Painting Methods and Tips

Looking at the profile of Jango in Vanity Fair, the blue paint seems almost irredescent. Has anyone tried to replicate this? I was thinking of finding a 'pearlized' clearcoat to achieve this. I think it would give the metal a more realistic look too as the color will change depending on the angle viewed & light source. If anyone has tried this let me know. I don't want to repaint my armor & end up looking like DISCO FETT.
:puke

You have to get a pearl white or an irridescent pearl aluminum paint, both offered by House of Kolor. Depending on what you choose, these will have to be layered and cleared. Personally I would reccomend doing it as follows:
After primering at least twice, a heavy (no runs) coat of aluminum or steel (Metalic),Then a medium coat of white pearl. Now, before the pearl dries completely, wetsand it until you start seeing the silver through. Apply a second coat, alittle thicker, and lightly, very lightly, wetsand it again. Now you take your blue, whatever colour this helmet should be, and mix a 50/50 with the pearl white. Coat it on thin, wetsand, and then again. Now you have a choice, leave it(lighter) or apply very thin dustings of your blue until you achieve the desired colour. Whenever you obtain your colour, go a shade darker, then wetsand. Now you let this completely dry, overnight. You now need to shoot it with a non yellowing clear. Chances are this will need to be mixed, as the colours do. Two coats should be fine, depending on how much depth and reflection you want. Other options you may wish to explore are Ghost painting, Phantom painting, Powdercoating, or maybe using a candy undercoat. Well, I hope this helps you. By the way, This is for a perfect helmet. If you want a damaged look, you will have to take those steps described in other posts before you layer this paint job on. Using rubber cement or Frisket (liquid) to prevent you from pearling your damaged areas.

I'm in the process of changing my DP Boba helment into a Jango, so I need to patch up a few spots including the dent, with bondo. But I found that when I painted it with silver, the bondo turned a flat color while the rest was the way it should be. Would a simple coat of a flat color and another coat over that fix the problem?

When I use Bondo on parts I make sure to put a few good coats of a sandable primer over it before any other paint.This should take care of the problem. You should also use diferent grades of sandpaper to sand the bondo and for the final sand use an extra fine grit like 1500 or so.This will give it a nice smooth glasslike finish.

It also helps to use automotive paint for the silver. It is much more durable, and won't dull when you rub it.

I'd recommend adding a clear coat too to keep that glossy look.

Along with these suggestions, if your after a uniform and VERY smooth suface, wetsanding is the way to go. Use different grades of sandpaper, like was said earlier, and when you get to the last sanding (rough), wet the helmet, then after painting, wetsand about three or four times. After clearing (1st coat) wetsand using emery paper, then clear again, and wetsand with a very fine green scratchpad. Dry it off, and it will reflect very well, and be extremely smooth. All the other advice that has been given to you on this topic is also needed. At least two primer coats are a must. Also another note, if you are Bonoing on fiberglass, make sure you rough sand the glass very well before applying the bondo. And apply the bondo in a few thin coats instead of one large one. This saves the knockdown time and adheres better. I'm sure you would be very unhappy if you dropped your helmet and the repaired spots popped out of your helmet.I've seen this happen to cars, so I'm sure it can happen to other things, just take your time and sand, sand, and sand again until you get what you want.

P.S. When primering, it never hurts to knock down each coat for better adhesion.

I used 1/8 sintra for the armor. All the painting is from a spray can, no airbrushing needed. I primered the armor with 2 medium coats of grey sandable primer & let dry for at least 24 hrs. I then sanded by hand with 400 grit wet & dry sandpaper with plenty of water and a little liquid dish soap for lubrication (to help remove the paint particles from the sanding) until the armor was smooth. Don't worry about the odd sanding scratches that did not come out , they will just add to the weathered look. Next I painted a base coat of silver & while still wet randomly misted with a pewter color. Let dry 24hrs and lightly sand using the above method to remove any "orange peel". Repeat with the silver/ pewter combination. By now you should have a nice random mottled effect and a smooth surface. Again let dry for at least 24 hrs. Now you can hit it again with a really fine sandpaper. I used 1500 grit and randomly sanded in a circular motion to remove high spots and any orange peel (there really was not much at this stage). You should now have armor that closely resembles unfinished metal in a satin finish. Looking at an angle in the light will show off all of the random swirl marks which makes it look as if the metal has been buffed. If you want to dirty it up a little, try a little graphite and rub into the surface. If you do this you will have to seal it with a clearcoat finish & repeat the final 1500 grit sand for the swirls. I didn't do this yet on the armor that you saw, but I think it will add more realism to it.

