Custom Paintjob FAQ

kuhndog599 wrote: i would love to do that but i dont think i can.

Can, you must....yess....




Edited by Desert Wookie

brihard wrote: Oops, my mistake- though at least I identified the weapon correctly.  How do you like the weapon? I'm going to be in the market for a 9mm in the next while- I'm currently thinking a Sig 226, a Glcok 17, or a Browning Hi-Power, but if the 99 is a nice one I'd like to hear it.

I love that little pistol. It comes w/ a bunch of 'backstraps' that you can insert into the grip to adjust the width of the pistol. For me, this is a big deal, I have big paws, and the standard 1911 frame is too small for me. The glocks felt boxy. The SW99 was just right. :)

It has a 2-stage trigger so when you have the time you can really aim well.  All in all, my most favorite pistol yet... :)


Edited by Desert Wookie

bluemunky42 wrote: did you do all of those? wow. i like the blue one best.

Yep, did 'em all...

FyreFly wrote: Digi Camo looks great. I'm curious to know how well the paint stuck to the grip and other non-metallic parts however. I've painted a few markers and evertime I have done so I have only painted dissasembled and stripped recievers, not any plastic or rubber parts.

When I did the '98 in this howto, i hand sanded everthing I could. The grips were impossible to sand. Over time the paint wore down some.

In later paintjobs, i sandblasted everything and the paint has not worn at all. I also followed the final coat w/ Duracoat Clear (for added protection).

The sandblasting has really helped w/ the Hoppers, since the plastic can be a bear to get paint to stick to...

Thanks for the comments guys...Makes me want to paint more... :)



Edited by Desert Wookie

The Painting Process

Step One: Cleaning

Clean your marker and clean it damn good. Failure to do so will cause immense emotional scarring.

Use latex gloves. This will protect your digits and also keep you from depositing oils on the soon to be painted weapon.

Decide whether or not you want to strip the paint off of your old marker. M.E.K. will peel it all off. When working with chemicals of any sort, its generally a good idea to test it on a small surface (Say the bottom of your marker) to see how it reacts. Same with your hopper. I had no problems with M.E.K on my Model-98, other than the fact that it wanted to take off the original factory paintjob. I actually didn’t want this because it would entail a lot more scrubbing work. So after a quick cleaning with M.E.K. I rinsed it with water and wiped with alcohol.

CAUTION
MEK and paint strippers are nasty chemicals to work with. utilize proper protective equipment and procedures.
Gloves, Paint respirator and work in a well ventilated area. DO NOT TAKE CHANCES WITH YOUR HEALTH!

Step Two: Sanding

Take your sanding sponge, get it moist and scuff any smooth plastic areas, like your hopper. This will give the paint something to bite in to. Use a fine grit so that you don’t have any gouges. Rinse off any plastic dust.

My first attempt, at the very end when I pulled the stencil, voila, all the paint came off! So do it right the first time, lightly sand the plastic and make sure its clean when you are finished.

If you have any anodized aluminum or any other polished metal, you will need to sand it a bit for the paint to bite. (May require a special aluminium-oxide sand paper for metal surfaces (FINE GRIT or better). I tried steel wool to no real effect.

Mask off any areas you do not want paint to get into to. Like say, your open bolts, hopper feed tubes, etc...
I disassembled my marker, removed the bolt, placed masking tape inside to protect the internals.

Apply the basecoat.

This should be done slowly, and evenly.
It is better to apply 5 light coats than 1 heavy dripping coat.

Initiate the spray before you reach your marker, that way you have a nice fine mist hitting your gun. If you start right above your marker you risk globs and splotches. Not good. Not good at all young jedi.

Experiment with distances. If you spray from too far back, the paint particles will glob together making a nasty orange peel looking finish. For my airbrush 3 inches seemed good.


Basecoat of Urban White

Let it dry per the manufacturers instructions. Longer is better.

TIP: Using the oven
In general, yes you can cure your parts in a 100 degree over for 20mins - 1 hour.
But be careful, more residential ovens swing wildly. For protection, stick a rolled up towel in the door to prop it open.


Start placing stencils with the assistance of your xacto blade. Do not press them down until you are happy with the position. Remember, with Digital camo you want to make sure the pattern runs parallel/perpendicular to your marker. Once you are happy, press them down to make sure they stick.

TIP:
Dont be afraid to cut your stencils up if they seem to large or too wide.


Urban White w/ Stencils applied.

Note: Everywhere you place a stencil on the basecoat will show through all subsequent layers. I tend to use smaller stencils on the basecoat so that I dont overwhelm the following layers.

Apply the next lightest color. Let it dry.
Repeat until you are done.


Snow Gray w/ Stencils Applied

After the weapon is dry, remove all the templates.




Now if you want you can place your female templates on the weapon now.

I tend to use these to cover up any areas where I feel the pattern is to large or to cover up areas where the paint peeled off with the stencil. It happens.

You may want to follow up with a matte clear coat for added durability. Plus it will even out the sheen of the different paints.

One final thought... Spray cans waste so much paint. I really prefer a small airbrush for this type of work.

Some more completed samples:






Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. [email]info@tacticalcamo.com[/email]


Edited by Desert Wookie - 19 February 2007 at 8:36pm