Painting problem

[swechef]

Hi there, thanks for this great forum.

I'm struggling with the choice of paint for my custom built trailer for my first rf smoker. At first I was thinking that I need hotpaint for the trailer also, but after trying it and failing miserably with the hardening I am at a loss.

How hot does the rig get - really? I am now leaning towards painting it with some regular car wheel paint.

I'd really appreciate some suggestions.

/Wes

 

[bmudd14474]

I know most have used a high temp engine paint. The cooking chamber might not get above 4-500 degrees. But the firebox will get well above that so you really need to go high temp in my opinion.

 

[swechef]

Really? High temp paint for the trailer frame? I realise that the temp gets high where the trailer frame connects with the firebox, but the entire frame?

I do plan to paint the cooking chamber and firebox with high temp paint. Baking the paint on those parts is solved by starting fire in the firebox. But the trailer frame is another matter... Problem is I don't have access to a big enough oven to bake the paint on a complete frame... Tried with a heat gun but that didn't work :-/

Thanks for your feedback!

/Wes

 

[bmudd14474]

Oh for the trailer. Sorry I didn't read this well enough. I think any good paint would work. You could always use that roll on bed liner coating for the trailer?

 

[bubbonehead]

I used the same engine enamel for my trailer that I used for the cook chamber, but my trailer isn't all that big either. I didn't worry about the curing/hardening procedure used when actually painting engine blocks. I also used the correct primer and once it was all dry it seems durable enough. Been on there quite a while now. I did use the higher degree paint designed for headers and such for the firebox.

 

[swechef]

Alright then! Thanks for your feedback guys. I think I'm on the right track, then. I ended up painting the frame with Hammerite; it says on the can it is good for temps from -5F to 300F. I'm a bit concerned for the winter though. Temps go below -25F where I live so we'll just have to see what happens. Afew years back I painted some drainpipes and the paint popped off in January... ;-)