Experiment a little. I rushed some of the drying times & added multiple coats. The whole trick is to use the best paint possible. I used Motomaster automotive touch up lacquer paint from Canadian Tire. I found that this paint dries quickly and produces a hard SMOOTH finish. Stay away from Krylon chrome -too much orange peel.

I just stopped by Wal-Mart to check out the silver paint for my Jango armor and found this Rust-oleum Hammered texture silver paint and I think it's really cool. Once you spray it on it gives it a somewhat worn look and takes out any small imperfections on the surface of the armor. It dries hard and doesnt dull to the touch. Just wanted to shout that out.

Automotive laquer based paints...but VERY expensive.

Best advice...pick up a few differnt cans of chrome spray paint from different manufactures as well as gloss or semigloss top caot sealer. Spray them on some test pieces. That's how I did my original JF costume for Dragon*con...

just keep spraying differnt paints until you find the one that looks right to you. Air burshing works best but if you have neither the equipment nor experience using one...just go with spray paint...

Most important...alllow paint to dry THOROUGHLY between coats.

Good luck,

Neil

I used the rustoleum chrome paint on mine. Hopefully the clear coat will work on it. I have heard that clear coat doesnt work well with chrome paint.

turo

Clear coat sometimes tends to make chrome paint look grey. I used Plasti-coat automotive paint(medium silver) on mine. It looks like aluminum, has a durable, glossy surface, and you can get it at Wal-Mart.

That Rustoleum is great stuff, but this is an auto body chrome spraypaint they carry at most Nappa Auto stores. I don't have a can in front of me but I've been using the same brand name for years.

Soju- check PM

The main problem with clear coats is that they will usually re-wet the paint you apply them over, if they are of the same type. This isn't much of a problem with regular colors, as this does little to the color itself. Metallics, however, are a bit different than regular paints, and re-wetting the surface can deleaf the finish, causing it to cloud up.

Your best bet for clear coating is to let the paint dry THOROUGHLY. This can be two days or a week. Plain label Rustoleum takes a long time to dry, and often metallics do as well. The Painter's Touch Rustoleum paints are much faster drying. Plus, sometimes, you just get a bad can of paint. (ALWAYS test your paint on a scrap of material first, preferably the same material you will be painting.) Anyhow, once the paint is dry, laquer can be used as a clear coat. If the paint is thoroughly dry, the laquer will probably not harm the paint you apply it over, and can even enhance the shine of some metallics. Testor's is the best for this, as it was formulated to be applied over their enamels, and will not re-wet most enamels. Rustoleum Laquer works well too, but I have had it react with some cheaper brands of paint. Again, paint a scrap of material, let it dry a day or two, and then spray the laquer and see what happens.

Another option is wax. I sometimes use furniture wax to apply a good shine over surfaces. It's also has the double value of being a releasing substance, which makes it easier to remove stuff thet gets spilled onto your piece. It's not as scratch resistant as a clear coat, but then, most things that scratch the paint would scratch the clear coat too, so it makes little difference. Just apply the wax, let it dry, and buff it. Be warned, though, some paints will be dissolved by the wax, so again, test it before ruining your handiwork.

I would do the entire thing CHROME, not silver. Then mask the chrome and paint the blue on. That way if you drop it or it gets scratched it will at least look realistic.

The easier way though would be to paint the blues on then mask them and paint the chrome. Then using a masking technique you could put the black lines on.

Hope that helps,

Phil

I find painting the lightest color first then the darker colors is easiest, You will need less coats of paint to cover the lighter color than you would the darker. Go with the silver/chrome first, then mask off everything you DON'T want blue, then paint the lighter blue. Try to peel the tape back on itself when removing so you don't lift the edges of the fresh paint. I usually do this right away. Let dry for a day or two then you can mask off everything that you don't want to paint the darker blue & follow the same procedure.

I don't know if it's been brought up here or not, but according to a very "reliable source", Jango's silver parts where painted with regular silver spray paint, not chrome. After the parts where painted, they were then treated with "Rub-N-Buff". It's a waxy paste with metallic particles which you rub into the surface of your finish, then buff out. You can get this from most or your larger craft stores. It's sold in little tubes.

