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
Yes, misuse or abuse will damage just about anything, even accidental.
LOL…enter the bowling ball flashlight with an emitter in each hole.
so much for my pride
There are special paints for aluminum. It is very difficult to get anything to stick permanently to aluminum.
I used to have a small aluminum boat long ago and it used primer plus a 2-part epoxy for it to adhere properly plus withstand seawater. I also heard the majority of our flashlights are made of 6061 series aircraft grade aluminum. The aviation industry typically uses alumiprep and alodine primer to remove the oxide layer on the metal before painting the surface as soon as possible.
West Marine sells an etchant for prepping aluminum for painting.
But who needs paint when there’s tool dip?
Thats what I was thinking -Cerakote (mostly the stuff Ive seen Overready sell) as soon as I entered this thread.
Heres a thread from DarkSide on this very coating with a how to in the last post. I love the look of it.
after OL’s comment I was thinking the same thing. they also sell aluminum primer.
I’ve stripped and repainted a couple outboard motors, and they’re a good example of properly applied paint adhering to aluminum in adverse conditions. Although, even when I took great care, the durability isn’t nearly as good as the factory job (I’ve stripped and repainted a motor I’d already done, and that was much easier than stripping what’s left of a factory finish…)
color shifting paint
hand cut reflective decals
