Painting background on number plates

[electrajohnt]

Any suggestions please. They are the pressed aluminium number plates. Has anyone done this. I thought maybe Vaseline on the raised numbers, but not convinced I would get a clearly defined line at the edges.
JohnT
Photo below.

[Rob Harknett]

use a paint brush

[Greybeard]

careful masking with a good tape, something like insulating tape will give you a good edge if you trim around the letters with a very sharp blade. Theres also a brush on masking fluid, or there used to be, that you can paint over the letters and peel off later. You can then spray them to get an even finish. If you do use a brush dont forget to stick the tip of your tongue out as you do the edges - otherwise theyll not be straight

Steve

[Rob Harknett]

careful masking with a good tape, something like insulating tape will give you a good edge if you trim around the letters with a very sharp blade. Theres also a brush on masking fluid, or there used to be, that you can paint over the letters and peel off later. You can then spray them to get an even finish. If you do use a brush dont forget to stick the tip of your tongue out as you do the edges - otherwise theyll not be straight

Steve

Used the peel off paint you refereed to in the trade Steve years ago on spray booths. Soon gave up using it. It proved difficult getting it off. Went back to the old method of using grease covered with brown paper sheets. We could leave that on for a week or more. THe paper came off easy and still enough grease left on so only had to put more paper on. I would prefer brown masking tape to insulation tape, which may even soften and allow paint to creep under it. Also not use a sharp knife, use a sharp pencil. When marked lift a little an trim to shape with curved nail scissors

[electrajohnt]

As Rob suggested, done it. Used Acetone to wipe clean. Then black enamel with fine “artist” brush. Stuck them in the oven to try and smooth the brush marks. When they come out ai will use fine wet or dry to clean the edge of the numbers.

[alanjennings]

I just used a spray can all over, then when hard put very fine wet and dry or similar on a sanding block and " Bob's your uncle!" ( But I ' m not a perfectionist!!

[spookefoote1956]

I'm with Alan

[chappers1962]

Done it on the rear number plate with good results:

- Strip old paint
- Polish the numbers to a mirror finish
- Use 800 grit paper everywhere else to enable the paint to bite
- mask numbers using masking tape (use a razor to cut)
- spray using satin black paint
- remove masking tape and carefully clean numbers using thinners (use razor to remove any unwanted overspray) .
- spray over using a lacquer paint

Key is to use a good quality paint/ lacquer.


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[electrajohnt]

Ok, the sorry tale so far, painted carefully with enamel, put in oven (this to try and get rid of some brush marks (why I thought that would work I don't know (maybe the enamel was too thick)) came out of the oven, still with brush marks. Not happy with this so removed most of the enamel with rotary wire brush (at same time taking the “polish” off the numbers, dammit), so then decided to mask off the numbers, took ages to do this on the rear plate only. Found a part used tin of satin black spray. Tried this on the rear plate only.
This reacted with the residue enamel from this mornings debacle. So, just spend ages with acetone (getting quite high) and wire brush, hand job this time, removing all paint down to bare metal on the rear plate.
Interspersed with this I sprayed the front plates with my favourite paint, black smooth Hammerite, all over, numbers and all. For some reason this did not react with the residue enamel. The cunning plan is to do as suggested above, remove the paint from the numbers. This I will do tomorrow. If this works then the now bare metal rear will be treated in the same way. If it doesn't work I will.... have to think of another plan. Oh Vey, as the French say?
Thought you might like to see my yet to be patented spray can shakerer.

[Group Leader]

Now that's novel!

Alan