painting tanks

[scubabear47]

I bought a used AL 80 about a year ago but the paint is chipping off and i am getting tiered of looking at the ugly tank, so I was going to paint it. But I not sure what paint to use any suggestions.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Getting paint to stick to scuba tanks is difficult. You cannot use a heat gun or paint booth to cure the paint as excessive heat will ruin the heat treatment of the metal and create what amounts to a bomb. Conseuqently, if you paint the tank expect to be questioned by the LDS that does the first fill and ideally talk to them in advance about your proposed paint process.

I have tried various two part epoxy paints and polyurethanes over the years and it is not really worth the trouble. Just use an expoxy appliance paint in a spray can and call it good. But expect some chips in a short period of time.

I have used to use the orange colored citrus stripper found in most hardware stores to good effect with no damage to the tank.

You might consider just having the old paint bead blasted off the tank and then just stay with that as the permanent tank finish as it is attractive and a lot more durable than paint.

 

[Mayor]

Some companies make tank wraps. This might be a better way to go.

 

[rcs9250]

The only caution with tank wraps is that your LDS may want to cut it off at visual inspection time.. Technically they should .
I've gotten some tanks that were really scuffed up and just stripped them and left them that way.
In taking the cylinder inspection course from Bill High, owner of PSI, he said
" just dive the thing , it's not a canvas".
An alternative is a a tank mesh. It goes on easy and comes off easy. Can make putting bcd strap on a little harder or just use the mesh when transporting tank.

Randy

 

[oxyhacker]

I take a digital approach to tank painting refinishing. If its aluminum, strip it or blast it (with a "soft" media that will not remove any metal) and leave it natural. It'll turn a nice industrial gray. If it's steel, blast it with ZRC cold galvanizing paint.

The goal of any tank refinishing project should be to make the tank look less awful or prevent rusting, not to make it pretty. Nothing you can do to a tank at home without expending an unreasonable amount of effort will make it look pretty, and even if you should manage to make it look pretty, it will not look pretty for long and you'll have to worry about scraping it up all the time. The good thing about the two finishes I mention above it that , while they'll never look great, they can take a lot of abuse without looking much worse.

 

[chrisc]

I had our local powder coating shop do 2 AL tanks for us 4 weeks ago. They used a low bake powder coating, the cure time was longer & more expensive due to the 140 degree temp. We'll see how the coating lasts... Cost was about $50 tank.

 

[spectrum]

I agree with Vance. Essentially no good can come from post factory cylinder finishing. Blemishes are inevitable with use that that soon leads to collection points for water and corrosives like salt. A natural finish (mill,spun,blasted) will be maintenance free and a timely rinse is the cylinders best protection.

I picked up a pair of used AL80s a few years ago. One was factory and one was an apparent repaint. Both looked well worn. When I stripped them there was defined corrosion surrounding the paint breaks. Now that they are stripped clean they dry fast and rinse fully and are stable.

If you want color get a $10 yellow boot.

Pete

 

[deadly_risk]

If its aluminum, strip it or blast it (with a "soft" media that will not remove any metal) and leave it natural.

I just came across a pair of AL80s both painted black with chips and scuffs and old stickers all over the paint. Blasting them and leaving it sounds like a good idea, when I call around to shops that do things like sand blasting what kind of "soft" media should I ask if they can use?

 

[Jimmer]

I just came across a pair of AL80s both painted black with chips and scuffs and old stickers all over the paint. Blasting them and leaving it sounds like a good idea, when I call around to shops that do things like sand blasting what kind of "soft" media should I ask if they can use?

Walnut and soda blast are good options. All the tanks I've bead blasted I had done with glass beads simply because that is what the place I worked at used to blast their products, and it didn't do any damage to the aluminum either.

 

[deadly_risk]

Walnut and soda blast are good options. All the tanks I've bead blasted I had done with glass beads simply because that is what the place I worked at used to blast their products, and it didn't do any damage to the aluminum either.

Ok, awesome.

One more question, both tanks are still in hydro but have been out of vis for 3 years, should I go ahead and drain the tanks and remove the valve before blasting?