painting furniture question

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - painting furniture question

Posted: 10/31/2003 7:09:21 AM EDT

Alright, so I am going to paint one of my AR's, just the furniture that is(pistol grip, hand guards, and stock) My bud has an air brush kit and told me to get some of that Testors stuff, my question is should I use the Acrylic or Enamel? The handguards won't see a whole lot of heat but as the nature of the beast will get a little. Anybody have luck paint furniture in the past? Is it even worth it or should I just buy pre-colored stuff? Thanks.

Max

Posted: 10/31/2003 7:55:45 AM EDT

[#1]

I dunno how scratch resistant the testors stuff is. Brasspile painted someone's furniture pink.
see this thread:
[url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=171425[/url]

Posted: 10/31/2003 8:58:40 AM EDT

[#2]

Go here and order your paint from here. The stuff dries well and you cant scratch it at all once cured. www.lauerweaponry.com I do custom paintwork on guns and that is the only thing to use. Brasspile turned me on to that!

Posted: 10/31/2003 9:56:04 AM EDT

[#3]

[url]www.lauerweaponry.com[/url]

Posted: 10/31/2003 9:59:44 AM EDT

[#4]

I used a $3.50 can of Rustoleum flat black on some surplus A1 furniture, and it worked really well. Plus you can't beat the availability and price!

Posted: 10/31/2003 10:29:53 AM EDT

[#5]

btw - how come only the furniture ?

Posted: 10/31/2003 10:58:10 AM EDT

[#6]

If you're bound to do it yourself and have access to a well-stocked hobby shop there's just one word - [url=www.hobbylinc.com/paint/prods/rh_tam.htm]TAMIYA!!![/URL]

I've used the stuff on Lexan RC car bodies, RC aircraft and ARs for 20+ years. It "melts" it's way into any plastic (no sanding) it's fuel-proof, it's "Hopps & CLP-proof", you can make any color you can imagine and nothing is tougher!

Just one thing - when you use that stuff, it's forever, you don't get to change your mind & sand it off later! [BD]

Posted: 10/31/2003 1:06:16 PM EDT

[#7]

Krylon Fusion paint works well on plastic furniture. I used it the other day on my SAR-8 that had green furniture on it. Painted it with black Fusion, and it looks great.
Fusion was designed for plastic. It seems like it bonds to the plastic, becoming part of it.
It provides a very hard coat. The only thing I don't lke is it's high shine.

JoeLad

Posted: 10/31/2003 1:18:50 PM EDT

[#8]

Yes the R/C car paints works really well and it does melt itself to the lexan body and become one with the car. I have stuff that is fuelproof coated and 30% nitro is like the great solvent outthere it removes anything but this paint. Although there is always duracoat to.

Posted: 10/31/2003 4:00:40 PM EDT

[#9]

The best paint I've found for painting AR furniture is Brownells Aluma Hyde II. Once it cures, it tough stuff that isnt affected by solvents and doesnt scratch or peel off. It works great as a base coat for cammie jobs too. When its cured, it looks like it was made that way rather than painted. I use Testors Militay Flats for my cammie jobs. They hold up well and can be removed with a little work, but it will come off completly and not damage your gun. They have a ton of colors that will match just about any pattern. If you give the finished job two to three coats of clear flat lacquer when your done, it will hold up better to solvents and even and flatten the whole finish even more.
If you want to practice first, Northridge has sets of M16/M16A1 furniture that are in good shape and great for this type project. They are $20 a set for stock, grip, and triangular handguards.

Posted: 10/31/2003 4:18:07 PM EDT

[#10]

[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/pd3ef1ce34e92becd686fc71d969ff0e1/fc479066.jpg[/img]

This is a mil-spec coating jus like Lauery coatings. When/if ya do the grip expect it to sorta crack at the flex points, no biggie though. The area of most concern is the barrel, the handguards will take the abuse. I would becareful as to what ya use, some paints can melt plastic and rubber. This coating I had done even went on the Foam of the ace stock and has served up well.

Posted: 10/31/2003 4:29:25 PM EDT

[#11]

I use Dupli-Color auto spray laquer in flat black. It dries quickly and leaves about the smoothest finish I have ever seen come out of a spray can and the sheen is perfectly flat.

Posted: 10/31/2003 7:29:36 PM EDT

[#12]

Another way to get paint to stick to plastic is to use a plastic etching primer, such as DupliColor's "Adhesion Promoter" (available at auto parts stores in the paint section).

[img]http://www.duplicolor.com/gallery/gallery_images/can_adhesion.jpg[/img]

Remember to read the instructions! Paint must be applied like, within 5 (or 10, I don't quite remember) minutes after the last coat of adhesion promoter has 'tacked up'.

This is the method I'm using to paint my vz24 mauser CoreLite stock.

For my AR, I simply bought CavArms 'coyote brown' furniture. I spray the rest of it with Krylon's Khaki camo paint and nothing else. That way touchup is as simple as hitting it once in a while. It's not a perfect match but it doesn't need to be.

Those complicated camo schemes "shore look purty", but unless they are as durable as the rest of the rifle itself (fat chance) I don't like spending the time or the money to have it done or keep it touched up. But that's just me.

Posted: 11/1/2003 4:07:10 AM EDT

[#13]

b0ne
10/31/2003 11:29:36 PM

Those complicated camo schemes "shore look purty", but unless they are as durable as the rest of the rifle itself (fat chance) I don't like spending the time or the money to have it done or keep it touched up. But that's just me.

