Painting barrel for acrylics... wrong paints?

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Quality Pen

Quality Pen

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I have run into a couple times now that I believe the pen would be better if it had a painted barrel -- i.e. the brass discolored thin portions of the turned blank.

But I was wondering, is there a wrong choice of paint? I wouldn't want to paint the barrel and then have it compromise the integrity of the pen.

I have markers like the Elmers ones - Elmer's Painters Paint Markers - Walmart.com - and wondered if they would be OK.

Thank you.
 
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I just finished painting a few tubes myself. I've seen mention of using the Testors model paint. I bought some yesterday and tried it out tonight. It was a pain to apply to the tube (I put it in the lathe very slow and tried painting with a q-tip). In the past, and with two other sets tonight, I have just spray painted the tubes the color I want. I have four krylon black tubes hanging to dry now, and I'll glue them in tomorrow.

As for the paint compromising the integrity of the material, I don't think it will.
 
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I use testors model paint for the tube ( on the lathe, slow speed using a small brush )and the blank. Some use krylon spray i think. I'm not sure about the Elmers brand.



Harry
 
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I used the Testor Model paint, but I paint the inside of the blank, the hole that was drilled, not the tube. Just mix up the paint with a q-tip and run it up and down and around inside the hole. Some very translucent blanks can benefit from 2 coats, and the hole has to be loose enough to allow that, and it can take several hours to overnight for it to dry. I also mix a small drop of the same color in the epoxy when gluing the tube in. I've had great results doing it this way, and while it seems like you waste a lot of the paint, I still would say I could probably get 10 or 15 blanks out of the small 1 or 2 dollar bottles of paint...
 
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Ok, on the Testors stuff, it looks like walmart carries it, but would you opt for enamel or acrylic based paint?

Next, out of curiosity, why?
 
Not sure what mine is ( maybe enamel ) I got it from A.C. Moore's, it's what they had ( like a hobby lobby ) have to look when i get home. I also get some colors in gloss and matte.



Harry
 
Dan Masshardt said:
I like the colored tubes - white, nickel - when available.

Otherwise I like to spray paint the tubes with primer - quick and easy.

Paint blank only when I really want maximum effect in s translucent material.
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You paint black when its a dark blank or just in general to maximize effect?...
 
I spray paint mine with the absolute cheapest stuff I can find and have had no issues. There are a lot of colors available and you could probably do a couple hundred tubes/blanks for a buck.
 
Quality Pen said:
Ok, on the Testors stuff, it looks like walmart carries it, but would you opt for enamel or acrylic based paint?

Next, out of curiosity, why?
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I use both enamel and acrylic. Just be sure to wait long enough for the paint to cure. Dry is not cured. If I'm in a hurry, I'll use a fan to blow air through the tube. But I'll still wait 4 hours + before gluing the tube. As a general rule, acrylic dries faster than enamel. But enamel will dry harder, and I think has a glossier finish.
 
I use acrylic because it is cheaper, available in more colors and quicker drying. But I never paint the tubes, always back paint the inside of the drilled hole in the blank with a Q-tip.

I match the color as close as possible and always glue with CA.
 
I think this is one of those "Don't think too hard" issues. Short of water colors I think just about anything can work. Krylon, Testors, Rustoleum, Michaels, acrylics, enamel, just find the color you like at the right price application method and use it. Take a look at some of the links Jim posted to see what different colors do to the blank. Ed from Exotics also did a video on how to choose what color to use.

You can paint just the tube (may see the glue), just the blank (may see places where the tube scratches the paint), or both (belt and suspenders). Some even tint the epoxy (don't try this with CA).
 
I have a lot of older model paint. I always hated testors, back when I bought it, it was an enamel, thick and hard to get a smooth finish. When I got serious with models, I discovered TAMIYA paints. Awesome stuff. Since I have not built a model since 1987, these paints are at least that old. The paint still flows nice, and works great. I use a really small paintbrush, and magnifying glasses. Start from the inside middle, from both sides. It only takes a minute to get a nice even coat.

I ran out of black the other day, and pulled the testors enamel out. I had to get it so thick for coverage, the tube would not go in. So I cleaned it out, and picked up whatever they had at Michaels temporarily until I can get some more Tamiya. YMMV
 
I mix in a drop or two of acrylic paint in the color I want when I mix the epoxy to glue the tube in. One step, no extra waiting time. One thing I've noticed is that it causes the epoxy to set up faster, so you have less working time.
 
I've been bit a couple of times now on the paint. Let the paint dry overnight, then when I glued them in the next day, again let it sit a few hours. Darn thing slid out a bit when I squared the end. Now my blank is too short! #%$&%*$#!!!
 
joefrog said:
I've been bit a couple of times now on the paint. Let the paint dry overnight, then when I glued them in the next day, again let it sit a few hours. Darn thing slid out a bit when I squared the end. Now my blank is too short! #%$&%*$#!!!
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Thanks for the feedback, what kind of paint were you using?
 
Painting tubes

I've used Krylon white primer to paint my tubes. I have had several tube where the paint came loose from the tube after using CA to glue it in the blank. When I use a painted tube I now only use epoxy to glue it into the blank.
 
Since I do a lot if infill with turquoise, and often the voids go all the way to the tube, I spray paint the tubes black. That way if there is an area where you can see through the CA all the way to the tube in the infill (especially when using coarse infill) it is black and not brass. I seldom turn acrylic.
 
Reverse painting the blanks is a better alternative to painting the tubes. The glue on the tubes can show through a translucent resin. Reverse painting does not allow the glue or tube to show through. See Ed's video.
 
I've sprayed black and white with mixed results. thin coats of black are great the glue still adheres to the tube and blank. White no matter how thiin or thick the blank always breaks the bond
 
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