9 replies to this topic

[WSU Cowboy]

So I have been painting a few of my blasters recently, and as I thought, have been having issues with paint wear. I was looking through the paint and modifications thread and noticed how nice the paint jobs people were putting on blasters that were obviously going to be used. How do you keep the paint looking nice after using it in wars? I have especially noticed the wear with my springer guns that require moving priming handles (AT, Raider, LS, etc.). Is there something I am missing or does it just come with the territory? Thanks in advance!

[TheWiredDJ]

The biggest thing to keep a paintjob looking good, is to make a paintjob good from the start.

The main ways to do so are:
-Use a good priming method (some proven combination of vinyl dye, sanding, paint primer, and/or cleaning)
-Choosing good quality paints that will adhere well to plastic (that's another conversation in itself)
-Use good painting techniques when applying coats (there's a ton of guides/tutorials out there for proper application)
-Apply a good clear coat afterwards

As for the wear you're experiencing with moving parts, I believe that most people recommend applying some white lithium grease to areas with moving parts, then wiping away the excess as it can eat the paint away (someone correct me if I'm wrong here), resulting in smooth operation that won't tear into the paintjob nearly as quick.

[WSU Cowboy]

'TheWiredDJ', on 16 Oct 2013 - 6:50 PM, said:

The biggest thing to keep a paintjob looking good, is to make a paintjob good from the start.

The main ways to do so are:
-Use a good priming method (some proven combination of vinyl dye, sanding, paint primer, and/or cleaning)
-Choosing good quality paints that will adhere well to plastic (that's another conversation in itself)
-Use good painting techniques when applying coats (there's a ton of guides/tutorials out there for proper application)
-Apply a good clear coat afterwards

As for the wear you're experiencing with moving parts, I believe that most people recommend applying some white lithium grease to areas with moving parts, then wiping away the excess as it can eat the paint away (someone correct me if I'm wrong here), resulting in smooth operation that won't tear into the paintjob nearly as quick.

I usually use krylon fusion for plastic, sand down to get all (or as much as possible) of the stock paint off,then wash the parts. What brand of paint should I be using and where would I get it? Sorry for all the questions, just am really interested in this.

[LordGiratia]

'WSU Cowboy', on 16 Oct 2013 - 8:19 PM, said:

I usually use krylon fusion for plastic, sand down to get all (or as much as possible) of the stock paint off,then wash the parts. What brand of paint should I be using and where would I get it? Sorry for all the questions, just am really interested in this.

I would recommend going to an automotive shop and using duplicolor vinyl dye, it's better than normal spraypaint. And using a clear coat paint, I'm still new to painting and am having trouble getting the right clear coat so the paint dosen't get scraped off. Though currently i'm using krylon matte clear coat, it protects the paint from hands rubbing it off though.

[Nerfgirl36]

I personally use rustoleum matte clear coat. I have found it works a little better then krylon and is also cheaper where I get my spray paint. This might be a little of topic but I would suggest games workshop paint for the brush details. Hope this helps.

[popatachi]

Paint wear is normal for moving parts. The best thing is to avoid painting those areas. If you cannot avoid it (the blaster wouldn't look good) then you can really only minimize the wear. Felt between the plastic parts has been used. Clear coat over the paint to help protect against wear and chipping can help as well.

Chipping and wear is normal for areas with moving parts though the different types of paint may help to increase the time the paint stays. The dye gets fairly decent results where normal paint will sit on top of the plastic and is more prone to being chipped or worn off.

There's no perfect solution though. Good luck!

[pinhead52]

The only thing you can really do is put on multiple clear coats. I do two, and I also leave the maximum drying time between all coats of paint, especially the clear coat. After that, there's not much you can do. I try to plan around keeping any "high wear" areas the stock color, but this isn't always feasible.

[WSU Cowboy]

Thanks everyone! I will try all of this stuff, can I ask where y'all get the dye? Also how do you use it?

[Briguy52]

'WSU Cowboy', on 18 Oct 2013 - 01:30 AM, said:

Thanks everyone! I will try all of this stuff, can I ask where y'all get the dye?

As LordGiratia said, you can find vinyl dye at most automotive stores (Advanced Auto Parts, etc.). You may also be able to find automotive vinyl dye in a store such as Walmart/Meijer/etc. depending on the store.

'WSU Cowboy', on 18 Oct 2013 - 01:30 AM, said:

Also how do you use it?

Vinyl dye comes in a spray can... in other words, follow basic spray painting procedures such as applying multiple light coats vs. one heavy coat, etc. etc. You can find plenty of painting tutorials with the proper techniques on YouTube, such as Coop772's painting guide.

Edited by Briguy52, 17 October 2013 - 08:53 PM.

[WSU Cowboy]

Thanks! I will be sure to do that!