Painting a tool box

[athyen]

I am buying a HF 56" tool cabinet and a 42" top chest later this week I love the box but just cant get excited about the dull red color that they paint it! So, I was thinking about repainting it Grabber Green with black accents, I love that color combo. I've seen guys doing restorations on here completely strip the boxes before painting, and I understand why. I was wondering if you guys think I should strip the paint off the new box or if I would just be able to paint right over the old paint? If it was an old box with bad paint I wouldn't be asking, but since its a new box with good paint I don't know if the paint stripping process would be an unnecessary step?

 

[ianguilly]

Just scuff the paint up and you should be good.

 

[astroracer]

I would leave it. It should be (at least) a baked on enamel and that will make an excellant base for a new paint job. You will want to prime it with an epoxy primer to seal the red though. Some of those industrial type paints can bleed back.
Wash and scub the box with TSP mixed in hot water and ScotchBrite pads to clean the surface and prep it for paint.
Mark

 

[steveo3002]

you can key the paint and go right over it , only issue is if its likley to get chips and wear then the original color will show up

 

[athyen]

I would leave it. It should be (at least) a baked on enamel and that will make an excellant base for a new paint job. You will want to prime it with an epoxy primer to seal the red though. Some of those industrial type paints can bleed back.
Wash and scub the box with TSP mixed in hot water and ScotchBrite pads to clean the surface and prep it for paint.
Mark

Thank you for the detail Astro. I am not familiar with epoxy primers, are they fairly easy to work with and can they be sprayed on? I think this toolbox will be my first big venture into using a gun of some sorts. Also, what is TSP? Is that a brand name or just an acronym for a process? Are the scotchbrite pads used to scuff the surface a little, or is scuffing up the surface necessary? Sorry for all the questions, I know very little about paint beyond the occasional rattle can use.

you can key the paint and go right over it , only issue is if its likley to get chips and wear then the original color will show up

Steveo, what do you mean by "key" the paint. I know it will show if the paint chips or scratches, but I am hoping this will prevent bare metal from showing and rusting. However, its a home garage box that I will be doing my best to protect it, so hopefully it will stay nice.

 

[steveo3002]

key = scuff , red scotch pad or something like 600/800 wet or dry

 

[astroracer]

Epoxy primers are as easy to work with as any other. The key to good paint job is prep. Prepping the surface, cleaning, scuffing and more cleaning is where many DIY'ers get it wrong. Look in a well stocked hardware store for rattle can epoxy primers and paint.
You will also find TSP there also. Trisodiumphosphate. It is used to wash down aluminum siding to degrease it prior to painting.
Once you get the surface ready to paint it should be degreased with a wax and grease remover prior to spraying.

 

[athyen]

Ok, thank you very much guys. Now all I have to decide is if I want to try and use an HVLP spray gun or if I just stick to using A LOT of rattle cans...

 

[Quickster]

I have been thinking about painting my HF 44" also. I'm leaning towards spraying with HVLP vs a bunch of cans. Most likely a better finish and less money spent going with HVLP.

Bad part is I would need to setup a mini spray booth for my garage.

I want to spray mine a satin or flat black, then the polished pieces on the drawer handles a gloss black.

Been looking at flat black paint kits from Eastwood, or just use rust oleum.

 

[athyen]

I have been thinking about painting my HF 44" also. I'm leaning towards spraying with HVLP vs a bunch of cans. Most likely a better finish and less money spent going with HVLP.

Bad part is I would need to setup a mini spray booth for my garage.

I want to spray mine a satin or flat black, then the polished pieces on the drawer handles a gloss black.

Been looking at flat black paint kits from Eastwood, or just use rust oleum.

The mini spray booth is something I would have to set up too. Im thinking about using a HF pop up tent/canopy thing and using plastic sheeting to close off the walls and laying a painters tarp on the floor. I would really like to use the HVLP, the only issue is that the grabber green engine enamel that I want to use only comes in cans. Also, I think the enamel will stand up better to wear, over an auto body paint. Im debating a pearl white with black trim and handles now though... Could be easier to get in quarts.