Repainting Ammo Cans

[+TheCollector]

First question how can I remove the original paint from an ammo can so that i can repaint it?

second question what is the best paint to use to repaint the Cache?

[+JohnnyVegas]

I do not think you need to remove the old paint, I never have. I just sand them down a little then spray paint them with cheap spray paint.

Edited February 14, 2008 by JohnnyVegas

[+Okiebryan]

Paint adheres to roughed up old paint far better than to bare metal. Just get some rattle cans and get after it.

[+Isonzo Karst]

take the lid off and stick the body of the can in the dishwasher. The high phosphate dishwasher soap does a nice cleaning job. The lid I hand wash, not wanting to subject the lid gasket to the detergent and heat of the dishwasher.

[+PJPeters]

Some really good painting tips

[cliff_hanger]

Some really good painting tips

 

I use Acetone (available at Home Depot/Lowes) to take off the yellow letters in an instant and degrease the rest of the box. (keep Acetone off the seal). Rough up the box a bit if you'd like and spray paint with any flat colors.

 

I used to worry about making camo stencil but now I just paint a base color and then use another spray color to create a bit of random pattern. Speckles for rock placement, stripes for woods, whatever.

[+sbell111]

I never remove the old paint or sand or anything. I use three colors of Rustoleum camo paint.

1. I first spray over the lettering and any rusty areas using 'army green'. This basically will leave you with a completely green ammo can.
   
2. Next I place leafy twigs on the box (typically) from a 'burning bush' shrub in our back yard.
   
3. Spray diagonal lines of paint, using 'earth brown'. Neatness doesn't count. The lines shouldn't ber straight and you are not going for coverage.
   
4. Rearrange the twigs and spray diagonal lines of paint, using 'khaki' between the brown lines. (This will give your camo a layered look that will further break up the shape.)
   
5. Allow the paint to dry (mostly) and turn the box to another side.
   
6. Repeat steps 2-4, trying to get like colors to meet at the corners. This will also help break up the shape.
   
7. Repeat step 6 until all sides are painted.
    
   Set this box in a shady area under a bush and it will mostly disappear.
   

Edited February 14, 2008 by sbell111

[+StarBrand]

I've just cleaned off the dirt and grease before hitting it with a fresh coat of spray paint - they have held up well.

[+briansnat]

I've just cleaned off the dirt and grease before hitting it with a fresh coat of spray paint - they have held up well.

 

Same here. No need to remove the old paint. It actually works as a primer. Just paint right over it. I have ammo boxes that have been in the wild for 5+ years and they're still going strong using that method.

[arcteryx79]

In the past, I just sand it down a bit, wash it off to remove any paint debris/dust, and then spray a light coat of primer. Then I begin with light coats of each color, in a random (or close to random!) pattern.

 

Great use of leaves, sbell111...that container looks great!

[bogleman]

Grit blaster (if you have access to one) works wonders I have a "personal" ammo can with some special character. I blasted off the old paint - about 6 layers, hit it with some lacquer thinner and then some new paint, buff & polish to a nice shine.

 

Wanted to use some car paint but I ended up using standard Krylon

[Neos2]

I do sand off the lettering--some paints peel off the lettering eventually.

Then I do something similar to what sbell111 does --choosing leaves or grasses with shapes to blend the pattern in with whatever type of vegetation is around most of the year and colors that will help the can go un-noticed (more browns in the woodland, more tans in grassy areas, greys or beiges for rocky spots, etc).

[+sseegars]

I never remove the old paint or sand or anything. I use three colors of Rustoleum camo paint.

1. I first spray over the lettering and any rusty areas using 'army green'. This basically will leave you with a completely green ammo can.
   
2. Next I place leafy twigs on the box (typically) from a 'burning bush' shrub in our back yard.
   
3. Spray diagonal lines of paint, using 'earth brown'. Neatness doesn't count. The lines shouldn't ber straight and you are not going for coverage.
   
4. Rearrange the twigs and spray diagonal lines of paint, using 'khaki' between the brown lines. (This will give your camo a layered look that will further break up the shape.)
   
5. Allow the paint to dry (mostly) and turn the box to another side.
   
6. Repeat steps 2-4, trying to get like colors to meet at the corners. This will also help break up the shape.
   
7. Repeat step 6 until all sides are painted.
    
   Set this box in a shady area under a bush and it will mostly disappear.
   

 

That is a sweet paint job! Thanks for the tips.

[mdg2003]

Set this box in a shady area under a bush and it will mostly disappear.

What box?

Edited February 15, 2008 by mdg2003

[+hukilaulau]

I don't clean, sand or anything. I buy a few colors of spray paint from home Depot (black, gray, some dark shade of red) and hit the can with random shots of each of them. I think they blend into the forest colors better than the camo...

[+Lil Devil]

Those of you who are artists may be pleased to know that we will be having an ammo can painting contest at GeoWoodstock 6 this year (link below). But you have to be good because all painting must be done at the event. No bringing pre-painted cans.

[+Too Tall John]

Those of you who are artists may be pleased to know that we will be having an ammo can painting contest at GeoWoodstock 6 this year (link below). But you have to be good because all painting must be done at the event. No bringing pre-painted cans.

For those of you who are blind like me, the link is in the sig line.

[+JohnnyVegas]

Those of you who are artists may be pleased to know that we will be having an ammo can painting contest at GeoWoodstock 6 this year (link below). But you have to be good because all painting must be done at the event. No bringing pre-painted cans.

kool, now I get to find my air brush to paint one of the ammo boxes you sold me.

[+BlueDeuce]

First question how can I remove the original paint from an ammo can so that i can repaint it?

second question what is the best paint to use to repaint the Cache?

 

I like to use a powered hand drill and those hard-wire wheel brush things

 

Then I brush Navel Jelly on any rust spots, let it sit for a while and hose the whole thing off with water. I spray it with rust-proof primer (like Rust-Oleum - For the Ultimate Finish) then later spray it with a low-sheen Enamel paint.

 

Is it necessary? No, but it makes for a fun project.

[Ferreter5]

Usually I just wash the ammo box and let it dry. I then spray paint it with a dark green color and let it dry (works well around here). Then I use a plastic stencil I created to spray paint on some geocaching and contact info.

 

Sometimes when I hide the container I wrap it in some camo nylon material I can get from the local fabric store fairly inexpensively. So far I haven't had any problems with the camo wrap going missing.

[+DocDiTTo]

The original military paint is really quite protective and I never remove it. I wipe or wash the can off, spray it with a coat of primer and then hit it with Rustoleum camo colored spray paint. Never had any problems with this method. If a can will be used in an especially muddy or wet location, I've coated the bottom with spray-on automotive undercoating to help protect it even more.