Painting bolt heads

[SVSooke]

Here's a trick for painting bolt or screw heads without painting the threads.

Can be put in the oven to bake the paint on(if the SO lets you,mine does).Got this off a Speed show some years ago.Think it was Stacey David's Trucks but I could be wrong.BTW works great!

 

[Texas Don]

The best ideas are always the simple ones, eh? Love it.

 

[gsryder]

Good idea.....did you shoot the holes in the big can?????

 

[SVSooke]

Try it.Used a drill.

 

[7981GS]

Good idea.....did you shoot the holes in the big can?????

LOL! It does look like it.

Daniel

 

[SVSooke]

Was not disagreeing,it does.

 

[knowyourenemy66]

I just use an old cardboard box--punch holes with a screwdriver or pocket knife--no need to drag out the drill and bits.

 

[SVSooke]

That works to.I like to bake paint in the oven,would not work with a cardboard box.

 

[russellhartzell]

I have a serious question: How bad of a smell does the paint give off? Do you etch the bolt head before you paint them?

 

[SVSooke]

Paint does smell quite a bit when heated.I'm lucky,my wife doesn't mind.I wire brush the heads or the nuts before I paint them.

 

[russellhartzell]

Well I am gonna have the house to my self for a month before I deploy and thought I could do it then as long as the smell wont become permanent

 

[SVSooke]

No it's not permanent,it doesn't even last very long.Makes the paint a lot tougher.

 

[bluewool]

I like to slow cook them on a well "heat cleaned" bbq, low heat, about 150-200f Keeps the smell outside.

 

[Guest]

My questions are A: Should you use High Temp. paint and B: Does it change the head size of the bolts? And I guess C is should you clear coat?

 

[Kiwi Canuck]

Tasty

Tasty

I can just see it now!!!
Ummm does that casserole taste like Rustoleum or is that a hint of VHT?
Not sure honey, but it sure is familar?

 

[SVSooke]

My questions are A: Should you use High Temp. paint and B: Does it change the head size of the bolts? And I guess C is should you clear coat?

A:Not unless you need to.IE:exhaust pipe bolts.
B: not enough to be noticeable
C:you could I guess but it will still wear off.

I can just see it now!!!
Ummm does that casserole taste like Rustoleum or is that a hint of VHT?
Not sure honey, but it sure is familar?

Done this in our cooking oven quite a bit,never noticed any residual taste or odor.My wife actually LIKED me doing it in the houseMost of the small stuff (including bolts) gets done on the dedicated toaster oven outside these days.

 

[oldgsfan]

This is a great thread! I've done a combination of cleaning the heck out of my bolts with simple green, and buying new ones when I can. I'll be following some of these tips. Just began a tear down on my engine.

 

[Guest]

To save the paint on the bolts when your installing them. Put a ziplock bag over the bolt and the socket on top of that.
That way the plastic gets chewed up and your paint stays untouched.

 

[Guest]

As far as heating, I have used my kero stove in the garage, just set the bolts in the can lid on top and no need to use the kitchen.

 

[Guest]

Now tell me something,
Wouldn't it be better to paint the bolt head in place? (That is if you can) that way you won't have to take a greasy old wrench or socket and risk chipping off the paint?
I can't see much torque being applied without damaging the finish, unless you use some thin scotch tape to insulate it, but even then you'll probably leave impressions.
But a repainted bolt head will sure look better than some rusty old thing when all else is nice and clean I'll agree, even if it's chipped or marred.

Suzuki uses allot of the "green" colored bolts and hardware on their bikes, I haven't seen any of those for sale anywhere I look at parts. I wonder if anyone has ever tried to match the color to keep it original looking?
Looks like a "olive drab" type color.