Anyone paint their scuba tank?
I have a BRIGHT lime green tank that I’d like to paint a flat black. My thinking is, flat black will absorb the most heat from the sun. I talked to my scuba shop and they cautioned me about sanding the tank. So then I thought “I’ll just wipe it down with acetone and lightly scuff it and wipe it down again”. Then I thought about using paint stripper. The kind that leaves nothing behind. I want your advice first please. Thanks.
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I chemically striped the old paint no grinding then a light sand used aluminum primer and flat Tremclad paint. Took it in for a visual and with the tank caddy all is well I think grinding a tank would cause concern.
Randy
Randy what paint did you use?
That hand cart looks a lot like this one.
I just got one a month ago for hauling boxes into Fedex from my van. (parts from PC repair work done & shipping back)
Magna Cart Sears Item# 00987615000
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_10153_12605?keyword=hand+truck&vName=
I works pretty good and folds flat. Not that you’d need it to fold when you have a tank in it though!!! 😆
I got mine on sale during Thanksgiving day deals for $25.00.
I also thought perhaps an old golf bag cart might work for that. I have seen them real cheap at Goodwill, garage sales, etc. Especially the old antique looking ones..
Revwarnut
Mike
Thanks it sure is easier on the back and the larger wheels make moving the tank way easier. 😀
Randy
That’s a good looking Kaddy Randy!
Mike
I guess they’re afraid I’d take too much metal off. I was going to use a aluminum head engine paint. Y.N. I want heat gain for when I’m at 2500 I can gain some free pressure. In the summer what we do is leave them in the shade. I think I may just use the scuff technique.
Paid 120.00 for a flaming pink scuba tank stripped it painted flat black took it back for a fill and had to pay for an inspection but they love my tank caddy. 😈
Randy
Why do you want it to absorb heat exactly? California sun (and already high temperature’s) and a pressure vessel doesn’t sound right….
If you must, then sand the old painted finish without stripping it down to bare metal and paint that. Paint will stick to the old paint better than it will stick to bare aluminum. I’d still pick Grey or Green over Black.
Bear in mind that when they test them, if they see any scratches they will grind the finish off around the scratch to bare metal to check the scratch and will ruin all your good work.
My tank was in perfect condition until I let Cygnusx borrow it, he scratched it and the next thing I know it looks like the dive store put an angle grinder to it with red circle’s all over the place.
Keep in mind paint does not stick to Aluminum very good.
What the hell can it do if you sand it??!!
No doubt Ol’ Grumpy will have some crazy explanation, but really, mine gets bashed about all the time, and it only slightly exploded a couple of times…. 🙄
But a black next cover on it and live with it.
What’s a next cover? I’m off to Google….EDIT: I Googled and came up blank, so I went to scuba.com and I’m guessing you meant mesh cover?
Before I did anything, I guess I’d get a solid commitment from the dive shop that they won’t go chickenshit and refuse to fill or hydro it after it’s been painted.
I did that. That’s when she said “don’t sand it, just give it a scuff to make the new paint stick”. Actually she asked her boss (the store owner) and he told her no sanding, scuffing is fine. I want to strip off the old paint and apply the new paint on the bare alu., that way the heat tranfers even better. I don’t see a paint stripper hurting the aluminum, do you guys?
The tank is powder coated and will be much harder to strip.
But a black next cover on it and live with it.
On the one hand, I don’t think it’d be a problem… on the other hand, those things are tightly regulated by the govt and “safe handling” standards.
Before I did anything, I guess I’d get a solid commitment from the dive shop that they won’t go chickenshit and refuse to fill or hydro it after it’s been painted.
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Thanks Randy. Yeah they said no grinders.