Making HIPS glossy

[Stig]

Hello Guys and Gals!

 

I may be buying an ATA kit, and as it is HIPS, it won't be glossy, right?

So most people paint it glossy. Now, I have absolutely no experience with that

and although I have searched the forum, I haven't found the answer I was looking for.

One of the reasons is, that I live in Germany, and I am not familiar with the terms

for all the different types of paint, not to talk about the fact that those specific

products won't be accessable in Germany. So I came across this thread:

------

 

Could you apply this method to all the armor parts? Is there anything I should know? Cause I am reall

desperately trying to find armor, and the ATA kit looks to be just it, however the painting really scares

me off!

 

Hope you guys can help me.

 

 

Stig

Edited December 5, 2020 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020

[pandatrooper[TK]]

Stig, even if you cannot get a buffer and polishing compound, you can still wet sand your kit.

 

Go to a hardware store or automotive supply store, and get some microgrit sandpaper (not the kind for wood, the fine black ones).

 

Get various grits that get smoother. Eg: 400, 600, 1000. You can polish the armor at the end with plastic polish like Novus, or if you can't find that you can use automotive swirl remover. It's designed to take small scratches out.

 

Painting a kit is not that scary. Simply sand it down with 400 grit, wash with detergent, rinse and dry. Primer the plastic and use a good paint like Rustoleum. Lots of people have done it with great results!

[Stig]

Thanks Pandatrooper!

 

So wet sanding it will also get it a glossy look?

That sounds good...

 

As I am a total beginner, do you think the ATA kit is reasonable for me?

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

I say paint it.

[Stig]

Okay, I guess painting is it. Now would you guys say it is even possible for a beginner to accomplish that?

[Spaar[TK]]

Here you can find a lot of information about sanding, painting and polishing an armor:

-----

Edited December 5, 2020 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

Okay, I guess painting is it. Now would you guys say it is even possible for a beginner to accomplish that?

 

To quote Master Yoda "Do or do not, there is no try".

 

It is possible for a beginner to accomplish a skillful paint job.

 

Let me give you some tips. Preparation is always paramount when it comes to painting. If you do get an ATA kit or any other kit that the armor is made of HIPS, don't try painting the parts before you have assembled your kit. Most glues do not adhere well to painted surfaces.

 

So, once your kit is assembled and all is test fitted for you the way you want it to look, then follow these simple steps:

 

1.Lightly go over the surface of the suit with a Scotch Brite or Dooby style pad.

 

2.Clean the surface of your suit with a mild detergent and rinse well. This will help to remove anything from the HIPS that could compromise the paint job like oil from your fingers, and dirt. As an added step, use isopropyl alcohol 70% not 90% (like what you would find in a local drug store).

 

3.Once you have cleaned the surface and it is dry, go over it with a tack cloth to remove any dust or debris(available at hardware and home improvement stores).

 

4. Do not paint inside your house. The aerosol fumes are extremely toxic. Work in a well ventilated area, wear a dust/paint mask. Use a drop cloth or newspaper to help keep the area clean. If you do have to paint outside (like most do)then make sure you are not working underneath trees, work in an open area. Also make sure you are not near anyones vehicle because the overspray might blow on to it.

 

5. Anytime you are painting, the weather will affect the outcome of the paint job. Don't work in too hot or too cold temperatures. This will affect the way the paint flows. Also, humidity and rain will affect it, as well. Read the directions on the aerosol paint can and see what the manufacturers recommended parameters are to achieve the best results.

 

 

6. I always believe in priming the surface first with a good primer. This will help the paint to adhere to the HIPS better and help you spot any debris or problems with the surface before you start coating it with the gloss paint. If you do see any problems after priming, it is easier to fix before you spray with gloss paint.

 

When it comes to aerosol primer, there are usually four basic colors: light grey, rust tone, dark grey and white. If you can get the white primer, that would be my first choice, since you are painting in white. To find white aerosol primer, you will have to go to a pro paintshop. But you can use the light grey primer. It will take a few more coats of the white gloss to cover the grey primer, but the grey is easier to find in most stores.

 

7. Once the primer is dry, and you are ready to start applying your gloss coat, before spraying any gloss, go over the surfaces with a tack cloth (to remove any dust or debris). Now you are ready to start spraying the gloss coat.

 

8.When painting or priming, always spray light, even, strokes, doing it is stages of several coats. This will help prevent any runs, overspray or splotchy looking paint. Read the directions on the paint can for the "do's and don'ts". If you do have any debris, runs, orange peel, do not try to correct until the paint has completely dried. Messing with it while the paint is wet will only make it worse. You can sand out and fix any small areas and re-paint them.

