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Paint Color Match for TU-919 Case

Payton1985

Payton1985

Active Member
I'm looking to refinish the case on a TU-919 and was wondering if anyone had information on a close or exact paint color match.

Saw a previous post that Rust-Oleum Hammered Finished Black Paint was a match for an AU-717, but I'm not sure if the AU-717 and TU-919 are the exact same color.

Thanks everyone!
 

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I had a body shop paint both my AU/TU 717 cases. We picked the color, matched from one their books with 1000's of color chips.
Plus they clear coated them. Both came out much better than me using a spray bomb. Plus no dirt in the paint, because they used the spray booth.
 
Scott Muni said:
I had a body shop paint both my AU/TU 717 cases. We picked the color, matched from one their books with 1000's of color chips.
Plus they clear coated them. Both came out much better than me using a spray bomb. Plus no dirt in the paint, because they used the spray booth.
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I considered that route and had a feeling the cost would be kind of steep around me. But they do also have a better ability to quickly match the color... In the meantime while waiting on a DIY color maybe I'll get an estimate or two just to see.
 
Good body shop supply houses can mix custom paint and package it in a spray can. Google Auto Body Supplies. Much less expensive than having a body shop do it.

- Pete
 
You may wish to try Krylon's satin black paint. It sets fast to limit whatever may be floating in the air from sticking.

If you are contemplating the Hammered look, do test it on a piece of metal first, to ensure you like the texture. It is not a 'factory' look, like some of the early mid-eighties Sansuis. Some of those have speckled/textured paint, not smooth and not hammered. But, if you like the hammered appearance (and it does look good) then that works.

I have some other gear, as well as a couple of Sansui covers, that need repainting. I need to practice the 'speckled' technique on scrap, to get it tuned in, but otherwise it does not look too difficult and will replicate the originals with this texture closely.

I do not think a paint booth is necessary, although if you have a friend or nearby shop, then I guess why not.
 
I have painted several covers of Sansui amps. The AU-717 is a greenish-grey color (not black), and is a matte sheen. I've tried rattle can paint that matched the color fairly well, but the paint never gets as hard as the original. I then had a custom tint made up at an automotive paint supplier. I also purchased some flatting agent to add to the paint. I sprayed it in my garage and it turned out looking like new. I did have a few dust nibs I could feel but could not see. The hardest thing was to determine how much flatting agent to add for the desired sheen.
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LBPete said:
Good body shop supply houses can mix custom paint and package it in a spray can. Google Auto Body Supplies. Much less expensive than having a body shop do it.

- Pete
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yes they can. but if pearls or flakes are involved you may get frequent sputtering because it does not want to pass through the nozzle. another issue with pearls/flakes in a rattle can are that you don't have the luxury of reducer and air pressure to control the flake. most likely it will be close enough but 99% chance that it will not look like the chip.

it will also most likely be an enamel which puts it in the same class as any other cheap rattle can paint, it's just a different color. you CAN get it as a pre reduced basecoat but that will need clearcoat.

and as jefft91 points out, it will not get as hard as the original but chances are, the original is not paint, its powdercoat.

don't be surprised if it costs $30+ for a can(probably more), car paint is not cheap.
 
Jefft91 said:
I have painted several covers of Sansui amps. The AU-717 is a greenish-grey color (not black), and is a matte sheen. I've tried rattle can paint that matched the color fairly well, but the paint never gets as hard as the original. I then had a custom tint made up at an automotive paint supplier. I also purchased some flatting agent to add to the paint. I sprayed it in my garage and it turned out looking like new. I did have a few dust nibs I could feel but could not see. The hardest thing was to determine how much flatting agent to add for the desired sheen.
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Thanks for that information. And it looks great!
 
I forgot to clarify that the automotive paints I use have a hardener additive which make the paint polymerize as it dries, providing a much harder finish than spray can enamel. The hardener must be mixed just before spraying. There's no way to do this with a rattle can as the paint would harden in the can.
 
I think I'm leaning towards rust-oleum paint & primer (2 in 1) semi-gloss black at the moment (if it's the DIY route). One 12 oz. can covers 12 sq. ft.
 
Payton1985, if you go the route of using paint from a spray can, I have some recommendations based on doing this to a few of my amps. Disclaimer - I'm a bit anal retentive about this stuff, so take it with a grain of salt ;).

Firstly, be sure to thoroughly clean the surface after any sanding with a tack cloth just prior to spraying. For the first few coats, spray on very thinly - you'll be able to see through the paint until maybe three coats in. Immediately after spraying a coat, do everything you can to protect the surface from dust that may settle on it (no fans, at least until the surface is dry to the touch). Spray enamel dries quite slowly, which leaves the surface very vulnerable to dust sticking to the wet/tacky surface. With any sheen, the dust nibs will show. If you can, rig up something clean and dust free that you can move into place above the wet surface after you're done spraying to minimize dust settling from above. On the last coat, after the previous coat is thoroughly dry (which may take a day), spray on a thicker coat to get an even sheen. Finally, when that coat is dry to the touch, bake the whole thing at 125-150F for 30-60 minutes to thoroughly dry the paint. This will not make the paint any harder than air drying, but it will prevent the soft paint from getting damaged while it dries completely, which can take a long time (many days for complete drying depending on temperature and humidity). in the end, it can look as good as using automotive paint, if somewhat less hard.
 
Jefft91 said:
Payton1985, if you go the route of using paint from a spray can, I have some recommendations based on doing this to a few of my amps. Disclaimer - I'm a bit anal retentive about this stuff, so take it with a grain of salt ;).

Firstly, be sure to thoroughly clean the surface after any sanding with a tack cloth just prior to spraying. For the first few coats, spray on very thinly - you'll be able to see through the paint until maybe three coats in. Immediately after spraying a coat, do everything you can to protect the surface from dust that may settle on it (no fans, at least until the surface is dry to the touch). Spray enamel dries quite slowly, which leaves the surface very vulnerable to dust sticking to the wet/tacky surface. With any sheen, the dust nibs will show. If you can, rig up something clean and dust free that you can move into place above the wet surface after you're done spraying to minimize dust settling from above. On the last coat, after the previous coat is thoroughly dry (which may take a day), spray on a thicker coat to get an even sheen. Finally, when that coat is dry to the touch, bake the whole thing at 125-150F for 30-60 minutes to thoroughly dry the paint. This will not make the paint any harder than air drying, but it will prevent the soft paint from getting damaged while it dries completely, which can take a long time (many days for complete drying depending on temperature and humidity). in the end, it can look as good as using automotive paint, if somewhat less hard.
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Thanks Jeff! Definitely want to do everything reasonably possible to get it done right the first time.
 
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