Clear Coat on Aluminum Problems

[skypn]

I've been trying to put a clear coat on an aluminum box, I get it to look good, then it doesn't take much (handling it to put in circuit) to scratch it off. I trying to protect the box with the finish, but if the finish is fragile...
What may I be doing wrong?
I wet sand the box to 1000 grit, the put a ton of THIN coats on it. Is there a clear primer or something?
What do others do? What brand CC do you use?
I would like to get a hard clear finish when I'm done.
TIA

[Willybomb]

I use Upol or Spraymax 1k for my clear coats.  They tend to come out best if you leave it alone for a week or two after spraying.  If you want to wear a proper respirator and NBC suit, you can try Spraymax 2k, but it will harden in teh can fairly quickly once the two parts are mixed so it will pay to have a couple of boxes ready to go.

The other durable finish people use here is Enviro-tec/text/something.  I haven't messed with that stuff.

[DLW]

I use lacquer with good results. It's not bullet proof, but I've never had the lacquer flake off under any circumstances. You can also put a coat of car wax on the box for added protection.

I've also used a fair bit of Envirotex Lite (epoxy coating). It's takes some practice, but the finish is top notch when it's right. This is not a durable finish, in my experience. A decent whack against another pedal will chip/crack the finish.

[davent]

When i've done it i only sand to 220 grit. My guess is that at 1000 grit the surface is too slick for the lacquer to grab on to.
dave

[mjg]

Yes, what Dave said.  1000 grit is too fine, the paint won't be able to grip to that. 

[skypn]

Thank you Gentlemen. I guess I'll re-strip it and rough her up