Painting armor

[Nairy[Staff]]

Hello fellow troopers!

 

Some try to paint match with brush and clear coat, some try RAL 9010 spray paint, some paint match and airbrush, some use ABS paste and sand.

I have an RS Prop Masters kit that I'm currently trying to paint over a filled and sanded shim seam. I tried RAL 9010 spray paint, but it was too white (I put on many small coats because in the beginning of painting I got small droplets here and there and it just became too thick).

I then sanded of everything and started with paint matching and found that Humbrol Enamel Satin 130 worked pretty nice (it will most definitely work and match on your rivets and screws) - and plan to sand it down a bit and maybe put a clear coat on it and then polish up with a little bit of scratch remover or something of that nature.

 

I have 4 small pieces that I have cut off of my Hero belt and Stunt belt, but I doubt those 4 little pieces (2-3mm wide and belt height high) will be enough to create ABS paste.

 

Talking paints then

I have heard of people using RAL 9010 spray paint with success, especially for FOTKs it is a great match, but the RS Prop Masters kit is more creamy in its color than that.

What colors have you had success with? Please share below as I am dire to hear about your success(es)!

Edited August 30, 2022 by Nairy

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Unfortunately different makes of armor use different shades of ABS, even under one make they can be supplied several different shades of white. This makes things difficult trying to match odd parts or replacement parts.

 

For my TKC and TFU for touch up of the U trim I eye matched water based acrylic paint and added a small amount of brown, yellow and black to get a close match to RS armor. Once happy I clear coated to protect the paint. 

Before

 

After

 

 

For my FOTK I used automotive acrylic paint from a local auto supplier, it matched the Anovos helmets perfectly so I was lucky with the base white. 

 

Ideally it's easier to paint a full set of armor than it is to match up a section, even adding ABS paste you may have to touch up as it can leave small holes when it dries which means filling then painting.

 

You could always take it to an automotive paint supplier and they may be able to get a close match, some can even put it into spray cans.

 

 

[Nairy[Staff]]

I just called up a local company here in my town, and they were very accommodating in me coming in there with a few small pieces of armor I had cut off to color match. It will be an oil based color that could be applied to plastic. The finish will be smooth and have the right shine when dried, so here's me "holding my thumbs" (Swedish expression, for luck) that it will turn out great!

They also told me to bring my helmet with me so they can use that for inspiration.

 

If I get any data from them of what colors they used I will update and let y'all know!

[Nairy[Staff]]

I have now come back from the paint store.

 

I am going to paint my armor like they did in the store which was with a little stain removal sponge which has a little bit of a sanding effect but the layer it applied was very smooth, and since it is a sponge it didn't leave any brush strokes which was nice.

 

The code for my color they mixed is (some of it might be Swedish but the recipe should be of value):

Product name: QUICK BENGALACK UNI-LACK BL

Base name: A-BAS

Recipe: OK000.5 SV004

 

Here are some images from the adventure:

Edited August 30, 2022 by Nairy

[Nairy[Staff]]

On 8/30/2022 at 11:28 AM, gmrhodes13 said:

Unfortunately different makes of armor use different shades of ABS, even under one make they can be supplied several different shades of white. This makes things difficult trying to match odd parts or replacement parts.

 

For my TKC and TFU for touch up of the U trim I eye matched water based acrylic paint and added a small amount of brown, yellow and black to get a close match to RS armor. Once happy I clear coated to protect the paint. 

Before

 

After

 

 

For my FOTK I used automotive acrylic paint from a local auto supplier, it matched the Anovos helmets perfectly so I was lucky with the base white. 

 

Ideally it's easier to paint a full set of armor than it is to match up a section, even adding ABS paste you may have to touch up as it can leave small holes when it dries which means filling then painting.

 

You could always take it to an automotive paint supplier and they may be able to get a close match, some can even put it into spray cans.

 

 

When you clear coated to protect the paint, did you only do one layer? 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

14 minutes ago, Nairy said:

When you clear coated to protect the paint, did you only do one layer? 

I normally apply 2 to 3 coats as you get a deeper shine, that was with acrylic paint but I used the 2K spray clear for my Mando and that goes on quite quick and settles so you don't get as much orange peel and that only needed one coat. 

[Nairy[Staff]]

I was pretty much done with one side but my clear coat lifted up the enamel paint that I had used. I have been having issues with my oil paints and the application for weeks now so I just sanded it all off now so I'm back to square one, even though I have this matched paint already. I'm thinking of using thin coats of spray paint (RAL 9010) even though it was much brighter white than the ABS that I have.

If I just take it easy and put on some dustings a few times a day and sand back where I don't need it, I think it will be fine in the end.

Edited September 4, 2022 by Nairy

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

That's a pain, I tend not to use much in the way of oil based paints, I find it very thick and takes quite some time to dry.

 

May even be worth just using the paint without a clear coat, just be a matter of touching it up if it gets scratched.