Painting a tool box

[jeepmedic46]

I just inherited a very rusty tool box for the back of my pickup. Recomendations for sanding and painting it. I want to paint it black to match my truck.

 

[angusdevil]

If it's sheet like a Weatherguard, pick your favorite sander and go to town. If it's diamond plate, you can get some of the rust off with whatever sander you want but its not going to get into the creases to well. Elbow grease with some sandpaper is going to be the route you want to go.

After that, clean it, primer then paint!

 

[jeepmedic46]

Its sheet, I don't have a sander so it will be by hand, Recomendations on what type of sandpaper to use?

 

[Terrainist]

I would like to recommend that you not spend more than one hour thinking about or working on it. Scuff it up, slap some paint on it, call it good. It will be fine.

 

[jeepmedic46]

Recomendations on paint?

 

[Terrainist]

Get a can of Rustoleum and a paint brush. I'd just brush it on, personally.

 

[jeepmedic46]

Thank you, I was thinking Rustoleum, Painting it on will be better then spraying it with a can.

 

[Ford Prefect]

Harbor Freight. Get their simple little sander and do it!

Get rustolium paint, tends to be good stuff. Are you sure the tool box is worth the effort? Just saying do a self check and be sure.

 

[jeepmedic46]

Looks ok for free, put some pb blaster on the latches, Going to need to replace the locks, No keys to lock it.

 

[Terrainist]

For a free, rusty old tool box that a year from now is going to be dented, scratched and dirty most likey... I wouldn't spend the money on a sander or use too much elbow grease hand sanding. Hit it with a wire brush to knock the loose stuff off, brush it with the Rustoleum. Rust seems to absorb Rustoleum, makes the paint adhere real good. Got to brush it or roll it though, sprayed paint is harder to make stick well.

Get the numbers off the locks. Any locksmith shop can make keys for it with the numbers, 10 bucks. No need to buy new locks.

 

[eugene]

The silver sandpaper works best for cleaning up old stuff, its designed as a paint removal sandpaper and doesn't clog up with rust like regular sandpaper. Get some and wrap it around a block of wood for a sanding block to at least ease the pain on your hands.

 

[Silverado]

I just picked up an aluminum box myself.....whats the best primer?

 

[redthies]

Wow. Lots of free stuff floating around! For the aluminum box, 1. Why paint it? 2. Why not just buff it? But, if paint it you must, then first spray it with an "etching primer". Otherwise, paint, she won't stick!

 

[z3r0]

^^^ unless you use vinegar on the aluminum
all i used to paint mine and has held up

 

[redthies]

That's a good tip! I know the etch primers are acid base (pun intended), so why not vinegar? Smells better at least.