Stripping & painting AL Tanks

[Genesis]

First, the critical temperature for AL tanks is ~350F. That's HOT. Way beyond what you can reach in a car on a hot summer day.

But, heat-curing paint is a big no-no. I wouldn't bother repainting anyway; it'll just get banged up again.

 

[Boogie711]

With respect, are you going to tell me that getting a fill, tossing the tanks in my trunk and heading to a dive site would be enough to condemn my tank?

That's what it looks like:

Getting a fill, throwing the tank into your trunk then driving to a dive site can be enough temp to condem your tank(s), easily.

Come on!

Condemnation point for Aluminum tanks is 350 F. 350!!!

Water boils at 212 degrees. There is NO WAY a fill and a hot trunk ride even approaches 350. Stick them in a hot, black trunk at high noon in Arizona, straight off the compressor, and you're not hitting anywhere CLOSE to 350.

I'd be REALLY interested to see your source on a statement like that. Sheesh.

 

[scubaspider]

DA Aqua,


This would be a steel tank that I would be painting. As far as the finish on it or the condition of the tank, I have no clue. This tank is coming from my father's friend who is getting out of diving cuz of his time constrants. This was an idea to make a tank look something other than the regulator single colors and put some designs on these things making them more interesting than just a tank. I was going to try and make a web design for a spider....go figure. Another brainstorm idea was to paint the tank like a shark and place a fin on the tank, but then i'm playing w/ buoancy and glues and stuff so, that wouldnt be good, but it would look cool underwater!!!


thanks,

~spider

 

[Boogie711]

Like they all say - it's going to get all scratched up anyway. At least if it's SUPPOSED to look scratched up, it will be cool. A nice design all scratched up will look like crap.

And you don't want to put a shark fin on. A) it will screw up bouyancy/trim, B) it will make it a royal pain to thread through a cam band, and C) it will look REALLY bad when it gets scratched/dinged/squished/mangled, etc.

Just run with what you got. If it's all scratched up, as long as it's not an issue with rust or corrosion, consider it 'well loved.'

 

[ReefGuy]

I saw a website offering shrink wrap tank skins. They have different designs, and when you put them on, you heat them with a blow-dryer, until the plastic shrinks. It's then semi-permanent, but can be cut off with a knife (apparently, you just score and peel).

Is this a bad idea?

 

[roakey]

ReefGuy once bubbled...
I saw a website offering shrink wrap tank skins. They have different designs, and when you put them on, you heat them with a blow-dryer, until the plastic shrinks. It's then semi-permanent, but can be cut off with a knife (apparently, you just score and peel).

Is this a bad idea?

Anything that traps water (especially salt water) against metal is a bad idea. That's why even tank boots are a bad idea.

Roak

Ps. I just combined the dozen or so tank painting notes into just two notes, painting AL tanks and painting steel tanks. Now it's two-stop shopping for all cylinder painting needs. You may want to go back and reread this note from the beginning to get all the information available.

 

[DawgPaddle]

Hello All -

Just curious, is painting (art) on aluminum 80's a problem? Is is not recommended or legal (anything like that). I ask because my wife is an artist and I have some ideas that I'd like her to paint on the tanks but wanted to find out more specifics on it.

Type of Paint
Advice
No-No's
Safety Factors

My apologies if this topic has already come up. If so, please point me in the right direction.

Thanks,

DawgPaddle

 

[cyklon_300]

is a waste of effort IMO...if you dive much at all, it'll just get scratched and look ratty.

If you must paint, do NOT heat-cure (bake) the cylinder...

 

[Diver0001]

Hello All -

Just curious, is painting (art) on aluminum 80's a problem? Is is not recommended or legal (anything like that). I ask because my wife is an artist and I have some ideas that I'd like her to paint on the tanks but wanted to find out more specifics on it.

Type of Paint
Advice
No-No's
Safety Factors

My apologies if this topic has already come up. If so, please point me in the right direction.

Thanks,

DawgPaddle

painting is ok. heating is not. If you heat your tank to cure or to remove old paint then you may (probably will) destroy the metal and it could (probably will) blow up when you fill it.

Some people report that rust paints like what you would use on a car work well. Also, if you were to put a coat of clear lacquer (no heat cure types) on over the paint then it will scratch proof it a bit.

Have fun.

R..

 

[IndigoBlue]

Eventually I will paint all of my tanks black. I just have not gotten around to it yet. They are ordinary metallic silver now, a boring color.

Some divers have really wild, mod paint jobs, like flames or mermaids etc. It looks truly beautiful, like an underwater Altimira.

You should use enamel paint. You are not permitted to bake the paint job. It must air dry.

You cannot obscure the serial number or hydro date either, or the other DOT info like working psi, composition code, etc. I would give the whole tank one thin base coat, then mask the I/D info so that subsequent layering does not obscure it.

Take off all stickers first, then after painting, have the tank(s) vis-ed (and O2 cleaned if needed).

Make sure your paint job matches your exposure suit. You don't want to clash colours!