Painting an aluminum fingerwheel

[markosjal]

I have a WE 202 which had a severely bent fingerwheel with paint chipping off. This is a 5H dial as I recall. I stripped it down to bare aluminum and pounded it flat with a rubber mallet.

I have now tried to spray paint the aluminum fingerwheel and done testing of a few different paints but none seem to stick to the aluminum. I had an aircraft mechanic tell me that this is a problem with aluminum in general.  Next I might try fingernail polish  but that will require me to brush it on.

Does anyone have a paint recommendation for what will stick to an aluminum fingerwheel?

Maybe I should just buff and polish and leave as bare aluminum? This would work but dial number card retainer is black paint on brass so maybe leaving fingerwheel as is would look odd with black or brass number retainer

Thanks,

Mark

[dsk]

I guess that aircraft mechanic are right, look at old Land Rovers, the paint flakes! It is possible to treat the aluminum surface with some special chemicals before painting, but I am not sure what they use and of healthy they are.

dsk

[Charles]

I have repainted a finger wheel using gloss black Rustoleum. The paint never flaked off.

[TelePlay]

Sand the aluminum with 400 grit sandpaper.
De-grease and clean the aluminum with acetone using rubber gloves to keep finger oil off of the metal
Place the finger wheel on a pedestal on a turntable
Use a hair dryer to both blow dust particles off of the wheel and to remove ambient moisture.

Spray with a self etching primer and immediately spray with a same brand light coat of the black paint
Let dry for an hour
Bake at 100° F for one hour
Bake at 300° for another hour

Let cool and dry sand (carefully on the edges) with 600 grit using gloves to keep finger oils off of the wheel

Put back on turntable pedistal
Use a hair dryer to both blow dust particles off of the wheel and to remove ambient moisture.
Spray with light coat of the black paint
Let dry for an hour
Bake at 100° F for one hour
Bake at 300° for another hour

Let cool and dry sand (carefully on the edges) with 600 grit using gloves to keep finger oils off of the wheel

Put back on turntable pedistal
Use a hair dryer to both blow dust particles off of the wheel and to remove ambient moisture.
Spray with light coat of the black paint
Let dry for an hour
Bake at 100° F for one hour
Bake at 300° for another hour

Let cool and dry sand (carefully on the edges) with 600 grit using gloves to keep finger oils off of the wheel

Put back on turntable pedistal
Use a hair dryer to both blow dust particles off of the wheel and to remove ambient moisture.
Spray with light coat of the black paint
Let dry for an hour
Bake at 100° F for one hour
Bake at 300° for another hour

Let cool

Apply a thin coat of Renaissance Wax to get rid of the new paint feeling

    OR

Let cool and dry sand (carefully on the edges) with 600 grit using gloves to keep finger oils off of the wheel

Put back on turntable pedistal
Use a hair dryer to both blow dust particles off of the wheel and to remove ambient moisture.
Spray with light coat of the same paint brand clear coat
Let dry for an hour
Bake at 100° F for one hour

Let cool

Apply a thin coat of Renaissance Wax to get rid of the new paint feeling

====================

Easier to do than it is to explain how to do.

[.....]

Sand the aluminum with 400 grit sandpaper.
De-grease and clean the aluminum with acetone using rubber gloves to keep finger oil off of the metal
Place the finger wheel on a pedestal on a turntable
Use a hair dryer to both blow dust particles off of the wheel and to remove ambient moisture.

Spray with a self etching primer and immediately spray with a same brand light coat of the black paint
Let dry for an hour
Bake at 100° F for one hour
Bake at 300° for another hour

Let cool and dry sand (carefully on the edges) with 600 grit using gloves to keep finger oils off of the wheel

Put back on turntable pedistal
Use a hair dryer to both blow dust particles off of the wheel and to remove ambient moisture.
Spray with light coat of the black paint
Let dry for an hour
Bake at 100° F for one hour
Bake at 300° for another hour

Let cool and dry sand (carefully on the edges) with 600 grit using gloves to keep finger oils off of the wheel

Put back on turntable pedistal
Use a hair dryer to both blow dust particles off of the wheel and to remove ambient moisture.
Spray with light coat of the black paint
Let dry for an hour
Bake at 100° F for one hour
Bake at 300° for another hour

Let cool and dry sand (carefully on the edges) with 600 grit using gloves to keep finger oils off of the wheel

Put back on turntable pedistal
Use a hair dryer to both blow dust particles off of the wheel and to remove ambient moisture.
Spray with light coat of the black paint
Let dry for an hour
Bake at 100° F for one hour
Bake at 300° for another hour

Let cool

Apply a thin coat of Renaissance Wax to get rid of the new paint feeling

    OR

Let cool and dry sand (carefully on the edges) with 600 grit using gloves to keep finger oils off of the wheel

Put back on turntable pedistal
Use a hair dryer to both blow dust particles off of the wheel and to remove ambient moisture.
Spray with light coat of the same paint brand clear coat
Let dry for an hour
Bake at 100° F for one hour

Let cool

Apply a thin coat of Renaissance Wax to get rid of the new paint feeling

====================

Easier to do than it is to explain how to do.

Wow, now that's worth repeating!