Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Well, I must say that I've learned a lot with this first build --- but surprisingly, I've learned mostly about finishing the enclosure.

Here's what I used:

•Benjamin Moore spray primer
•BM spray gloss white
•BM spray banner red
•BM spray gloss clear

The faux pin striping is just thinly cut electrical tape and the letters are rub-on.

What I learned...

•No matter how dry you think it is . . . it's not dry!
•Masking tape sux. Spray paint still runs under it. If you have to mask, use the kraft paper painting tape.
•No two spray cans spray alike--even from the same company.
•The coat hanger spraying method described on this site is for people with astounding dexterity.
•Nobody sees the bottom cover plate. Spray it a solid color (or not at all) and get on with your life.

looks good

I loved.

Real clean and classy.

I don't use the coat hanger for painting. I always rest the enclosure on a pedestal so that it only makes contact with the under side of the enclosure's top plate. Same goes for the bottom plate. Usually an old pill bottle is what I use for the pedestal.

i do the same thing, but i found that jack stands work very nicely too

I just painted my first four enclosures and I thought that the coat hanger worked great. I did get a few runs, however.

Yes--I switched to this method for the clear coats after giving up on the coat hanger. I used a small block of wood screwed to a scrap of 1x10. A dot of glue under the enclosure held it well enough so that I could move around the 1x10 without fear, but the glue wasn't strong enough to make a permanent bond so the enclosure just cleanly popped off when I was ready.

Very nice!!!!

Don't give up on masking.

I use Pactra masking tapes for the edges with the 3m blue tape to cover large areas.

A.

I think I'm going to order the 250+ next and use the stripe theme again---but this time I'll go with the basic Cobra double-blue stripe on a white box. That should give me some safer masking practice.