Stripping & painting AL Tanks

[joewr]

something subdued and tasteful? For example, a frog wearing a dive mask and carrying a Texas State Flag? Maybe Artsprite (aka Patty the Swamp Master) can rustle something up for you? ("rustle up" is probably a poor choice of words in your part of the country...).

Or how about a Texas Longhorn wearing a dive mask? But, maybe the most appropriate would just be a Copenhagen decal...

Joewr...

 

[DoubleBubbles]

Now that has to be a sight; watching your dive buddy dip a little Copenhagen then spittin' underwater. I hope they swallow instead.

 

[Bob3]

First things first.
Only FINE CUT chewing tobaccos should be used while diving. Leaf types can plug the exhaust valve on your regulator, where fine cuts can be flushed through.

On to the paint.
Never heat an aluminum tank any warmer than your armpit.
#1 Remove old paint. Run to your local auto parts store & grab some aircraft stripper. It'll be safe to use on the aluminum. flush, wash and dry after stripping, and hit with a scuff pad. You may just want to leave the tank with that finish, or haul in to someplace for glass bead blasting for a fine bare satin finish.
If ya HAVE to paint it, immediately after scuffing apply a light coat of zinc chromate primer. Apply a second light coat. It's MUCH better to use multiple coats than to get goobers & runs hanging & have to sand 'em down. (goes for the paint, too).
For paint, I suggest a plain old high gloss Rustoleum Appliance White; fairly tough but easy to retouch or strip again. Both the primer & paint are available in spray cans.
If you know how to run a Binks #7, drop me an e-mail for other paint options.

I'd still go with the bare aluminum like Dee says.

 

[TexasMike]

B^cubed:

Thanks for the info, that is what I was looking for. And I agree with the basic plain satin finish. If I ever purchase new tanks, this is what I planned on getting anyway.

Joe: No longhorns on my tanks fer me, buster. Remember, I are an Fightin' Texas Aggie and proud of it! I can even count to twenty if I take my dive booties off!

The reason for the oddball designs is so that I can pick them out of the crowd of tanks and people can pick me out of the crowd of divers underwater.

 

[joewr]

Geez, Mike,

You reminded me of the time that I visited my son at Marine OTS in Quantico and I asked on of his roomies about the Longhorns...guess who else was an Aggie?

So what about a BIG AM (I cannot seem to make the A lie over the M here...gotta talk to LD...) with a dive mask hangin' on the A?

Joerw...wondering if Mike knows the one about the 6th generation Aggie and the family beer mug...

 

[TexasMike]

No (but want to hear it)

I do have an Aggie Coffee mug (the one with the handle inside of the mug)

Also, did you hear on the news about the Aggie who was hospitalized after failing to join Osam bin-Laden's terrorist organization? He suffered third degree burns around his mouth and lips when he tried to use the tail pipe to blow up a bus.

 

[joewr]

TejasMiguelito,

The joke I am thinking of was taught to me by the shavetail Marine Lt. whom I "insulted" by asking about the Longhorns...it requires use of the hands...thus, we will have to wait until Barbara and I go on a swamp dive with your gang. Barbara will probably, though, only be a very interested spectator. She thinks 60 ft is poor vis!

Joewr...wondering why Dee wears those rose-colored lenses...is rose-colored mud prettier...

 

[Dee]

Originally posted by joewr
TejasMiguelito,

Joewr...wondering why Dee wears those rose-colored lenses...is rose-colored mud prettier...

'Cause when I started diving and needed RX lenses in my mask, I trusted the dive shop who told me that's what I needed! Now I'm used to them and can't tell the difference. Besides, it DOES provide another color other than green

 

[joewr]

Originally posted by Dee


'Cause when I started diving and needed RX lenses in my mask, I trusted the dive shop who told me that's what I needed! Now I'm used to them and can't tell the difference. Besides, it DOES provide another color other than green

I like my explanation better!

Joewr...ah, the romance of rose-colored mud...my old san anton rose colored mud...

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

The *ONLY* way I would paint any scuba tank is for decoration purpose only. It's expensive to do it correctly, it's time consuming, some shops will get all anal and drill you 20 billion questions and then end up hating you when you slam the manufactures manual on the tank onto the counter and tell them you followed every guideline/rule/regulation.

Personaly, if any shop gives me grief about filling my tanks then that's not a shop i'll revisit.

custom painted tanks will take damage from various areas and it's impossible for you to prevent it (unless it's for decor) and they always wind up looking like trash.

Ed