BwE

Clearcoat: small can 21$ (32 ounce... a lot)
https://www.targetcoatings.com/product/em7000hbl-high-build-wb-spray-lacquer/

So, for under 100$ you have all the gear, and just need to pick you primer/colors/coatings. And if you get into it, you can always upgrade your gear later.
If you know you are serious about getting into this, you will probably want to pay more and get better equipment from the start.