Topic: Best paint to reproduce a Natural Steel finish??Help..

[NEFaurora]

Subject:Best paint to reproduce a Natural Steel finish??Help..

I'm going to cover a few surfaces that were originally Bare (Natural) steel color such as my Brake Pedal housing assembly, and the lower parts of the Windows towards the bottoms of the windows below the beltline of the door.

Anyone got any suggestions of what paint I should order to closely match (Natural Bare steel) ?  It's not like this stuff will be seen anyway, but I figured I'd try! 

lol..Replating is not an option here...!

Anyone have a suggestion??


Thanks,

Tony K.

[ruppstang]

There is nothing better than bare steel. I would clean with Evapo Rust and protect with Bosheild. If you must paint Plastic Coat cast blast grey is good. Marty

[C5ZZKGT]

There is nothing better than bare steel. I would clean with Evapo Rust and protect with Bosheild. If you must paint Plastic Coat cast blast grey is good. Marty

+2!!! Tony, The Boesheild is available at the Marine store on US1 just north of EG Blvd, only place locally that seems to have it.-Rick

[CharlesTurner]

The brake/clutch support was originally a plain steel.  I've had great results cleaning with glass bead and putting them in the tumbler.  Coat with boeshield after.  The cast blast stuff or maybe stainless steel paint might get close to that appearance.  The captured nuts for the brake MC were clear zinc, so if you want it to be exact, there should be a color contrast with those and the rest of the piece.

On the door window frames, they were originally clear zinc plate, so you'll want something that looks silver, not gray.

[NEFaurora]

The nuts are in excellent shape, so I will mask those.... The rest will get painted though... I just have to get the colors right....Just a little experimentation is needed with different paints... Have never used Boshield though...interesting...

Tony K.

[Bob Gaines]

+1 on Boeshield but if you are scared of it not protecting (shouldn't be ) I would use a stainless steel paint if you wanted a bare steel finish I would not use the cast blast or cast iron paints. They are too dark IMHO. Bob 

[CharlesTurner]

Something important to consider on any metal rust-prohibitive coating is that the metal needs to be completely dry before applying.  I use a small map-gas torch to dry parts before coating.  You can see the moisture evaporate out of the surface once the torch hits it.  Same goes for restoring things like aluminum intakes.

[Sunlitgold68]

Rustoleum Professional Series Stainless Steel looks pretty good. Available at Lowes in aerosol can.

[BuckeyeDemon]

the paints i've sampled all come up way short of looking like natural steel.  i have tried eastwood's detail gray (not on the sample piece) and it also doesn't look remotely like steel.

1.  Rust-Oleum Professional Stainless Steel (7519)
1a.  Rust-Oleum Professional Stainless Steel (7519) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
2.  Dupli-Color Gunmetal Gray (T177)
2a.  Dupli-Color Gunmetal Gray (T177) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
3.  Dupli-Color Machinery Gray (DA1612)
3a.  Dupli-Color Machinery Gray (DA1612) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
4. Seymour Stainless Steel (16-054)
4a. Seymour Stainless Steel (16-054) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
5. Dupli-Color Cast Coat Aluminum (DE1650)
5a. Dupli-Color Cast Coat Aluminum (DE1650) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
6.  Seymour Aluminum (16-1201)
6a.  Seymour Aluminum (16-1201) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
7.  Aluminum Oxide Media Blasted
8.  Aluminum Oxide Media Blasted w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
9.  Natural Steel

[Sunlitgold68]

It's fairly simple to have your window assemblies replated ZINC. You would be alot happier with this than using paint and the cost is quite low.

Glass media and tumbling is best for the brake part, although any of your chart colors would be OK too.

[Bob Gaines]

the paints i've sampled all come up way short of looking like natural steel.  i have tried eastwood's detail gray (not on the sample piece) and it also doesn't look remotely like steel.

1.  Rust-Oleum Professional Stainless Steel (7519)
1a.  Rust-Oleum Professional Stainless Steel (7519) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
2.  Dupli-Color Gunmetal Gray (T177)
2a.  Dupli-Color Gunmetal Gray (T177) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
3.  Dupli-Color Machinery Gray (DA1612)
3a.  Dupli-Color Machinery Gray (DA1612) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
4. Seymour Stainless Steel (16-054)
4a. Seymour Stainless Steel (16-054) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
5. Dupli-Color Cast Coat Aluminum (DE1650)
5a. Dupli-Color Cast Coat Aluminum (DE1650) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
6.  Seymour Aluminum (16-1201)
6a.  Seymour Aluminum (16-1201) w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
7.  Aluminum Oxide Media Blasted
8.  Aluminum Oxide Media Blasted w/Krylon Clear Satin (1313)
9.  Natural Steel

I don't think there is a exact looking paint alternative ether nor do most people I think posting on this thread just a matter of lesser of two evils. That is one reason why the push for the unpainted finish used with a good bare metal preservative for the easiest maintenance is being advocated. Thank you for posting some of the alternatives and the results because I see some I haven't tried with their corresponding results. Bob

[rockhouse66]

I agree with Bob, but another one worth trying is Plasti Kote Wheel Paint "Steel" #618.  Would be interesting to know where it falls on the pallette of samples shown above, because I think it looks better than most.

[ajd350]

Might want to take a look at Krylon Brushed Metallic Satin Nickel 51255. It doesn't have that aluminum blue tone.

[sally_66]

Ever try with POR15 - blank metal finish ?

Matthias

[J_Speegle]

Ever try with POR15 - blank metal finish ?

If it is as think as their other produces I think you would loose any grain or texture in the underlaying metal.