According to a phone conversation I had with a representative from Krylon,none of the spray can paints sold for home use should be baked in an oven while drying because that will weaken or damage the paint somehow,apparently.<BR>But,I seem to recall some threads a few years back in which some restorers claimed great results from baking Krylon and other home use paints.<BR>I would appreciate any comments,suggestions,experiences,etc anyone can share about baking paints on metal radio and test gear cabinets.<BR>Malcolm<P>------------------<BR>

Hi Alan,<BR>Do you recall any particular brand/type of clear coat seems to work best for this process?<P>Was it an enamel or was it a lacquer....do you happen to recall?<P>Clear coats seem to dull the underlying color on some finishes,especially aluminum panels which(in my experience,anyway) seem to get sort of "grayed down" and look a little off color sort of..... when clear coated even if the clear is a glossy type.<BR>Thanks,<BR>Malcolm<P>------------------<BR>

"Baking" (force drying,) any standard air-dry formula enamel or lacquer isn't going to give you a harder finish.<BR> Well- it will sooner than letting it air dry in ambient temperatures, by hardening the upper surface, but in the long run, not so...and, it _can_ adversely affect the bonding properties of some air-dry formulas.<BR> Body shops advertised baking ovens/ "baked finishes" as something to be proud of.<BR> In fact, the reason for using a drying oven was simply to get the vehicle out the door quickly, back to the customer, and in order to process the next piece.<BR> New finishes in manufacturing is a whole 'nuther matter.<BR> That paint chemistry _requires_ baking the finishes for flow-out and hardening that is not necessary with solvent-evaporative finishes such as used by us "common folk."<P> The prime reason for dulling of metallic colored paints when attempting to clear-coat is that the paints used aren't meant to be clear-coated.<BR> The common, cheapo $3 hardware store metallic paints are like this, with little exception.<BR> The solvents in the top-coat reflow the metallic layer underneath and "bury" those metallic pigments in the undercoat's carrier.<P> Duplicolor's automotive acrylic lacquers can be clear-coated without dulling.<P> Den <BR> <P>------------------<BR>