engraving a powder coated stainless steel panel

[Joe Hillmann]

Apple barrel brand paint in white or black is what I would use. It is an acrylic paint that walmart sells in their craft department. In my experience black and white are the only two colors that hold up over time.

[Paul hardy]

If you want a rub in color, you might try Gilders Paste. It supposed to be pretty well permanent, but I've never used it on something like that. Definately need to mask your panel if you are going to try coloring it.

[Dan Hintz]

If you want a rub in color, you might try Gilders Paste. It supposed to be pretty well permanent, but I've never used it on something like that. Definately need to mask your panel if you are going to try coloring it.

Not permanent, by a long shot, and definitely not in an industrial setting... alcohol-like solvents will wash it away in a heartbeat.

[Kev Williams]

Painting over powdercoating is just inviting trouble, because the PC absorbs the paint, which effectively stains it. If you can get it off, you'll likely shine up (or dull up) the PC which is almost as bad as the stain. And based on the picture you posted, that mottled coating will trap paint like little ketchup cups...

I was going to suggest masking the panel with transfer tape, laser thru to the metal, then spray paint the engraving- But again, not with that mottled coating! The paint would bleed badly...

This may not apply here, but one of my customers had a novel idea: Their customer wanted aluminum boxes powdercoated,engraved, then painted white. My customer had trouble painting the powdercoating (wouldn't come off) so what they did was black anodized the boxes first. (they do it in-house so not much extra expense) -- the result, the laser removes the powdercoating and turns the anodizing white...

[Graham Taylor]

OK, I am guessing that painting is not the best way to go so I will do some more plain engraving tests and then advise the customer so he can make the decision. If he wants to try some different methods after I have handed over the engraved only sheets thats up to him.

Thanks again for the advice and help.

[Chuck Stone]

Woah .. just realized that I've been reading without logging in. Oops.

If anyone is so inclined, powder coat powders will melt if mixed with MEK in an old
blender. (glass recommended) and sprayed with an airbrush or Preval. Then bake away
in a toaster oven (provided you can control the temp well enough)

Since you don't have to worry about holding the electrostatic charge and the MEK will
evaporate leaving a semi-hardened surface, this leaves all sorts of options open for
cutting masks with the laser and doing multiple colors. But be SURE you let all of the
solvent evaporate, or it will just boil and ruin your finish.

After engraving down to the base metal, I'd use a lacquer meant for metal. (brass lacquer for
brass, for example)

.. just a thought..