Buff tool box paint?

[454cid]

I'm putting this in the garage since it's not base/clear/automotive paint.

I've recently gotten some used tool boxes.... some unknown top top box, and a Vidmar cabinet. They have scuffs and scratches and I'd like to clean them up. I have two buffers that I've never used. One is an old Black and Decker (or maybe Craftsman) that's probably a rotory, and a smaller (6") that's a new 18v Ryobi dual action. What would be the thing to use that's hopefully available cheaply for a compound? Many many years ago, I used a Turtle Wax product that was in a little tub on my single stage 82 Dodge Charger, but that was by hand.

I don't want to use multiple grits, and I'm not looking for a show car finish.... just make some used tool boxes look nicer. I've got cleaner wax and regular wax for after the buffing.

 

[Scooterwrench]

Auto parts stores sell cutting cream,works good with a wool(or simulated wool)bonnet. If you want to put a mirror finish on them follow up with finishing glaze and a foam bonnet. Cleaner wax is a contradiction in terms,use good ol carnauba paste wax and buff with one of those micro fiber rags,the ones that look like yellow flannel. Bowling alley wax is really good too.

 

[Hipster]

It's typically powder coat and not paint. Depends on what and it's been wiped down with over the years that can make a difference in the results you get. If it's a body shop box that's been wiped down with solvents the results might be blotchy at best. If the current finish is uniform sometimes better off to leave it alone. 3M Trizact is about the best there is that breaks down into finer grits and polishes, but not cheap either, and it still it cuts better with courser pads and polishes better with finer pads. There really isn't one does it all solution. Once you get done with polish you step up to a finishing glaze and yet another pad. Pretty much all the better stuff is geared to be used with foam pads these days up until you get to hand glazes, waxes,and terrycloth. Microfiber will make brand new paint look like it's been through a 100 automatic carwashes. The swirls just keep coming even on some stuff that's aged. The really rough stuff like turtle wax compounds and polishes in the plastic tubs are actually quite good for fiberglass gelcoats but will really ruin finer finishes. Use only as course as what needs to get it done. Try some products on a small place on the back so you can gauge what's going to work for you. Powder coat seldom polishes and lusters back up like paint.

 

[Road Trip]

A few years ago my buddy bought this US General toolbox at Harbor Freight.
After being used in a rough-n-ready environment, it looked a lot older than it was --
lot's of scratches + rings left over from containers while being used as a table surface?

This is primarily what I used to bring the paint back to this condition:
(Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Ultra Cut Compound)

NOTE: Single stage paint for sure -- everything I used on this turned bright red!

You must be registered for see images attach

Disclaimer: After the 1st pass there were still a couple of scratches that resisted buffing out, and drew attention to themselves.
I wasn't going to do it, but I made a 2nd pass, this time gently wet-sanding (color-sanding) this top with some 2000-grit in the bad spots, and then
rebuffed the whole thing w/the Meguiar's again. And if you carefully look at the light bulb reflections, you can barely see that the paint surface is still
not perfect...but it looks 99% better than it did. (And the nice thing about this heavy-cut cleaner is that the longer you work it, the
more it breaks down to ever-finer polish. It's like having at least 3 different levels of polish in the old days.)

EDIT: The above was buffed with a foam pad -- the paint seemed too thin to risk a wool pad, and I didn't want to repaint the thing - just clean it up
so that it didn't draw undo attention to itself in the background while shooting 'engine on stand' photos in the foreground.

Oh yeah, you will want to use the rotary buffer, hopefully it's a variable speed. And of course, I waxed the surface
post polishing. And I just took this photo, but the polish job was done almost a year ago, with nothing more than
a quick cleanup with Behold & a buffing cloth now & again.

And if you are doing this on real classic toolboxes, it should turn out just as nice/nicer.

Just another data point. Hope this is helpful --

 

[Hipster]

A few years ago my buddy bought this US General toolbox at Harbor Freight.
After being used in a rough-n-ready environment, it looked a lot older than it was --
lot's of scratches + rings left over from containers while being used as a table surface?

This is primarily what I used to bring the paint back to this condition:
(Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Ultra Cut Compound)

NOTE: Single stage paint for sure -- everything I used on this turned bright red!

You must be registered for see images attach

Disclaimer: After the 1st pass there were still a couple of scratches that resisted buffing out, and drew attention to themselves.
I wasn't going to do it, but I made a 2nd pass, this time gently wet-sanding (color-sanding) this top with some 2000-grit in the bad spots, and then
rebuffed the whole thing w/the Meguiar's again. And if you carefully look at the light bulb reflections, you can barely see that the paint surface is still
not perfect...but it looks 99% better than it did. (And the nice thing about this heavy-cut cleaner is that the longer you work it, the
more it breaks down to ever-finer polish. It's like having at least 3 different levels of polish in the old days.)

EDIT: The above was buffed with a foam pad -- the paint seemed too thin to risk a wool pad, and I didn't want to repaint the thing - just clean it up
so that it didn't draw undo attention to itself in the background while shooting 'engine on stand' photos in the foreground.

Oh yeah, you will want to use the rotary buffer, hopefully it's a variable speed. And of course, I waxed the surface
post polishing. And I just took this photo, but the polish job was done almost a year ago, with nothing more than
a quick cleanup with Behold & a buffing cloth now & again.

And if you are doing this on real classic toolboxes, it should turn out just as nice/nicer.

Just another data point. Hope this is helpful --

Looks damn good to me!

 

[Orpedcrow]

I’ve been very impressed with the results I’ve gotten from “meguiers ultimate compound and ultimate polish” even with hand rubbing. Stuff is inexpensive, readily available and user friendly.

 

[RichLo]

Wow!

Am I the only one that buffs my toolbox by adding more stickers???

Basically anything in the garage gets the sticker treatment here, welders, shop fridge, work benches, shop cats, etc

 

[454cid]

Wow!

Am I the only one that buffs my toolbox by adding more stickers???

Basically anything in the garage gets the sticker treatment here, welders, shop fridge, work benches, shop cats, etc

I dont seem to get many stickers.

I haven't done anything to these boxes yet, but I still intend to and will reread this thread before I start. I'm still working on other areas of the garage slowly.

 

[RichLo]

I dont seem to get many stickers.

I haven't done anything to these boxes yet, but I still intend to and will reread this thread before I start. I'm still working on other areas of the garage slowly.

I am thoroughly impressed with Road Trips' toolbox and I wish I had that patience!

I just treat garage stuff as stuff that will get greasy and scratched up. The most I will do if I have a sticker that I really like and dont want to peel off, I'll spray a rag with brake cleaner and rub down the area until I see red paint on the rag then stick it on, lol.

Call me old fashion...

Please dont let me bring you down on polishing your toolbox! I love seeing garages organized and clean! And thats not sarcastic, I really appreciate that detail. I just have too many projects that always need something.

 

[454cid]

Please dont let me bring you down on polishing your toolbox! I love seeing garages organized and clean! And thats not sarcastic, I really appreciate that detail. I just have too many projects that always need something.

I'm just trying to make it presentable. I'm working with a too small and too crowded garage with low budget auction wins for storage. I'll eventually post some pictures, but it wont be a scene from hot rod tv or the like.