Painting over chromed plastic?

Topic: Painting over chromed plastic? (Read 6130 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #15 – November 19, 2004, 02:33:32 PM

ouch, did you tighten the emblem on? It'll put a mark in the paint which will be easy to see once there's a layer of clearcoat over it

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #16 – November 19, 2004, 03:00:24 PM

I put it back on and tightened it just enough to keep it from moving around. I'm not too worried about it.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #17 – November 19, 2004, 03:15:07 PM

I tend to be a perfectionist...it'd bug me to no end :shoothead

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #18 – November 19, 2004, 03:27:56 PM

If something like that bothered me, there wouldn't still be a scratch inside one of the holes. I'm a perfectionist up to a point. If I let my perfectionism take over, I'd NEVER be happy with anything I do.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #19 – November 19, 2004, 04:12:22 PM

looks like it isn't going to get as warm today as it was supposed to. I'll have to just paint and hope it doesn't crack like last time I painted around this time of year

Have any problems with orange peel?

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #20 – November 19, 2004, 04:21:34 PM

Orange peel? You mean the stuff all over my back yard twice a year when both trees start to drop? :D

Peeling on the grille? Not that I've noticed.. but since I took that picture, I've driven to Tampa and back, (about 90-100 miles each way) and taken a nap. I really haven't made time to check it out again.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #21 – November 19, 2004, 04:30:04 PM

"orange peel" is a term used when paint doesn't have a perfectly flat surface as it resembles an orange's peel. There's always a little amount, but it can get bad with certain application methods and temperatures. If using a spraycan, it helps to let it soak in hot water which both makes it spray a little thinner, and take a little while longer to dry (spread out a little more evenly). Light coats are needed though as it'd be more likely to run.

http://66.34.72.138/howto/paint/orange-peel-1.jpg
that's a severe case but it gives the general idea. Ignoring the bubbles in their paint job, look at the overall texture. The bottom half of the light's reflection resembles the texture of an orange.

Clearcoat helps hide that though (without touching the paint itself - needed for metallics and such) as you can sand it smooth and from an angle, you only see the top surface, not the paint below ;)

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #22 – November 19, 2004, 04:35:41 PM

The paint is a little uneven, but it's not bad. I tended to go with tons of light passes over it, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then re-coat it with lots more light (quick) passes. Remember, I used almost an entire can just on that one grille. It's on there thick.

I've never had good luck with clearcoat.. but I used to suck at spray painting in general. Might do better this time around.. or, I may ask that friend to give it a shot. He's still better than I am at painting.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #23 – November 19, 2004, 05:02:49 PM

heh, yeah

I need to get a sprayer and learn how to get a great finish on paint so I can paint my car on the cheap.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #24 – November 19, 2004, 06:26:37 PM

I wouldn't mind being able to paint the whole car myself. I can get a compressor, and I could probably fashion a tent in my front yard. (no neighbors to annoy, that's a plus) I'm just not experienced enough to do it yet. Spray paint experience doth not equal whole car painting experience.. heh.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #25 – November 19, 2004, 07:04:01 PM

Looks real good!! :ies:

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #26 – November 19, 2004, 07:14:01 PM

Thanks. I got a lot of practice with Dupli-Color when I treated the rust on the '86 and painted it over with a close color to the existing color. I used to be awful at spray painting.. but now I'm actually (just barely) a little confident about my ability to paint something.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #27 – November 19, 2004, 07:44:59 PM

Quote from: Bird351

Spray paint experience doth not equal whole car painting experience.. heh.

From what I've heard and read, its easier to get a decent finish with both a decent sprayer and higher quality paint than is in cans. Plus, the catalyst in many paints that helps it dry sooner is always helpful. Cans just don't have what it takes to get an excellent finish, be it the paint quality, spray pattern, or air pressure.

Ever use the spraycans that have a vertical spray pattern? Its basically a vertical line instead of a huge circle. Results were very good for a spraycan - good coverage and I didn't have a single spot of orange peel...but because it was a different looking nozzle, once I pointed it the wrong direction and it came back spraying in my face :wtf:

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #28 – November 19, 2004, 07:52:41 PM

These Dupli-Color cans have adjustable patterns on them. You can spray vertical or horizontal.

Re: Painting over chromed plastic?

Reply #29 – November 19, 2004, 09:16:03 PM

wait, what? you can adjust them? Didn't know