What kind of paint do I use?

[jaybird]

I'm getting my manifold and header sandblasted, welded and tapped today (may take a week or so, guys where dahubby used to work are going to do it)

What sort of paint do I use to paint them after they're sandblasted? (they're cast iron)

 

[Radford]

Both Griot's and Eastwood have high heat paints for this appliaction. Do you want it to look cast iron, or aluminum, or what?

 

[BCruzn]

JB, there are all different kinds of paint and prices. If money is no problem, go for it. If your on a budget as I am you might try Rustoleum high heat aluminum paint. This is what I used with much success. It's still there and hasn't burned off.LOL /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

 

[Bret]

Great question JB!

I haven’t looked in to it yet but I was thinking about ceramic coating for my stock manifold for my engine re-build. I figure it ain’t cheap, but I was thinking after I cleaned it up it would look pretty sharp and perhaps in might smooth things out a bit to help with the air flow in the intake & exhaust.

Haven’t gotten around to swapping it, with my old rusty unit currently on my 78B. But I also have another manifold that was sand blasted & painted kind of a dark gray (gun metal color) by the previous owner that looks pretty nice. I’ll send him an email to ask what he used & let ya know what he recommends.

 

[jaybird]

I don't know what I want it to look like! Any suggestions? How much of it is going to actually show, just the header? SUGGESTIONS please!

Can I buy Griot's and Eastwood over the counter or is it something I need to order? I have plenty of time. If I need high heat paint, I can probably get the guys to paint them for me after they do the work on them...persuasive female that I am.

 

[jaybird]

Yea Bret, ceramic coating was mentioned before. I'm not sure that's going to fly with dahubby, unless I just do it and 'surprise' him! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

In fact, in another thread, someone gave me a link for the ceramic coatings. I'll try to find it.

 

[jaybird]

Bret, www.jethot.com

((from my 'my carbs and manifold came thread
Hi JB,
My headers (which are 2 pieces) ran me $227 including the shipping back to me. The turn around time door to door was about a week. I’m sure your manifold would be less. Check their website in my last post to get the phone number. That’s probably the best way to get a price quote. It looks like they also sell new headers for the B. You might want to enquire about that also. ((GregW))

 

[dklawson]

Griots and Eastwood are mail order companies. I prefer Eastwood... but to each his own. POR-15 also has some very good high-temperature coatings. All three companies can be shopped online.

If you're doing this on the cheap, another good option is Barbecue Grill paint available from the home centers. Do not waste your time on the aerosol high-temp/manifold paints at the auto parts stored. They do not have enough binder in them to stay put for very long. The Rustoleum paint mentioned above and grill paint will last much longer. The ceramic coatings are for an entirely different budget.

 

[jaybird]

What color?

 

[Nunyas]

shiney ? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Well, your intake manifold will certianly show up. It'll be more visible than the exhaust manifold if you don't have a heat shield. The aluminum and silver colored paints will show off a really clean engine. Blacks will help hide some grime that might build up over time...

I vote for aluminum/silver color...

 

[jaybird]

Well, the engine is grimy now so black sounds good. But I want aluminum.

And dahubby is one step ahead of me on this. He bought a can of high temp paint, aluminum. I'll have to look at it and see what kind it is!

 

[jaybird]

Paint's not here. He left it at work so the guys could paint the header and manifold for me and bake it there. Dahubby didn't think I'd want to bake them in my oven.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

Wouldn't bother me!
YIKES! Maybe I AM a gearhead.

 

[PC]

Techline makes ceramic coatings you can do at home. Actually, a lot of small shops that do ceramic coatings just use Techline's DIY products because they don't really have the ability to do complex industrial processing.

Me, I'd try to go with a vendor like HPC or Swain that does a lot of coatings for industrial and aerospace customers.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif


PC.

 

[mowog]

have you thought of powder coating?

 

[jaybird]

Ahh, dahubby mentioned powder coating it. I'm not exactly sure what that is.

 

[jaybird]

How difficult do you think it would be to do the ceramic coating ourselves? Remember, we can't wallpaper together, so I'm not sure anything this involved would result in anything less than divorce.

 

[DrEntropy]

"The family that sprays together, stays together!"

...couldn't resist...

 

[PC]

[ QUOTE ]
Ahh, dahubby mentioned powder coating it. I'm not exactly sure what that is.

[/ QUOTE ]Powder coating can be used on manifolds but not the headers.

In regular painting the coating goes on as a liquid then hardens into a solid finish by a combination of solvent evaporation and chemical reaction.

In powder coating the piece is covered with a very fine dry powder of the coating material which is then heated beyond its melting point (in an oven or by infra-red radiation) to liquefy into a hot, wet film. When it's allowed to cool the coating solidifies into a solid finish.

[ QUOTE ]
How difficult do you think it would be to do the ceramic coating ourselves? Remember, we can't wallpaper together, so I'm not sure anything this involved would result in anything less than divorce.

[/ QUOTE ]The instructions for Techline's DIY ceramic coatings look simple enough but I've never tried it.

Powder coating is normally done by a coating shop but Eastwood sells DIY powder coating kits. From just reading the instructions DIY ceramic coating sounds easier. But again, I haven't tried either.


PC.

 

[dklawson]

Harbor Freight also sells powder coating equipment but the selection of paints is MUCH better at Eastwood. Harbor Freight tools are often junk (you get what you pay for) but I have one friend who's used their powder coating gun with good success.

 

[ICESWH]

You have to watch quality control issues with home coatings. I purchased a home powder coated part, and it was horrible. Spotty coverage and lots of dust in the finish. Same issues as with paint. I go to a place locally that does fabulous work. Media blasting, powder coating, as well as jet hot. They are located just outside Reading, Pa. (bout an hour west of Philly). If anyone needs their number, drop me a line.
But with the quality of an uncontrolled enviroment at home vs a professional? I'd pay the professional.