Hear Me Out....Paint Smoker Question/Help

[WeberWho]

I picked up a Backyard Bomber cabinet smoker yesterday for a price I couldn't resist. I really didn't get much of a walk around as the seller had it loaded on his skid steer to be lifted in my truck when arriving. When unloading it at home I noticed almost all of the paint under the smoker has flaked off and is working its way around the bottom edge. I'd like to contain it but not sure what approach to take. I believe these are powder coated.

My initial approach is going to get the smoker on its back so I can mow down the bottom with a flap disc and get it primed and painted. It's more of a out of sight and out of mind. The bubbling around the bottom edge is what kills me. The highest point of it bubbling is less than two inches from the bottom. I want to somehow keep the rest of powder coated paint but somehow need to remove the paint from the bottom couple inches of the smoker. I'm not sure how easy that's going to be and how well that's going to look.

My plan would be to sand, prime, and paint the bottom few inches. Here's the "hear me out" portion. Would there be any harm on using bed liner on the bottom couple inches of the smoker? This is my first insulated smoker. I have no idea how hot the outside temps can reach with a couple inches of insulation. I've read others not having to use high heat paints for insulated cabinets as they don't get hot enough. I don't want to paint the whole smoker with bed liner just the bottom few inches to conceal the work a little better that has been done to it.

Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[ronbrad62]

I was going to suggest high heat paint, I used engine paint from Auto Zone, but I can't answer regarding using bed liner. I don't own an insulated cooker, so I can't attest to how hot they get, but you may direct your question to a manufacturer of that type of smoker, because if anyone would know, it would be a maker.

 

[WeberWho]

I was going to suggest high heat paint, I used engine paint from Auto Zone, but I can't answer regarding using bed liner. I don't own an insulated cooker, so I can't attest to how hot they get, but you may direct your question to a manufacturer of that type of smoker, because if anyone would know, it would be a maker.

I appreciate the suggestion. I ended up painting my Shirley a few years back and I received some fantastic help from Paul Shirley. Unfortunately this pit maker isn't around anymore.

The issue I foresee is the lack of gloss in high heat paint. I don't know if you can get anything other than flat black for high heat paint. The smoker has a satin/gloss finish to it. I think a flat black against a satin/gloss finish is going to stick out like a sore thumb. The bed liner will also stick out but it's textured and would maybe not look so out of place and maybe intentional.

I know people put vinyl logo stickers on their cabinet smokers. I'm thinking if bed liner isn't a very good option I could always wrap the bottom few inches of the smoker in black nonskid vinyl tape. (What the top of skateboards use) Just to keep your eye from looking at two different type of paint jobs.

 

[bschoen]

Perhaps try an auto parts store for hi-temp engine paint, should be able to find gloss black.

 

[thirdeye]

Rustoleum makes a satin hi-temp 1200° paint in black, but bschoen is right, check with an auto parts store that has a dedicated paint department, one of my NAPA stores has an outstanding paint department.

Cleaning is very important, then the next most important thing is primer (a hi-temp primer) and probably in three steps. 1) spray a light coat on all hard to cover areas like corners, around any attachments, bolts, sharp edges etc. This is called a 'stripe coat' and your goal is to build more primer in these areas. Then on your first full coat of primer you want to feather the paint to blend or hide the stripe coat. And the second coat of primer usually hides all transition lines, but you are painting the bottom so it's not that critical. I would go longer on the primer cure times.

 

[WeberWho]

Perhaps try an auto parts store for hi-temp engine paint, should be able to find gloss black.

Thanks for the tip. I'm hoping for a satin

 

[WeberWho]

Rustoleum makes a satin hi-temp 1200° paint in black, but bschoen is right, check with an auto parts store that has a dedicated paint department, one of my NAPA stores has an outstanding paint department.

