This is my first post and I've only built eight rods (a couple of spinning rods and some salmon and halibut rods). I have appreciated all the tips and advice I have read from this forum. I could not have built the rods I have without the information that this forum provides. I have a question that I hope has not already been answered in this forum. I have a buddy that wants a halibut rod with the University of Oregon colors as a tribute to his late father. I would like to paint the hoods of a green aluminum reel seat yellow. I have seen posts for painting graphite reel seats, but not aluminum, or am I mistaken? Is the process any different for a graphite reel seat, as oppose to an aluminum reel seat? Thanks in advance for any help that can be provided.
Brock

Brock,

The problem I can see with painting aluminum is adhesion. Aluminum is a very difficult metal to get paint to stick to successfully. That is why most aluminum boats weren't painted until recently. I painted bare aluminum truck bodies and aircraft for several years and there is a definite process that you have to use. The aluminum has to be washed,rinsed, etched, rinsed and alodined then dried. Which is to say basically, degreased and etched with acid in order for adhesion to occur properly then primed and lastly painted. It is slightly more involved but that is the basic idea.

On a reel seat, The coating is most likely a PVDF coating and you might be able to carefully scuff this caoting without going through with 400 grit sand paper then prime and paint over it. I would want to try it out on something less important first and test it for adhesion. The coating should provide good chemical adhesion to the bare aluminum but in order for primer and paint to stick you need a water break free surface for good mechanical adhesion.Thus the sanding.

I might think about incorporating yellow into the handle or somewhere else first before I tried to paint the hoods. If you do decide to tackle it here is where I would start. Pay close attention to the first step it is by far the most important.

1) Before and after sanding the hoods you are going to want to thouroghly clean and degrease them making sure any contaminates are removed.
2) Mask off the parts that you don't want painted.
3) Prime the hoods with an etching primer speciffically designed for aluminum.
4)Paint with a high quality marine grade two part epoxy. This should give you the best protection against the elements.


Hope I didn't burst your creative bubble I would just hate to see you posting about the paint coming off a few months down the road.

Good luck,
Vic

Perfection aluminum seats can be ordered thru some distributors with various color combinations. Perhaps you could get them with light gold(near yellow) hoods and a green body. Try talking to plating shops near you that do specialty work in anodizing. You may need to check with tire or auto suppliers. I have seen some rims that weren't standard colors. I would suggest you paint a Fuji HD seat so you get exactly what you want.
Chuck

Check out American Tackle and Pac Bay. They have a selection of Alum seats with hoods in colors

Bill - willierods.com

Thanks for the replies. You have saved me time, frustration and money. Sounds like I may have to incorporate the yellow somewhere else.
Brock