should i paint my gun?

Yeah, get a good paint so that it would last longer.

Here are some TIPS!

Materials:
1.Steel Wool (optional)
2. Primer
3. Spray Paint
4. Clear Coat
5. Dermal (optional)
6. Tape (optional)

 

1. Field Strip your marker, take everything out so you
just have your receiver halves.

 

2. Use either a dermal or steel wool to strip off all the
paint off your marker (yes the stock tippmann black
or silver paint) be sure to get UNDER the marker and
the BACK of the marker (these are spots I almost
missed)

 

3. Wipe down your marker with a Wet Cloth to make
sure you get all the debris off of it, and to see if you
missed any spot where some paint might still be.

 

4. Tape off your internals so no paint will get on the
inside, cover all the holes and everything (this step is
optional)

 

5. Spray about 3-4 LIGHT coats of primer. Let dry. Go
back and see if you missed a spot and to be sure
both receivers are completely covered with the
primer.

 

6. Spray the spray paint on the marker, about 3-4
coats and let dry. Just like doing the primer but
colored. Make sure you got every where on the
marker. Make sure the coats are Light and smooth
on both receiver halves… let dry

 

7. Now, Spray both receivers halves with some clear
coat, make sure you cover the entire marker. Make
the coats light and quick. This should make your
marker look a little “shiny” and “smooth”… let dry

 

8. If your internals were taped off then they should
look fine on the inside. If they don’t or you didn’t tape
them off then get out your steel wool (EXTRA fine
steel wool) or dermal and polish up your internals or
just polish it up so the paint, primer or clear coat is
gone.

 

9. Put your newly painted marker together

 

10. Show off 


Another way to paint your maker is to use
Auto-motive paint. Get some sand paper and sand
down the paint on your tippmann (the stock
tippmann paint) just a little bit. Spray 3-4 coats of
primer on, then the paint and then the clear coat. The
process is the same just you didn’t sand off all the
stock tippmann paint. The paint will be much
“thicker” and it may be a little harder to install your
screws because of the thicker paint. Etc. Also it
tends to be “Mushy” and not as durable as the other
paintjob but it still turns out great!

 

Of course the paint is going to chip and scratch etc.
But just get some nail polish to touch up scratches,
cheap, your wife/girlfriend has plenty of them and
comes in a variety of colors. 

 
ENJOY!

i milled and painted mine it's a way to make your marker stand out from all the others

http://img130.echo.cx/my.php?image=20sh.jpg

check it out!

\\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.