What paint for clear coating a large volume of pedals?

[Se7en_Costanza]

Hey guys, I'm sure there are a thousand threads on this already so i apologise but..

Im going to soon be making a batch of pedals, I'm print screening the enclosures with textile ink (like death by audio), which means im going to have to clear coat it. I was thinking of getting a spray gun so i can paint a large volume of pedals at once as opposed to using spray paint cans. What clearcoat paint would be the best for guns to be used on pedal enclosures. Something thats gonna be clean, durable and fast drying.

Also on another note, does anyone know how death by audio clear coat there pedals?

[matmosphere]

Rattle can Mimi wax laquer works very well. Recoat time is short, and it's tough as nails once it's dry. I usually do 3-4 thin coats. Takes about 1/2 hour, then dry overnight. 

[tubegeek]

Rattle can Mimi wax laquer

MINWAX maybe

[Plexi]

As I know, they use the same method than Ehx: I guess clear primer over the aluminum enclosure.
Then, the graphics

[saransk]

There is a "water-based" version of Minwax Polycrylic that can be thinned and airbrushed.
Comes in Gloss and Satin finish - as well as "rattle-can" and brush
Goes on nice and is "self-leveling"
Couple of coats is nice and hard - but thin - use 500 grit between coats.
I'e used in on pedals to preserve graphics and lettering - especially if I've done DIY decal graphics.
Doesn't attack painted enclosures or decal - printed/painted graphics.
I usually do a gloss coat, then decals, and either gloss or satin for two cover coats.

Won't kill you with the aerosol and such from the usual polyurethanes will.
One quart would do a whole lot of pedals - I've sprayed 5 Strats with a quart - airbrushed.
Mike

[davent]

I've bought  and used various waterborne lacquers sold as guitar finish, wood finish from places like StewMac. Sprayed with an airbrush, takes a lot of mist coats to be up a good finish but i like the results i get. An actual spray gun and i do have one, should lay it on thicker and require less time to build up enough finish. Buy by the quart/liter and a little goes a long way, may seem to cost  a lot  but per pedal it's cheap in the long run.

Have always applied it over acrylic paint so not sure how it might work on bare aluminum.

dave

[EBK]

There is a "water-based" version of Minwax Polycrylic that can be thinned and airbrushed.
Comes in Gloss and Satin finish - as well as "rattle-can" and brush
Goes on nice and is "self-leveling"
Couple of coats is nice and hard - but thin - use 500 grit between coats.
I'e used in on pedals to preserve graphics and lettering - especially if I've done DIY decal graphics.
Doesn't attack painted enclosures or decal - printed/painted graphics.
I usually do a gloss coat, then decals, and either gloss or satin for two cover coats.

Won't kill you with the aerosol and such from the usual polyurethanes will.
One quart would do a whole lot of pedals - I've sprayed 5 Strats with a quart - airbrushed.
Mike

I recently bought some of this water-based Polycrylic.  It didn't self-level for me, but I was using a brush and didn't thin it. 

[davent]

I've also messed around with spraying the various waterborne 'polys' with an airbrush but they never seem as clear as lacquer, retain a bit of milky look. Waterborne lacquer will also 'burn' into the earlier coats forming a single layer where poly layers sit one atop the other and that can become an issue if leve lsanding and sand thru one layer to another leaving tell-tail rings where the layers overlap.
dave

[Se7en_Costanza]

What clear primer do EHX and death by audio use then? does that mean they dont have to clear coat the finish at all?

[brianq]

Anything self-leveling works best ( less sanding)


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