Has anyone had much luck? How did it turn out? I know prep is 90% of it but im wanting it to look original. I have a black truck and am thinking a flat black or semi gloss would look good.

 

I think a lot of people get them powdercoated. But yea, prep sucks, but it will make all the difference.

 

Anyone else?

 

I say sand it and paint it with self etching primer, then paint it black. Or use bedliner in a can on top of the self etching primer

 

Definitely use Etching Primer per the instructions.

Clean the box with soap and water.
Sand with 200 grit paper or finer if you want,(sanding alum is a PITA).
Wipe down with PrepSol or other pre-painting solution.
Spray the Etching Primer and let dry per instructions.
Spray on Top Coat - two or three coats but not all at once, one coat one way then the next coat the other. Slight drying time in between each coat.

AND ALWAYS use the same manufacturer’s products on the entire project.

DuPont make a good etching primer and IMHO they make great paint for the general public.

 

Yeah, get the Nason(I think that's what it is called) self etching primer from O'Reilly's. It is great stuff and covers great!!!

 

What is a etching primer? Do you think a low gloss would look good or a flat black?

 

Don't really know how to describe it but etching primer is for bare metal. It has more of a bite to adhere to the bare metal than regular primer. I should know as I am in process of painting my aluminum jon boat and frequent a tin boat forum eveyday. That is the first thing they will tell u to use for bare aluminum. You can buy it at walmart in the automotive section for like 4.95 a can but I recommend u buy Nason (made by dupont) from o'reily's. its about $6 a can, but it high quality stuff. I used it on my seat pedestal for my front jon boat seat and it sprays really nice!!!

I'd probably go with a low gloss. Flat would look to awful imo. Or try the bedliner in a can, I've always like how those turned out.

 

Ive done the bedliner on my older ranger and it turned out nice, but i dont think i would like a rubberized toolbox, Im going to go with low gloss, ill try to get some pics.

 

Etching primer does spray nice and yes on the semi gloss.
I’ve used Flat Paints before and they just don’t turn out the way you think they will after the fact it’s too late.

 

It figures today its raining out lol. Any special kind of paint? Like heat paint or another certain kind? I was searching google and found painting toolbox black? - Toyota Tundra Forums : Tundra Solutions Forum. Down toward the last few post that guy used rustoleum low gloss and it turned out good, i hope mine looks like that lol.

 

yeah Rustoleum is good paint. just use the primer and that and you should come out with good results

 

Go to Sherwin Williams and get a can of "XIM" primer and use tractor enamel after sanding

 

05Level2,
How did the painting turn out ?
What did you do ?
Did the paint stay on ? Lol…

Painting aluminum can be a ***** depending on the type of alum you start with but let us know.