This was the method that the prequel prop masters used to "metalize" quite a bit of their non-metalic props. The source of this information is definitely someone who should know.

Chrome paint usually doesn't hold it's shine - unless you're using alclad II. After you handle it a few times, it starts to look like s**t.

Yeah, the Rub N' Buff works wonders! Just don't try to apply it over chrome spray paint, it'll make the chrome smudge everywhere!

Regular generic silver. That's what they used for the screen used props anyways.

I've been working on a Jango helmet and, to my great dismay, when I removed the masking tape, some of the blue lifted up with it. The blue I was using was a satin made by Krylon, and the Silver paint below was the cheaper Wal-mart brand.

Has this happened to anyone else? Was it the cheap silver that caused the blue to peel? I think I used the same silver on my Boba helmet and that did not peel. Any suggesstions or wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

What is your helmet made of, and what did you do to prep it?

What type of masking tape are you using? If you are using regular masking tape, it will peel the paint because it is too strong. You need to use painters tape. The adheasive is not too strong, so it won't pull up the paint. Also, I try to use the same brand of paints. The quality of paints vary from brand to brand, and some paints don't stick well with others. Krylon has always been a good brand.

You could also try scuff sanding the surface with 320 before you apply the blue paint. Also I recommend removing the tape carefully while the paintis not totally dry & be sure to peel the tape back on itself & not at perpendicular to the surface.

I had teh same problem about a month ago. In the end I ended up trashing the helmet royally. Anyhow, the problem sounds like you didn't wait long enough for the krylon to dry. I know sometimes that an hour or two seems fine, even to the touch. but you have to realize that it is still not completely dry and to be sure, just to leave it overnight in between paints. But with paints such as krylons, etc, you have to be TOTALLY sure that your paint is set .

I am currently sanding (scraping) my helmet. I guess i didnt leave my paint on long enough to set, now the chrome is goo. Make sure each layer dries thoroughly before adding another. My girlfriend threatened to kill me over the mess I left in the house, parking lot, and deck. The sandpaper wont ever go through it. Do yourself a favor and take your time. You never know when youre going to need a repaint.

Sounds like you used different paint brands & there was a reaction between the two. Try a test sample & see if you get the same thing.

yah. As a footnote : Metallic paints traditionally take LONGER to dry than other paints, in my experience. I swear, if the coat is heavy, it takes DAYS for it to dry and not to leave a finger marks when picked up. ADVICE : lightcoats, letting each coat dry before reapplication.

Otherwise, WELCOME to the club buddy !

I'm looking for some paint that simulates aluminum, or stainless steel. Any recommendations?

Testor's Model Master Metalizer Laquer...it comes in both stainless steel and polished aluminum.
I went with the stainless steel. You can get it at your local hobby shop.

What is the best paint to use on the sentra armor that I make? The armors not finished but I would like to start looking for the paint. Thanks for the warm welcome. I just can't get my pics to post to see what you think. Just think of the best Jango you ever saw. Thats not mine.

I used Krylon sandable primer on my sintra armor first, then wet sanded it
to make it smooth, then used Testors Model Master Metalizer Lacquer in
"stainless steel color". It's a buffable paint that buffs to a nice metalic sheen.
After that I finished up with a small layer of "Rub & Buff" (a Jango costumers
equivalent to liquid GOLD! ).

Here's what it came out looking like....



I haven't done it yet, but I also plan on
"weathering" the armor (basically giving it that dull, tarnished look) using
some form of touch-up paint...some people like using regular black spraypaint
misted over from about 4+ feet and then wet sanding it...some people like
using brushed on, watered down, acrylic paints. As with any advice given
on THD...the choice is yours.

Good luck!

Malcfett

I have personally tried at least 10 different brands of chrome paint with poor results except for Testors brand in the 3oz. can.You can see my armor at http://forum.thedentedhelmet.com/vie...c=2254&forum=9

I weathered it with acrilic paint(not watered down)and I think it looks perfect.I have seen one armor maker(BKBT) use laquer spray paint with astonishing results but the chrome base tends to shine a little more.
Hope this helps.

I used a combonation of rub n buff and brush n leaf paint. Weathered by using layers of watered down black acrylic.