 

9.Once you have achieved a good even paint job, let the paint cure. Paint may look and feel dry, but it is still soft. Messing with an uncured paint job may result in getting blemishes, dents and fingerprints in the finished surface. So just set it indoors somewhere warm and safe. Do not set near any heaters, stoves, fireplaces, etc. The soft paint may need to cure for at least a week, maybe longer, depending on the temperature and humidity. A little tip; take a scrap piece of the HIPS and paint it in the same stages as you painted your suit. When you want to check and see if the paint has cured, you can test the scrap piece and not have to mess with your armor.

 

10.Once the paint has cured and if you see any blemishes such as dust, debris, rough areas, etc.you can wet sand the paint. Wet sanding is a process of using fine grit sandpaper with warm water. The type of sandpaper that you need is the kind that they use for automotive paint jobs (600 up to 2,000 grit). Do not use the regular sandpaper that you would use for wood, it is too harsh and leaves deep sanding marks in gloss paint.

 

The process of wet sanding: Take the sandpaper and dip it into a container of clean warm water. Also slightly wet the painted surface you are working on. Using even pressure, go over the painted surface to take out any debris, dust, orange peel, etc. You will notice after a point, a murkiness to the water on the surface of what you are wet sanding and also on the sandpaper. Dip the sandpaper into the clean water and rinse the surface that you are wet sanding to remove this murkiness. Repeat this step often, changing the water periodically. The cleaner you can keep the surface and sandpaper, the better the results.

 

11. Once you have wet sanded the surface and achieved a clean even level to the paint job, you will then notice a dullness to the finish. To bring the glossy look back to the finish, there are different rubbing compounds that you can purchase at most automotive parts stores. The rubbing compounds are numbered. The number level indicates the level of the abraisivness of the rubbing compound. Usually the higher the number, the finer the rubbing compound. By working your way up to the finer level compound, you will achieve a higher gloss to the finish. Once you have returned the paint to a glossy surface, you can protect the finish by using a UV protected car wax. The car wax will not only give a lustre, but it will also help protect the paint from becoming faded/yellowed.

 

 

A major tip: Always do test before painting the suit. My suggestion, if you have not done a lot of painting, is to do test to get familiar with the process. Purchase a few of the plastic "For Sale" signs that you can find at hardware and home improvement stores. The plastic "For Sale" signs are made from HIPS and you will get a sense of how the priming and painting will go.

 

All I can say is don't sweat it if you make any mistakes. That is part of the process of learning. If you do have questions, just ask. Whatever kit that you decide on, whether it is made of HIPS or ABS, just take your time and enjoy the project. This is not a sprint, it is a marathon.

[pandatrooper[TK]]

Excellent tips, Tom! I'll be keeping these tips handy for upcoming newsletters and tutorials.

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

Excellent tips, Tom! I'll be keeping these tips handy for upcoming newsletters and tutorials.

 

 

 

Thanks for the complement Terry, I'm always glad to help

[JoeR]

Thanks for the complement Terry, I'm always glad to help

 

 

Here here really useful tips Tom. I am painting a helmet now and this is really useful.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

only thing I would add is that you should attach any leg parts with rivets AFTER you paint up all the glued parts.

it's much easier to paint the knee plate, and the power cell thigh plate before you rivet them.

 

if attached to the shin, and thigh part prior to painting, this complex setup would cause a lot of paint runs,

and fix up work.

 

hope this helps to clarify some important details!

 

so remember to paint up those knee plates and thigh plates before attaching them.

 

this also goes for the thighs themselves... it's always best to paint the assembled thighs and the rivet attached parts

separately, then once the paint is cured, rivet those parts together.

[Stig]

Thanks everyone!

 

Well, looks like a lot of work. I don't think I will be able to do it myself, especially considering that I have no room to let it cure!

I guess I will have to go to a car painter. Has anyone done that before?

 

BTW: What color is the white? I mean what sort of white

[Billhag]

Stig

Your original enquiry about polishing hips is still a valid one.

You can get outstanding results as Terry's and my photos show if you follow the simple

steps of wet sanding with progressive grit ratings (400, 600, 1000) and then polishing

as detailed in Terry's thread.

It requires a wee bit of manual work but anyone can do it and the good thing about it

is if you are not happy with the results you can always go the paint route

 

 

[Stig]

Hello Billhag!

 

Where can I see those photos? That sounds really good!