Aliphatic Urethane gloss enamal

[MightyTank[501st]]

ok so if you're confused...

 

the paint is Devoe Coatings "devthane 379", it is an industrial coating.

 

My brother works for a large paint company and suggested that i let one of his reps use a paint sprayer and spray this paint (in gloss white) on the armor. he said it was very strong and is basically like spraying a glossy rhino liner on.

 

i have 2 concerns. 1. the obvious "will this destroy my armor", and 2. if it is that strong, and can prevent bending... will i still be able to use my clamshell calves? i may have to just test it on a pair of extra te2 shins i have.

 

Any thoughts on this? or is anyone a chemist or know if this will eat up hips or abs?

Edited December 26, 2010 by MightyTank

[vicsouders]

I did a quick Google search and didn't find anywhere that product was recommended for plastics. You may want to test it on some scrap first; but I think you might be right to be worried. ----- is the MSDS. A few of the active ingredients are solvents which may not react well with HIPS. The salesman should know (shouldn't he or she?) if it is safe for HIPS.

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

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

Devoe is well known for their expoxy and urethane paints that are used for floors for garages and buildings that have concrete slab floors. Here are some pix to give you an idea what Devoe's products are normally used for. The pix show the accent color material.

 

 

 

My suggestion would be to stick with the normal enamel paints like Rustoleum and Krylon style. If you do have access to a spray gun, air compress and booth, then you can go to any pro paint shop and buy it in whatever size you want (pint, quart, gallon, etc.) But you can get excellent results from spray cans, if you take your time.

 

If you are going to do the "devthane 379" then I highly suggest trying it on some scrap, before putting it on you TE2, because it sounds like it may have a urethan base to it and may have a chemical reaction to the HIPS.

 

I don't know if you have painted before, but here are some helpful painting instructions and tips that I posted on the FISD earlier. It is helpful when it comes to painting HIPS or in general any type of paint job.

 

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]]

You should also find out how flexible it is and how thick the coating is. If its not flexible, it could crack when you wear the armor. Also find out what the proper preparation is (primer, basecoat, etc.)

[MightyTank[501st]]

I'll find out more about it tomorrow, but it is probably not going to work well with hips. Thanks for all the responses guys

[dashrazor]

if you test the paint, be sure to test it pre-thinned for spray application.

 

the paint alone may be fine, but when thinned for spraying it may not. some enamel thinners/reducers react to plastic badly...

 

hope it works!