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\\mercenary// wrote:
is it even worth milling a 98C letters and custom painting it? i really want to but not if the paint will eventually chip or scratch real easily. i also don't want to spend a lot getting it powder coated or anodized. |
Any paint may eventually chip or scratch, but a good quality paint will stand up better than the original Tippmann paint. My son and I have painted both our markers. I have a small sand blasting outfit which did an excellent job of removing the ratty original paint.
To assure that it was absolutely clean we then rinsed them with acetone.The quality of the primer is more important, for durability, than the paint itself, but don't skimp on either. We found, in PEP Boys, an etching primer which really bites into the bead/sand blasted surface. We also bought automotive paint there, for my son's gun, because we found a multi-color lacquer (changes colors depending on the angle of the light reflecting from the surface). Some of the most beautiful colors are lacquer based but they are somewhat brittle if you bump other guns against them. Lacquer is impervious to paintball hits.
But don't select paint like Krylon. Though it is not inexpensive, it is not the best quality paint for something that is constantly handled. Even in Home Depot you'll find some very high quality paints, I selected a gun-metal colored hammer-tone for my marker.
To shorten this up a bit (maybe I have missed that opportunity already) stick with solvent based paints. Follow the instructions on the cans. Keep your oily fingers off the surface that is going to be painted after you wash it with acetone. A clear coat improves the depth and shine of the paint job. Urethane paints are somewhat flexible and stand up to knocks and bumps better than enamel or lacquer paints. Clear urethane can be applied as the clear coat to improve impact durability (protection from rock hits, paintballs will not harm any good solvent based paint). Paint outside or in the garage to protect from wind and dust particles, and to allow the solvent to disapate...remember, solvent based paints are flammable and avoid breathing paint by using a paint mask and good ventilation.
And last but very important, it is a good idea to plug the nut holes in the right half of the marker (a water based clay like Play Dough, press it in and let it dry after the marker has received the primer coat) or leave the nuts in place while painting. If you paint with the nuts out of their pockets the paint layer buildup will make it virtually impossible to get the nuts to seat into position and forcing them in may crack or chip the paint around the nut hole. (The hole through which the safety plunger fits can also present a problem. It is tight and becomes VERY tight after painting. Forcing it WILL pop the paint around the hole. Plug the hole before painting or clean it with a properly sized drill bit held in your fingers after the paint dries)
I cannot understand why the original black Tippmann paint comes off so easily and actually allows corrosion in the seams and grooves on the markers.The silver paint stands up better for some reason. Tippmann says their new paint is more durable. We'll see.
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