so i bought a daiwa black widow II a couple years ago and it's picked up a few severe ding in the frames paint job......so, i decided to paint it! not as hard as it seemed really.
first off, i have to say: this is my first attempt at painting a reel. next time i will do things differently. the main difference will be the type/quality of paint (this was a 'can' job. next time i plan on using a urethane or epoxy based finish.) and i'll use an airbrush next time also.
so, i'll show you what i did:
first was paint removal: the reel has a aluminum frame and i used a strippier that wouldnt damage it. if you decide to paint a reel, this is a VERY important thing to consider; apparently you can destroy your reel frame if you use the wrong stuff!
what i did was filled a disposable cup with the stripper and let the reel soak in it for a while. the paint came off quite easily after that.
this is it all stripped down. i rather liked the way it looked and almost kept it this way.
so, after some light sanding(wet 800 grit), it was on to the masking. this was, bar none, the WORST part.....
very tedious work:
no fun at all!!!!
now, for priming!! you have to be careful here to. be sure to ask your paint dealer(or where ever you buy the paint) for suggestions on the appropriate paint for the job! i did not do this; so, initially, i painted on the wrong primer. had to then strip the paint off (AGAIN!) and mask the reel (again AGAIN!!) so be careful! for this reel i had to use a self-etching primer because aluminum apparently doesnt take many types of paint well.
here's my innovative technique for spraying the reel and still being able to reach all the nooks and crannies. i think i'll call it 'the wal-mart bag' technique.
here she is all primed up! (i actually really liked the way this looked too.)
now, i primed it with a several LIGHT coats so i could reach all the tight spots with out getting runs or sags. after the primer dried (COMPLETLY!!!!) i wet sanded lightly with an 800 grit wet/dry paper.
now for the finish color: again i used the wal-mart bag tech. and again, many LIGHT coats were applied. i used a silver for a base coat then started with a mettalic orange:
ready for the clear coat...almost!
so next, i did another very light sand (again wet 800 grit) and it was on to the clear coat. spraying the clear was the same as the rest: several very light coats as to avoid running and sagging.
so here she is now:
worked out well i think. i dont think this will be a durable fininsh. but at least i have a good idea of what to expect when i re-paint it in the future. (picture quality is'nt the greatest here and you cant reall see the sheen of the clear coat...sorry)
a few thing before i go: if you do this, be sure to research carefully.....and BE patient!!! i usually get what i call 'the curse of the final coat' where i get everything perfect till almost the very end. the like a dumb monkey, i do something out of lack of patience to screw it up. take your time, be patient, and you'lll get something you'll be pleased with!
next for this reel: upgrades!!
may be a set of abec 5 ceramic hybrids and a drag upgrade.
next shade tree tackle project: currently working on building a rod (for the first time!), post to follow in the near future.
preview:
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