Unique paint finishes (1 Viewer)

[KyleGS]

I recently finished another sealed Tempest design and want to gather a few suggestions on how to finish it. I would like something black and unobtrusive- something that doesn't really scream out at you but looks classy. I really don't have the time for piano or laquer black and it is a little too loud for me anyway. So far I have looked into the Rust-Oleum Hammer Paint and Flex-Stone. My past experience with fleck is that is chips easily. Has anyone tried the Hammer black? How does it look and hold up? Any other suggestions? Anyone know about the black finish on the new box SVS's? Thanks guys

 

[Jeremy Stockwell]

Kyle,

I used a Rustoleum "Stone Creations" on the top cap of my DIY Tempest Sonotube which turned out OK. I hope to have a web page and pics up soon.

Also look at what others are doing with truck bed liner spray.

JKS

 

[George W]

I second the truck bed liner approach. I think it looks great and I bet it would hold up good as well.

 

[Owen Bartley]

I was looking at the hammered finish the other night actually, I'm trying to come up with a finish for my Tempest. I think it looks cool on the little display card at Home Depot, but it might be hard to get a good even finish on a big box... I'm still debating.

 

[george king]

I used the flex stone on my A/V-1s and then painted it with a High Gloss black spray paint. It turned out pretty good.

 

[Ronnie Ferrell]

I was looking at the hammered finish the other night actually, I'm trying to come up with a finish for my Tempest. I think it looks cool on the little display card at Home Depot, but it might be hard to get a good even finish on a big box... I'm still debating.

If you like the finish, go for it! I don't think you can screw this finish up. It will cover up rust with not prep work! It has been the easiest finish I have ever done. I have not used in on a sub, but I use it all the time on my Jeep Wrangler to cover scratches from 4-wheeling. My Nerf Bars and bumpers are painted with this stuff. If they get scratched, I just whip the can out. You cannot see any of my touch-up work after applying the paint.

Ronnie

 

[Chris Quinn]

I painted my patio set last week with the Rust-Oleum hammer black(?) finish came out great. It has a lot of gray/silver to it so I wouldn't count on it coming out black black. I may not have chosen the darkest color I can't remember. I don't know how in would do on wood. I also bought on of those spray can holder/triggers for about three bucks that made it much easier and I had no paint on my fingers and hands when done. Nor was my finger frozen in place after going thru 5-6 cans of spay paint.

 

[Ronnie Ferrell]

It has a lot of gray/silver to it so I wouldn't count on it coming out black black.

Ooops! I should have mentioned that. Chris Quinn is correct! The black hammer paint is more of a dark silver/dark gray. I thought the cap of the can only looked that way because it was plastic. But no, the paint is also this dark silver color. I was kinda bummed about that, but it still in not a bad looking color. It's just not jet black...


Ronnie

 

[Andrew Testa]

Kyle & Owen,

I just finished using the gold hammered finish on my Tempest box. It's a 24 x 24 x 18 box, with an octagonal raised front baffle piece to make the driver look flush mounted and to stiffen the front face.

I wanted mine to stand out, so I used the gold hammered paint on the box and the silver hammered paint on the baffle. Sorry I don't have any pictures, but I do have some advice on how to use this paint.

First, use a sandable primer underneath. This is primarily for the exposed edges of the MDF. They really suck up the paint and are very visible. You'll need several coats of primer on the edges, then sand smooth. The surface face of the MDF only needs a light spray of primer.

Then, apply your hammered paint. Don't follow the directions on the can. They're generic and won't give you the proper look. First give the box several light sprays of the paint. This won't give the hammer finish, but puts a base layer down so the primer doesn't show through later. Let that dry for about 30 minutes, then apply one more coat.

This coat should be very thick and only applied on a horizontal surface. Cover the surface in a single thick layer of paint, careful not to go back over an area you just covered. Spray enough so that you start to get a liquid pool of the paint, then move on. The paint will soon start to take on the hammered look. It'll look like a honeycomb with small depressions in the center of each cell. If you don't put a few thin layers on first your primer will show through that hole in the cell.

You'll need to let this dry thoroughly, then rotate the box and do another surface. You only need to do this for surfaces that are going to be highly visible. You can apply successive light coats to other surfaces and it'll cover well, but the distinct hammer finish won't develop.

After a couple of days of drying time you can put on a coat of clear finish. I found that trying to put several light coats of clear finish resulted in an uneven surface, where there were smooth spots and rougher spots where the clear coat was thinner. I got best results when I used the same thick coat method as for the hammered paint.

I put a single thick coat on the horizontal surface and left it to dry. It'll look milky and really horrible at first, but will dry completely clear and smooth, and the hammered finish underneath will really shine through. Again, you need the let dry thoroughly, rotate the box, and cover the next face. As with the hammer finish, you only need to do this to the visible faces. Other faces will be protected just fine with a build up of several thin sprays. They just won't be as smooth.

I've had to learn this method with the hammer finish through trial and error, meaning I had to sand the crap off and redo it several times before I got a good look.