View Quote

Actually , mine is quit durable and can you say "life-time warranty on the finish from the company I had it done at" lol

AFter a few years, ill send it back and get it touched up, but so far there hasnt been any unusual wear marks or scratches.

Posted: 11/1/2003 4:56:40 PM EDT

[#14]

The OD AR furniture is Aluma Hyde II. This is also the base on the Flecktarn set in the other pic. Its a real close match for Armalites OD when they are side by side. The two sets of AR furniture that are camo'd, and the two shotguns, were done with Testors Military Flats, and finished with Testors clear flat lacquer. The two shotguns were painted over 15 years ago. The pump was behind the seats and in a rack overhead in my work trucks most of this time and both were used to hunt with. They have not been repainted or touched up at anytime. As to be expected with anything that is actually used, there will be wear. For most patterns, scratches and wear spots really dont affect its effectiveness, if anything it adds to its character.
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid86/pe1d78e0c42f8d23464cac824dc294bfe/faac9656.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid86/p34afe58909bd665d5bc730d8bcae93d2/faac966e.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid86/p2158cb8cf058da7f29cf5ec6210c12c1/faac967b.jpg[/img]

Posted: 11/1/2003 5:55:32 PM EDT

[#15]

die-tryin
That rifle is flat out awesome. How in the world did you do that? That is exactly what I want to do with my rifle. It is not often that I see a rifle that captures my attention, but that rifle rocks. Please let me know where or how I can get this done to my rifle. Thanks

Posted: 11/1/2003 6:36:27 PM EDT

[#16]

lol...goto[url]http://www.sasarmory.com/sasincfirearms/sasincfirearms.html[/url]

Posted: 11/2/2003 7:18:19 AM EDT

[#17]

AK103,

I just got some Aluma-Hyde II on Friday and I'm going to do a couple stock sets....What proceedure do you recommend for preping the stocks prior to applying the Aluma-Hyde, what do you recommend for a "cure" for the Aluma-Hyde, and is there anything that you recommend putting on over the Aluma-Hyde.....Got a lot of questions, this is the first time I've used Aluma-Hyde and I'm using it on a new VLTOR stock, Battle Grip and KAC pannels....So I don't want them to turn out looking like crap.....Any help would be much appriciated...

I've got OD and Brown....I was going to use OD as the base coat...any recommendatoins when applying the second layer (brown)...I'll be using the brown just to break up the OD a bit.

Thanks

Posted: 11/2/2003 7:22:04 AM EDT

[#18]

Anyone that has used Brownell's Aluma-Hyde II to paint their furniture feel free to jump in and give their advice (tips, techniques, and secrets) on applying Aluma-Hyde II to AR furniture....Any help is appriciated.

Posted: 11/2/2003 9:16:59 AM EDT

[#19]

USMC03,
I roughed up the stock, handguards and smooth areas on the grip with emery and then used Gunscrubber to make sure it was well clean and degreased. I would follow the directions on the can and do the second coat within the time they suggest, I think its 30 mins max between coats, I dont have the can handy. I would wait the week for curing and dont mess with it sooner. Its hard, tough stuff once cured, but it will scrape off if its not cured. I would avoid rushing and putting it back together to soon. I would also suggest you do some prep as to where and how your going to hang them to dry before hand. I used wire hangers to hang them from and it gives you something to hold on to as you spray. I didnt put anything on over the Aluma Hyde once it was cured. The couple sets I used it as a base, I used Testors for the rest and clear flat lacquer over that. I personally think for cammie jobs, after the base coat, the rest should be done with a brush. It gives much better definition and you have more control, at least I do. I get a much better job doing it this way. YMMV. [:)]

Posted: 11/2/2003 9:50:14 AM EDT

[#20]

AK103,

Thanks, for the help.....One last question....I've never done a project like this and don't want to screw up a $120 stock....What would you recommend "roughing up" the stock with? 220 grit sand paper? 0000 steel wool?

Sorry for all the questions, but after shelling out all that cash for the stock and the other accessories, a guy doesn't want the end product to look like it was done by a drunk 3rd grader, if you know what I mean.

Thanks

Posted: 11/2/2003 10:39:37 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
AK103,

I just got some Aluma-Hyde II on Friday and I'm going to do a couple stock sets....What proceedure do you recommend for preping the stocks prior to applying the Aluma-Hyde, what do you recommend for a "cure" for the Aluma-Hyde, and is there anything that you recommend putting on over the Aluma-Hyde.....Got a lot of questions, this is the first time I've used Aluma-Hyde and I'm using it on a new VLTOR stock, Battle Grip and KAC pannels....So I don't want them to turn out looking like crap.....Any help would be much appriciated...

I've got OD and Brown....I was going to use OD as the base coat...any recommendatoins when applying the second layer (brown)...I'll be using the brown just to break up the OD a bit.

Thanks

View Quote

Did several with AH2. Degrease with alcohol. Sand and mask as needed. Degrease again. Set AH2 cans in warm water to spray easier. Several thin coats. Set aside for minimum one week to cure.
HTH
Formerly banned

Posted: 11/2/2003 11:08:10 AM EDT

[#22]

USMC03,
I just used fine sand paper and emery. I just went over everything lightly and broke the finish. The older M16 stuff seems more like "glass" than the newer stuff, and really smelled like it when it was sanded. If your worried about the screwing up your good stock, why not try it out on something else or pick up one of the $20 sets from Northridge and try it out on that first. At least get one under your belt and see if its the way you want to go. I figured for $20, what did I have to loose. So far I've done about 5 sets. It becomes addictive! And its not just AR's, nothing is safe once you start. [:)]

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - painting furniture question

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