Cleaning is very important, then the next most important thing is primer (a hi-temp primer) and probably in three steps. 1) spray a light coat on all hard to cover areas like corners, around any attachments, bolts, sharp edges etc. This is called a 'stripe coat' and your goal is to build more primer in these areas. Then on your first full coat of primer you want to feather the paint to blend or hide the stripe coat. And the second coat of primer usually hides all transition lines, but you are painting the bottom so it's not that critical. I would go longer on the primer cure times.

Thanks!

The Shirley wasn't all that bad painting other than the prep. Especially since I was taking it all down to metal. My biggest concern with this one is that it's powder coated. I'm hoping to clean up the bottom 3" of the smoker, prime, and paint. The issue I think I'm going to have is getting the paint to fade into the powder coating. I don't think paint will stick to the powder coat when trying to match each other. That's why I'm thinking I'll need some type veneer to mesh the two. More or less for myself so my eyes don't have to look at it everytime and notice the imperfections. I have to remind myself that I'm the third owner and it's going to be far from new any given point. There scratches and other small rust spot on hinges etc. Stuff I'll be able to touch up but the bubbling has me going crazy at the bottom!

 

[bschoen]

"The issue I think I'm going to have is getting the paint to fade into the powder coating"

Trying to make a transition disappear is likely to lead to disappointment. Go the other way and highlight it. Paint a stripe of a different color over the transition area.

 

[Mikhail]

I don't see a lot of damage. Might it be possible to just clean up the few spots? In any event, I think I would cook on it a few times and make sure I was keeping it before putting all that time into it.

 

[4ever3]

Tape off a straight like say a couple inches up from the bottom and use caliper paint in an accent color.

 

[pmad]

Here was a thread from a few years ago.
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=227397

 

[Titch]

"The issue I think I'm going to have is getting the paint to fade into the powder coating"

Trying to make a transition disappear is likely to lead to disappointment. Go the other way and highlight it. Paint a stripe of a different color over the transition area.

Tape off a straight like say a couple inches up from the bottom and use caliper paint in an accent color.

Good replies IMHO
I use to do Display work for numerous businesses
If you cannot hide something, make it obvious was drummed into me

 

[WeberWho]

Thanks everyone! The accent color might be the best bet. It's going to be a little while yet as I'm starting with the inside the cook chamber. Flash rust everywhere.

 

[Cat797]

Are you sure the outside is powder coated? I looks like paint to me.......I'm not sure if that changes anything with your process.

 

[WeberWho]

Are you sure the outside is powder coated? I looks like paint to me.......I'm not sure if that changes anything with your process.

It appears it to be powder coated. The company is no longer around but any information I have found on them had mentioned them being powder coated.

What's going to be tricky is removing the bottom 3-4" of powder coat and try to match it's thickness with primer and paint.

 

[pmad]

FYI - the Line-X (spray-on truck liner) website says its spray cans are rated 250* but a commercial application is rated to 350*

Also, what about using this.
https://www.harborfreight.com/16-oz...tte-black-93306.html?_br_psugg_q=poweder+coat

You need to cure it between 300* & 500* so I'm guessing it can handle smoker temperatures.

 

[Smoke Dawg]

You could paint with high heat protection and rivet on aluminum diamond plate?

 

[WeberWho]

FYI - the Line-X (spray-on truck liner) website says its spray cans are rated 250* but a commercial application is rated to 350*

Also, what about using this.
https://www.harborfreight.com/16-oz...tte-black-93306.html?_br_psugg_q=poweder+coat

You need to cure it between 300* & 500* so I'm guessing it can handle smoker temperatures.

Thanks for the idea. I believe you have to bake the powder coat paint afterwards and I unfortunately don't have a powder coat gun. It sure would be fun though!

 

[WeberWho]

You could paint with high heat protection and rivet on aluminum diamond plate?

That was my first initial thought. Which I really would like to do but I've never worked with diamond plate before. I'm not sure how bendable/shapeable it is around the radius of the corners of the smoker.