Pantera, have I told you how much I absolutely LOVE! your helmet?

I think Im gonna go with some of this testors stuff everyones talking about. How many cans did you go through to paint your armor?

5 or 6 so far.

what paint codes did you use for your helmet ??

gm

sith_camaro wrote:I used a combonation of rub n buff and brush n leaf paint.

I was just wondering if you painted/primed your armor before using the RNB and BNL?
Any help is greatly appreciated.

Got Maul wrote:what paint codes did you use for your helmet ??

gm

I used ColorSpray Navy satin and Krylon True Blue Satin on the helmet.The silver was just regular aluminum paint(I tried to find the least amount of metal flake)with R&B applied later.

Hey guys,

Looks like I waited until the last minute to start painting my armor and this is what I get
My RA armor looks great, but the resin cast pieces are giving me hell! They wont take spray paint, I tried putting some primer on them and it beaded up! So what am I doing wrong?

I sanded the parts (knee darts and center diamond on chest) 320, 600, then tack clothed them. Tried primer, UGH! it's all beady!! ***?

Can someone help me out? What do I do to make these darn things hold paint?

use a light grit paper, than dust coat it.

Um, dust coat it?

what do you mean by that exactly?

Do several very thin coats of paint.Just kind of mist it on .

I feel for you partner...

This is a common problem w/ cast resin pieces due to the release agent used in the casting process..

I've casted alot of items and what works well for me is this..


1. Get a plastic bucket or large flate pan and fill it w/ paint thinner, terpintine etc.

2. submerge your cast pieces into the thinner and allow to sit overnight.

3. The next day..using a soft plastic brisle brush, scrub your pieces thoroughly to help remove the release agent.

4. Rinse w/ warm water and scrub again using a dish detergent, this time to remove the paint thinner and/or left over release agent.

5. Dry off w/a towel and let sit to air dry.

6. Now begin your sanding.

7. Apply a good quality primer coat and allow to dry over night..

NOTE..."This is the moment of truth" !

What I mean is..if there is any residue left over from the release agent it will rise to the surface of the primer coat and be "Tacky or Sticky"...If this occures leave it alone !!

Do not apply your finished coat yet!!

Let it sit for a couple of days and the tacky surface will eventually dry out..

On the other hand.. If you have successfully removed all of the release agent your primer coat will be dry and ready for your finished coat..


This process has worked very well for me..

Hope this helps.

that sounds extremely thorough...

However, since halloween is approx 3 days away and I already have the resin assembled, I need to find a slightly faster way. Maybe If I place them in a terp bath overnight and follow it up with a hot water bath the next day?

I have worked with painting resin props and models for years and I'll I have ever done is just wash them down with good hot soapy water and a tooth brush. That is that is in resin model directions and it has worked for me really well and I have never had a problem.

The bad thing about soaking parts in any type of solvents is that resin is porous and it will/may soak up the solvents and it may come back to haunt you later when/if it leechs out.

It sounds like you are rushing the process, especially with Halloween being aroudn the corner. My advice is like others, but I stress taking your time and letting coats to FULLY DRY before puttign another coat on. I would recommend Pep Boys autobody primer.. I have had nothing but love from that primer. Then WASH your pieces...dry them. Dust coat your primer...don't mind that some areas are not fully coated wait for about five minutes, do it again, catching all the unpainted patches...do it one last time to get it all. Wait until all coats are dry. Go get dinner or something. Then add your first coat (very light). Get a snack or a beer. Watch a show. Then second coat...watch that second episode of 24 or something. Then finally a third.

The problem with rushing a job is that the bottom coats never dry. If those don't adhere, you could take your nail and scratch it right off easy.

hope it helps.

Has anyone done this? I've read on the RPF that this paint is as close to chrome as it comes, but will it be too shiney? I don't want girls trying to use my chest plate to fix their hair at cons...

where do you get it?

Alclad II can be found at some, if not most hobby stores and works great for this !! IMO, the alclad alone is a bit too shiney so what I would recommend is a nice clear coat over it which deadens the chrome apprearance!
I race RC Monster Trucks( when I'm not engulfed in FETT stuff) and use this quite often on the ABS plastic bodies I paint as well as the Lexan versions!
If left without a clear coat the alclad is not very durable though is the only thing!!!
It is sweet though to see it before you clear coat it!!
On average it's anywhere from $6.99 to $8.00 an Oz.!!
Good luck, any help I can be , don't hesitate to email.
shunned

Do you have to airbrush it on or do they sell it in a spray can?

