Help me mod/Paint my Harbor Freight Tool Box Edge Protectors

[danny_barkley]

I have a Snap-On 35th Anniversary Camaro ToolBox Upper/Lower It is Camaro/Hugger Orange Beautiful KRL box.

I just bought a 26" and a 56" Harbor Freight boxset in Orange which is a perfect Match for the Orange of the Snap On

I was going to buy the Snap OFF emblems off Ebay to put on it, but those emblems are 3D printed plastic and when you look at them up kinda close, they look like ****. The Have them in Snap-Off, Strap-On, and ****-On. Cool, but junk Quality. I wanted a chromed plastic to match my sanp-on box's emblems.

So I ended up getting Snap-On emblems and some small Z-28 emblems.

Removed the US General emblems, put on the new emblems, locks like a match except for one thing! The drawer edge guards on the Snappy are Gloss black(which look great) and the HF are satin silver.

I will pull the wheels off the 56" and push it in the space under the workbench next to the 26" in the last pic

How would you guys prep and paint and what prep and paint for durability. Realizing that Powder coat would most likely be the Gold Standard

Now on to the PIX:

 

[DHCrocks]

what about vinyl wrap?

 

[xlowxyotax88x]

I'm with DH vinyl is cheap, easy, and holds up and of it does need to be replaced, again cheap and easy. If paint, prep depends on material it's made of, I'm not to familiar with HF boxes I think the drawer guards on the 5 drawer I had long ago were plastic. My matco 6s I had and my epic are aluminum so prep would be good sand, an epoxy primer, sand and paint.

 

[danny_barkley]

I'm with DH vinyl is cheap, easy, and holds up and of it does need to be replaced, again cheap and easy. If paint, prep depends on material it's made of, I'm not to familiar with HF boxes I think the drawer guards on the 5 drawer I had long ago were plastic. My matco 6s I had and my epic are aluminum so prep would be good sand, an epoxy primer, sand and paint.

They are made of Aluminum. Hadn't thought of Vinyl wrap. Can that be done by me?

 

[consti2tion]

It sounds cheesy but some people have taken black electrical/vinyl tape and ran it down the center of the drawer faces of the USG boxes. Might just throw it on a couple of drawers and see if it helps add some more contrast?

 

[xlowxyotax88x]

Yea it's just tedious/time consuming. You could see if you are able to find a rolls precut in the width you need and would just have to clean them and lay it down and trim. I think vinyl is easy to work with, but I did body work for 10 years so I'm still used to it even after being away from it for 7 or so years

 

[danny_barkley]

Yea it's just tedious/time consuming. You could see if you are able to find a rolls precut in the width you need and would just have to clean them and lay it down and trim. I think vinyl is easy to work with, but I did body work for 10 years so I'm still used to it even after being away from it for 7 or so years

I'll watch a few videos and see how I feel about the Vinyl path. I may just call the powder coaters and get a price.

 

[danny_barkley]

It sounds cheesy but some people have taken black electrical/vinyl tape and ran it down the center of the drawer faces of the USG boxes. Might just throw it on a couple of drawers and see if it helps add some more contrast?

I've seen some done like that, didn't care for it. Thanx though for the suggestion.

 

[seber]

I paint my drawer pulls with Rustoleum X2. So far it has held up very well. Although, I admit, those drawers don't see hard use.

 

[kngelv]

I would take off the Snap-On logos since it's not a Snap-On Box'

James

 

[Coach James]

Why would somebody put "**** On" on their tool box?

 

[Meursault74]

Why would somebody put "**** On" on their tool box?

Seems to me a funny play on words for Snap On.

 

[danny_barkley]

I would take off the Snap-On logos since it's not a Snap-On Box'

James

Dude, I just put them on!

 

[danny_barkley]

Seems to me a funny play on words for Snap On.

You can look close at those emblems and see that they are 3D printed and not that sharp. I tried to find the Snap Off ones in high quality but nobody does those very well unfortunately. Iwill say they look pretty sharp up against a real Orange Snap on.

So, I got that goin' for me...

I'm gonna get a quote on Powder coating all those guards. Anybody got an idea what that would be worth to a powder coater?

 

[Meursault74]

You can look close at those emblems and see that they are 3D printed and not that sharp. I tried to find the Snap Off ones in high quality but nobody does those very well unfortunately. Iwill say they look pretty sharp up against a real Orange Snap on.

So, I got that goin' for me...

I'm gonna get a quote on Powder coating all those guards. Anybody got an idea what that would be worth to a powder coater?

