Case Painting Tips Thermaltake Core P8 (New to this and confused)

[ImServs]

I watched the Jayz2Cents video on case painting. And boy does he make it look easy. Thermaltake, from what i can tell, uses steel, which even with self etching primer just refuses to adhere.

I am now in the middle of sanding with a 220 grit paper and while it is bringing the black paint off, the shiny steel underneath is smoother than a babies bottom.

 

Am I just suffering from lack of experience here? What am I doing wrong? Surely with the bare steel this smooth the self etching paint wont bite? Or will it?

Note: Ive been going at an ssd tray for practice and its already tore through a bit of the fresh sandpaper... 

[OhioYJ]

My initial guess would be you are going to heavy on your initial coat. Paint does not like to stick to powder coat or plastic, hence the need to use something else like a primer first. Personally I've always used an adhesion promoting primer (that link is an example, you should be able to find that at many auto parts stores as well). I use this instead of the self etching primer people use. 

 

Whatever you use, go light at first. 

[ImServs]

2 minutes ago, OhioYJ said:

My initial guess would be you are going to heavy on your initial coat. Paint does not like to stick to powder coat or plastic, hence the need to use something else like a primer first. Personally I've always used an adhesion promoting primer (that link is an example, you should be able to find that at many auto parts stores as well). I use this instead of the self etching primer people use. 

 

Whatever you use, go light at first. 

well im not totally sure the core p8 is powder coated. regardless the initial coat of primer was wiped of before i started sanding because it didnt adhere at all. i cant get the primer to adhere thats the whole problem. Im unaware if 220 grit is strong enough for steel. 

[OhioYJ]

12 minutes ago, SenpaiServs said:

well im not totally sure the core p8 is powder coated. regardless the initial coat of primer was wiped of before i started sanding because it didnt adhere at all. i cant get the primer to adhere thats the whole problem. Im unaware if 220 grit is strong enough for steel. 

The sandpaper is for the coating not the material (in most cases). A coarser sandpaper would take the finish down quicker but leave marks that would need to be dealt with. Either by finishing up with a finer sandpaper or using a high fill paint. The TLDR is for this, 220 should be fine.

 

An SSD could be powder coated, anodized, or painted. The first two paint definitely doesn't like to stick to. The adhesion promoting primer I linked to above will help with that for sure. Even when using the adhesion promoting primer, and then moving to a "top" or color coat, still go light at first. Don't worry about coating everything or the original color showing through at first. The following coats will cover that up. You need those initial lighter coats to stick and give the top coats something to bite to. 

[Blue4130]

One other point, what is the temperature and humidity where you are working? That also affects paint adhesion. 

[ImServs]

23 hours ago, Blue4130 said:

One other point, what is the temperature and humidity where you are working? That also affects paint adhesion. 

actually a good point i had not considered. But Texas, USA (so like 30-37C / 85-100F, mild humidity)