The real key to getting the hammered look is to apply a uniform thick coat and NOT EVER spray over a spot you've already sprayed. The thick coat gives a large pattern that's easily visible. The thinner the coat, the smaller and less visible the hammer pattern. And spraying over an area where the hammer pattern has started forming will ruin it, leaving a mottled finish that just doesn't look good.

I highly recommend buying a can and trying it on a piece of scrap to see if you like the look. I like it very much, now that I figured the way to really highlight the hammered look.

Andy

 

[Patrick Sun]

Didn't Jack Gilvey paint his sub cube with green hammerite paint? It looked cool. I used the same color paint on the front baffles of my DIY speakers.

 

[Nathan_M]

Hammered paint is super easy. I used it on my flexy and everyone that visits thinks it's awesome looking and very professional. One thing (and this is true of all spray paints, but since you can't sand errors in this one is more important) is not to let your hand linger on any one spot. My only "error" was I paused over one spot and it looks a little thicker there. (I'm not sure what Andrew meant by spraying till you get a liquid pool, but pausing for me had bad results) Fortunately it was a flexy so I just made sure this was one of my bottom shelves with a component on it. Not really noticable to anyone but me, but the perfectionist in me didn't like it.

Last thing is to follow Andrew's advice regarding the edges, I thought I had primed them sufficiently but I hadn't, so it took me several more coats to stop the absorbtion on the edges than the flat surfaces.

Good luck.

P.S. They may have black, but the darkest one I found was a charcoal grey, not quite black, but that was the color I wanted so I didn't look further for black.

 

[KyleGS]

Andrew- I have tried the Hammer out on a practice mdf board and came to the same conclusions as you. I figured out to do horizontal pieces only and go with two coats. I think I will try it out. I would like a tough durable clear coat however b/c the Hammer finish seems a little "soft". What should I use for a clear coat? I have considered using an oil-based polyurethane...would this dry crystal clear and be tough? Also what should I use for primer- Kilz or a spray primer?spray primer
Kilz
Polyurethane

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

I used the fleck stone spray on my Tempest sonosub top and then sprayed it with the companion clear protective finish and it's been fine. I've also painted a pair of my BoseBusters with the Rustoleum hammer finish red and they look very nice. I don't like spray painting because it's hard to get coats even, but the hammer finish paint minimized that critical aspect - do watch out for runs though.

 

[Chris Keen]

"- do watch out for runs though."

Oy Vey! I had some bad chili a few weeks ago myself, and this was the result. Talk about your unique finish !

:b

 

[Patrick Sun]

TMI!!! TMI!!! TMI!!!

 

[Andrew Testa]

Nathan,

I agree not to linger. I found that a thicker application was best but agree it must be uniform. A thin application just didn't work for me. The hammered look never developed. It looked best when I applied a thick coat, one that would definitely run if vertical. But, again, it needs to be uniform.

Kyle,

I used the Rustoleum (sp?) spray on sandable primer, and their better spray on gloss clear coat finish. I see no reason why your choices wouldn't work. Just make sure the Kilz is sandable. You'll definitely need to sand after priming as the primer will swell the edge fibers a little and roughen the edge.

The clear coat finish really improves the look since the hammer paint dries with a slightly rough surface. After I put a thick coat of the clear gloss spray it was glass smooth, and the hammered look was enhanced I think. The sides where I just layered some light coats of clear just don't have the smoothness or gloss that the thick application provided.

Andy

 

[Allen Ross]

i was pondering using a cherry vanner on my tempest with dark would dye but when i got quoted the prices (60 bucks) for the really good stuff, i said 10 bucks worth of spray paint it is then.

so i just primered it with sandable primer, and the look is kinda growing on me

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

5,000 comedians out of work and a cop is trying to be funny! Tsk, tsk, tsk...too many donuts, Chris?

Kyle: the Rustoleum hammer finish paint dries as hard as regular enamel.

 

[Chris Keen]

Humor me Hank, Humor me. Hey, did I tell ya that my table saw and drill press came in last month (towards the end), and I finally picked a meaty router and ordered it. It arrived today after I got home from work. I picked up the Grizzly left tilt Cabinet Saw G1023SL:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/item...L&site=grizzly

the G7944 3/4 HP floor standing Drill Press:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/item...4&site=grizzly

and then I picked up Hitachi M12V Router:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...&s=hi&n=228332

Now I can start teaching myself how to use these things a bit better, and jump right in. It's been a few years since woodshop 101 in high school.

 

[Sean Carter]

Kyle, on the primer issue I would go with the Kilz, scratch that I am going with the Kilz on my new AV15 sonosub. I would go with the Kilz, because of the excessive amount of primer MDF needs.(MDF soaks up the primer) I went with 2 Painter's touch spray paint cans on my last sonosub, and it ended up with me having 2 empty cans of primer, and a piece of MDF only half way primed Definately get the Kilz primer you'll have more than enough Hope this helps