I looked more closely and I see some funny stuff outlined in the first letter of each of them.

The S in Snap has half a wrench
The C in **** has a poop pile.
The S in strap has ball and shaft (phallic)

 

[dnschmidt]

If it's aluminum that's simple. Red Scotchbrite then 2k Epoxy primer and black 2K urethane in whatever gloss level you want. Easily obtainable at any auto paint store.

 

[danny_barkley]

If it's aluminum that's simple. Red Scotchbrite then 2k Epoxy primer and black 2K urethane in whatever gloss level you want. Easily obtainable at any auto paint store.

Probably work with Rattle cans, ehhh? I think Paint stores mix up cans like that.

 

[dnschmidt]

You don't want a single component paint. The best paint is 2K and uses urethane plus an activator. That's what cars are painted with. US Chemical and Plastics (USG to those of us in the autobody business) does make 2K aerosol cans that you activate by piercing a bladder. USG sells this stuff under their Spraymax brand. The part numbers are as follows: Black Epoxy Primer: 3880034, Satin Hot Rod Black: 3680212, Gloss Black: 3680222. All of these will give you a long lasting coating that will withstand shop use far better than your typically lacquer rattle can paint.

 

[danny_barkley]

You don't want a single component paint. The best paint is 2K and uses urethane plus an activator. That's what cars are painted with. US Chemical and Plastics (USG to those of us in the autobody business) does make 2K aerosol cans that you activate by piercing a bladder. USG sells this stuff under their Spraymax brand. The part numbers are as follows: Black Epoxy Primer: 3880034, Satin Hot Rod Black: 3680212, Gloss Black: 3680222. All of these will give you a long lasting coating that will withstand shop use far better than your typically lacquer rattle can paint.

I see what you're saying. I'm paint ignorant pretty much. I never thought about how they do the activator with a rattle can. Thanx for that info. I'm maybe hoping that for a few cans of that stuff I may be near the powder coat cost. I need to call and get an estimate on that. Sometimes they will cut you a deal if they are getting ready to shoot some black for some other things.

 

[danny_barkley]

You don't want a single component paint. The best paint is 2K and uses urethane plus an activator. That's what cars are painted with. US Chemical and Plastics (USG to those of us in the autobody business) does make 2K aerosol cans that you activate by piercing a bladder. USG sells this stuff under their Spraymax brand. The part numbers are as follows: Black Epoxy Primer: 3880034, Satin Hot Rod Black: 3680212, Gloss Black: 3680222. All of these will give you a long lasting coating that will withstand shop use far better than your typically lacquer rattle can paint.

I was just looking at that product online. about $20 a can for the primer and $20 for the paint.

So scuff it with red scotchbrite
degrease it with alcohol?

Spray the primer

then the color coat?

would that work?

How many cans for those pieces do you think?

 

[dnschmidt]

Likely one each. Black covers exceptionally well. If you run out it's not the end of the world you just buy another can. Your procedure should work fine.

 

[danny_barkley]

Likely one each. Black covers exceptionally well. If you run out it's not the end of the world you just buy another can. Your procedure should work fine.

So you have to be in a REALLY well ventilated area for the Urethane Paints right? And get a Chemical cartridge for my 3M mask.

Also I read that the paint spraycan orange peels unless painting horizontal rather than spraying downward.

 

[dnschmidt]

How bad can isocyanate be? It only killed a thousand people in Bophal, India when a Union Carbide plant had a problem. So, yes good ventilation, I spray outside, and a good respirator are mandatory.

 

[ckmvam]

I know this is a bit off topic. But I've been refurbishing a Craftsman tool box. I painted it with rust-oleum custom premium lacquer matte black. It looks good but I was wondering if I should clear coat it. So far it seems pretty durable but.... if you decide to rattle can that paint seems good. Just wondering about the clear, Any rhiughts?

 

[danny_barkley]

OK , here's what I did. Found a powder coat guy who would not nail me too bad when he ran Gloss black for some other stuff.

Added up the cost of the Urethane Paint, Primer, and 3m Respirator cartridge and this came out cheaper and safer.

$50 out the door cost.

Everybody Loves pictures!

Original "REAL" Snappy Boxset





Harbor Freight "Imposter Boxset"

 

[Meursault74]

Where's the "Camaro" emblem written in cursive for the HF boxes?

 

[danny_barkley]

Where's the "Camaro" emblem written in cursive for the HF boxes?

Couldn't find those Emblems online in a smaller size. If you find one, let me know. I did find the smaller Z/28s obviously