Clean enclosures?

[falco_femoralis]

I purchase my enclosures from amazon atm, but they come in with somewhat of an oily coating and I have to spend time scrubbing them with isopropyl alcohol until they are clean before I can paint them. Prep is the most important part of this whole process so I scrub them very hard and my hands will cramp up etc.

I tried running one in the dishwasher but this made the dirty coating worse. The soap must have reacted with something on the aluminum. I'm trying to think of a way to automate the cleaning process but I'd like to not spend too much money. Now I'm thinking about trying another supplier for enclosures.

Who has the cleanest enclosures that require the least amount of prep work before paint?

 

[PunchySunshine]

Tayda works well for me

 

[Erik S]

Tayda enclosures seem reasonably clean to me, but they all get a careful alcohol wipe down before I clear coat them.

If the one's you've got are oily, I'd start with a bucket of hot water and some degreaser. I like Simple Green.

 

[Harry Klippton]

I scrub my enclosures with dish soap, hot water, and a sponge

 

[AceHyzer]

Tayda and LoveMySwitches are both good but I really like the pro enclosures from StompBoxParts. They come brushed and ready to be painted. They also look great as bare enclosures with little to no additional work.

 

[RobotZombie23]

try a sanding block and some sandpaper. start with around 120 grit finish with 220 grit. clean the dust off with a paper towel and spray cleaner.

 

[jwin615]

try a sanding block and some sandpaper. start with around 120 grit finish with 220 grit. clean the dust off with a paper towel and spray cleaner.

Sanding without cleaning the oil off may cause paint adhesion issues, no?

+1 on SBP enclosures. If you're getting a handful, they're priced better than tayda(at least the last time I ordered).

 

[RobotZombie23]

Sanding without cleaning the oil off may cause paint adhesion issues, no?

I was thinking sanding would remove the oil coating easier than iso

 

[jcpst]

I really like the pro enclosures from StompBoxParts.

Yes. The ones made by Cusack Manufacturing are superb. They’re thinner and easier to hand-drill accurately. Also, if you’re doing 1590B builds, you get an extra 1mm of clearance in the enclosure.

 

[jimilee]

@StompBoxParts thats where I get mine. One stop shipping charge.

 

[Feral Feline]

120 and 220 grit... that's hella course sandpaper.

Last time I painted an enclosure I recall starting at 400 and working my way to 800. Maybe I miss-remember where I started and began with 250, but definitely went to at least 800 and probably possibly higher.




To get rid of nasty greasy oily crappacolo off enclosures... if you don't care about the environment nor your health — brake-cleaner in a spray-bom...

I've never used brake-cleaner in such a fashion, but I've known some mechanics who use brake-cleaner for just about everything under the hood of a car. Oh, and sometimes it actually gets used to clean brakes.

 

[falco_femoralis]

Yeah I agree with you re: sand paper coarseness. I wouldn't recommend starting with anything below 400 on this kind of surface for a nice finish

I don't like using brake clean unless I have to, that's why I use iso, it's the most edible of all the cleaning agents

 

[Alan W]

Paint stores have “TSP substitute”, that I dilute and use as a spray cleaner for greasier stuff around the house. It’s a very effective degreaser, and relatively safe. For paint prep, I’d still do at least a quick wipe with alcohol or mineral spirits. Sanding is fine, but it doesn’t get rid of all of the oil, and if there’s any oil there, no matter how thin, that’s what your paint is adhering to.

Aluminum gets pretty corroded from being in the dishwasher. The detergents used erode it slightly. I think they also leave a bit of a residue that’s hard to remove, almost like slight anodizing. (I know this from several cast aluminum kitchen utensils that I’ve tortured over the years.)

The nicest finished boxes I’ve used came from Deltron, but it’s been years since I’ve bought any of them. Even nicer castings than the old Hammonds.

 

[JasonWickersham]

I purchase my enclosures from amazon atm, but they come in with somewhat of an oily coating and I have to spend time scrubbing them with isopropyl alcohol until they are clean before I can paint them. Prep is the most important part of this whole process so I scrub them very hard and my hands will cramp up etc.

I tried running one in the dishwasher but this made the dirty coating worse. The soap must have reacted with something on the aluminum. I'm trying to think of a way to automate the cleaning process but I'd like to not spend too much money. Now I'm thinking about trying another supplier for enclosures.

Who has the cleanest enclosures that require the least amount of prep work before paint?

Perhaps try a lens cleaner wipe?

 

[Stickman393]

Crazy Cat has the answer. Brake cleaner, microfiber cloth.

Well ventilated area, respirator. Gloves. Shits rough.

It'll degrease the shit out of your enclosures.

 

[KreoPensas]

Acetone is my goto to remove any worries about paint adhesion on rehabilitated / questonable surfaces. Also takes old paint right the eff off. Makes some plastics ***disappear***.

Brake cleaner is probably friendlier, Gloves never live long, even the good ones.