Paint on aluminum?

[chickentendah]

I need to paint my center vent gauge panel, so it has a smooth OEM-like black.

What type of paint do I use, and how do I prepare the surface prior to painting?

The panel is made out of "6061-T6 aluminum". The surface has a brushed appearance.

[i2ice4m3]

just sand it with something like...600?, use primer that adheres to metals, then coat it with whatever paint since it's now sticking to the primer. I think that should work...maybe sand the primer a little too. good luck!

[sclick55]

Definately sand the primer. Wet sanding will give you the smoothest finish. You can also use a hair dryer to help speed drying times between coats. I would really suggest getting your hands on a piece of scrap aluminum and practicing if you're not confident in your painting skills

[chickentendah]

primer, sand, then paint .... gotcha

i definitely need some practice first

thanks!

[AZhitman]

Don't forget to clean the part with a solvent first. Brake cleaner works good, as does paint thinner.

[IveBeenBad]

use self etching primer