Hello ladies and gentlemen!
There´s something I´m thinking about for quite some time. How about flashlights and spray paint?
Is there any good paint that makes decent results and flashlights?
I´d like to take some cheap lights and geta custom colour onto it. De-anodizing etc is no problem (at least that´s what the internet says )
Any experience?
Hm : (
I´d say maybe he didn´t do i right but you said he is apainter so I believe you.
perhaps you can paint over the ano, starting with primer if needed. When/if it comes off you still have the original surface (assuming the paint is ano friendly)
I am going to do a krylon job on a couple 501b, when i get a free weekend, it may chip but i’ll post the results.
I’ll use an etching primer and a good degreaser.
Yeah, some cheaper Ultrafire would also be my test objects.
Really looking forward to your results + more info/experience from you guys.
I’ve had success with krylon on a couple of old rifles, I’ve been wanting to try on a light but I watch my 1.5yr old every weekend alone and he would just love to grab a wet hanging light. The fumes etc aren’t that bad but he’s a bugger.
I will take pictures of the prep, 90% of the work, and the paint. If it holds well ill do a digital camo and a woodland type camo. Will probably do a drab and dark earth to see how it sticks though.
No no, it´s absolutely fine and I´m very thankful for your opinion!
I just wished I could go and get some cheap paint and pimp my lights :party:
oldlumens has done some, i have one… maybe he can speak as to what paint he has used and what the long term results were
http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=367
Just an idea
I had a grey/silver anodized trustfire light
I didn’t like the color, so I baked it. That turned it silver.
So, I stripped the ano (which btw is tougher after baking) and then blasted it w/ 20/40 black diamond, then fine sand (to get in the nooks and crannies the 20/40 won’t reach) and then 20/40 again
I painted it with VHT flameproof flat black, according to the instructions, including baking in an oven (ok, my oven won’t reach the final temp of 600F…but close).
It has held up well…for paint. I would say it is nearly as tough as the low grade ano on some budget lights.
The paint has lost some of its flatness where it gets rubbed by holster/hands, and looks satin to semi-gloss there.
Some people are using truck bed liner-in-a-can spray .
Really? I was just kidding 
I saw some pics at EDCForum .
You should try the in a can truck bed liner. Saw an episode of mythbusters where they sprayed it on the back of a brick wall and they shot stuff into the wall. The wall with truck bed liner totally held together, kind of a like how windshield glass has layers with layers of saran wrap in between. So the stuff is really grippy and really grips surfaces it’s adhered to, while still remaining flexible.
Just don’t drive your led too hard, all the heat will be trapped in the light.
actually, when that came up in a different thread, we found a tech reference that listed black paint w/ a higher thermal conductivity than anodizing.
i imagine it is usually thicker, so maybe its a wash, but color is more important than paint vs anodizing (emissivity), so black of either is superior to bare aluminum
I have painted several lights with Rustoleum and Krylon.
Other members have some of them, so they can say how good or bad they are. I have one that I painted a year ago. I carry it to work every day, but it's not abused.
My thoughts? Paint chips, paint will always chip. Painting a light is for decoration, for show, not for every day use, unless you intend to be very careful with it.
That said, anodizing is a neutral surface and will accept paint. Just scuff it lightly with 1000 grit paper and clean it with alcohol. The paints I use are Rustoleum Textured paints and Krylon Fusion. I prefer the Rustoleum Textured. I also use Krylon Clear Acrylic for a top coat. I would not recommend Lacquer on Anodizing, or any exotic automotive paints. Simple Enamel or Acrylic is about it. Also, I would not recommend painting over any bare Aluminum surfaces, or any places where the Ano is worn down. The paint will not stay on. The only thing that truly seals Aluminum is Anodizing.
Did you ever notice that all the flashlights are Anodized? That's because it's the only finish that lasts almost forever and is tough as nails. Paint is just for shelf queens.
I painted some aluminum magazines for a rifle with an engine enamel called Duplicolor High Heat CERAMIC. I spray painted it following directions on gun forum. Procedure is simple. Degrease the aluminum with alcohol, spray paint couple light coats, let dry COMPLETELY and then bake at 200 degrees F for @25 minutes.
Folks this stuff is tuff as nails literaly. And it continues to harden as time goes by. Can’t scratch it with your fingernails if you tried. It’s tuff stuff
Walmart carried it at one time, but now I can’t find it there. But,Oreilly autoparts carries it. Comes in black and orange.
like i said, i have one of his lights painted. its a tortured abused ZebraLite… but it does not get much use, as every time i use it, it makes me want an original ZL that much more. so it is a shelf queen trophy of what BLF is and what that light has been through.
unless you drop it