Spray paint for tubes cast in PR

[thewishman]

I have been trying some things out and have hit a wall. I've tried to buy tubes that are colored (white, black, bright nickel...) but I can't find them for many of the kits I work with. Here are my latest attempts:

Rust-oleum American Accents 2X Ultra color gloss white - bubbles in PR

Rust-oleum Universal antique pewter - bubbles the paint

Krylon Colormaster Metallic brilliant silver - in the pot tomorrow, crossing fingers

I've let the paint cure for at least a week and still no success. Do you have a good paint, or sealant that you would recommend?

I know I can powdercoat, but doing that would be a big bottleneck for me.

 

[blade.white]

Have you thought about a brass blackener to chemically darken the tubes? I know you can buy some from knife making supply stores. Just a thought

 

[longbeard]

Powder coated tubes is your best method.
I have painted my tubes, (still do) with krylon gloss and casting with silmar 41.
My blanks was fiber tubes.
At times i would get this glass look on the fiber in spots. Could not figure out why some would be fine, some was junk.
I was told it was because of the tubes was painted and not powder coated.
No issues since when using powder coated tubes.

Using West Epoxy...
I can paint the tubes or use powder coated tubes with no issues.

Side note: when i paint my tubes, i put them in the toaster oven for 30 mins on 180 degrees. I then use them the next day.(unless i do it early morning, then i can use them that evening)


Harry

 

[Curly]

Try some nail polish. Some brands don't react with the PR.

 

[EBorraga]

Chris, I use VHT High Heat engine paint. You can get it at Autozone. And they have about 20 different colorrs. I've had no failure's using that and Silmar 41.

 

[thewishman]

Have you thought about a brass blackener to chemically darken the tubes? I know you can buy some from knife making supply stores. Just a thought

Thanks, James. That would make the black a lot easier.

Powder coated tubes is your best method.
I have painted my tubes, (still do) with krylon gloss and casting with silmar 41.
My blanks was fiber tubes.
At times i would get this glass look on the fiber in spots. Could not figure out why some would be fine, some was junk.
I was told it was because of the tubes was painted and not powder coated.
No issues since when using powder coated tubes.

Using West Epoxy...
I can paint the tubes or use powder coated tubes with no issues.

Side note: when i paint my tubes, i put them in the toaster oven for 30 mins on 180 degrees. I then use them the next day.(unless i do it early morning, then i can use them that evening)


Harry

Thanks, Harry. Powdercoating would be the best solution, but I'm not set up to do more than about 10 at a time.

Try some nail polish. Some brands don't react with the PR.

Hey Pete, Some nail polishes are really interesting, I found some that work well, and most are very stinky. I used to cringe when my youngest daughter would get out her tub of nail polishes - must have been more than 40 bottles in that thing.

Chris, I use VHT High Heat engine paint. You can get it at Autozone. And they have about 20 different colorrs. I've had no failure's using that and Silmar 41.

Ernie, I'll check those out, thanks!

 

[Sylvanite]

I've had good success painting tubes with automotive touch-up paint (in a spray can) and then casting in PR.

I hope that helps,
Eric

 

[arkie]

Paint & PR

I went down this road a couple years ago, with a lot of heartache and no luck including using what other say they are successful with. I then went to powder coated tubes, but had problems with resin adhering to the tube. This didn't show up until either turning or assembly.

I now use nail polish exclusively if the painted tube is to be visible at any point in the finished product. Powder coat is fine if you glue something else to it and cast the result.

Not wanting to argue with anybody, but there is my experience, take it or leave it.

Jim

 

[Kenny Durrant]

Thanks to All that have replied to this thread. I've been having trouble with black turning cloudy and now I think it might be the paint. Thanks to everyone here, not that it's been posted elsewhere because sometime I'm a little slow, I have a couple of new ideas.

 

[JohnU]

I haven't tried black but I've had good results with white heat resistant engine paint also.