They don't offer it in a spray can unfortunately! however you could use a single action airbrush, which you can pick up reasonably priced!!
Other than this there are a few companies that offer "chromish" finishes,but none like the Alclad II!
hope that helps!
shunned

Hey shunned, would you suggest getting the polished aluminum finish, or would something closer to steel work better?

Hi Kronk,
What I would do is use the regular Alclad II Chrome and once you clear coat the Helmet you'll have that polished allumnum appearance!! It sounds weird ,but the Chrome Deadens out some and with the Clear coat on there with the polished allumnum affect, you should achieve what your looking for!!
Good Luck and let me know how it turns out for you!! If I beat you to it, I'll post pics of mine so you can see what the end result is!
shunned

Thanks, and you probably will beat me to it. I had heard that the clear coat deadened the chrome finish, but I know they also have the polished aluminum finish and thought that might work better. Let me know how yours turns out!

A real good trick, is to paint your alclad II over SATIN instead of gloss black. It gives it a nice shine, but not too chrome.

Ah, I was wondering how a different finish would affect the outcome. Thanks JD.

Kronk,
Just keep in mind that any Alclad II is not chip resistant!! I think either color would probably work out well for ya ,but the clear coat is a must if you are going to handle the helmet at all!! The alluminum finish color might deaden out more than you want it to so I'd test em out!!
I'n fact I'll do a little test tonight with my alclad II and if I can get someone to clue me in to a good pic host, I'll put em up as soon as I can!!(tonight or tomarrow!)
PM me or post back, I'll check in once I get started!!
TTYS, shunned

Now you're talking, I was hoping someone would test this out. I can't wait to see the pictures.

OK done!!
I did a side by side comparison on the same piece so you could see the difference between Alclad II Chrome non-clear coated and the other I clear coated!!
Now, to find a good pic host!LOL
I'll be back with pic results!!
shunned

I'm posting this info for shunned. Hopefully you guys can see the pics.

shunned wrote:

... Heres two test photos for ya guys, sorry about the quality of the pics ,but I was in a hurry to leave for band practice!!
ON the Left side of your screen you can see the Clearcoated version !! As you can see the finish has dulled out to a near "Dirty" alluminum type finish that distorts the reflection about 35% more than the version on the right!
On your Right side of the screen you see the un-clearcoated version which is highly reflective and has a very polished look to it!!

I did both of these on a good coat of glass black before I sprayed on the Alclad II !
The test piece is the molded visor from my ROTJ helmet which I removed to put in the real visor! It was a perfect test piece since everyone is thinking about this paint for their helmet!! I just happened to have a piece so there ya have it!

Anyway, both would be good candidates for a Jango helmet however , for those who do not want to topcoat it I warn that any minor fall or scuff up against something will more than likely cause the paint to either chip or scuff!! The clear coat will protect your helmet further and not only that ,but compliment the Black rub'n buff most of you like to use!!
LMK what ya think! sincerely, shunned

I have a question...I realize that this has been covered somewhat, but before I go any further with my Jango helm.

Which is the better color to use? Alclad II chrome or Alclad II aluminum. ORRRR, the Testors Aluminum? I understand that they need to be sealed as the paint is rather brittle.

The Jango helm I recently aquired, is painted with the Alclad II Chrome, and it really looks dead on. Only thing is, when I get the armor, I do want it to match...but I suck with an airbrush. So I was considering the aerosol route. I do understand that the makers of Alclad is considering releasing the color in aerosol some time in the future.

Any help here would be great...thanks,
Shawn

well if you can spray paint, you can airbrush. Alcad in airbrushing is straight forward, in fact the paint is even premixed for you.

I'm just worried that you will be able to see the lines from the airbrushing...then I'd have to go back...then there'd be too much paint...or not enough paint...AHHHHHH!

I suppose that's what sand paper is for though, huh?

Which Alclad II is the better one though, Aluminum or Chrome? I see there were pics, but they don't show up anymore.

After painting, does one put the "rub n' buff" on, or is that over kill?

Which kind of clear coat works the best?

Thanks for being patient, as I am still rather new and still not very confident with my abilities.

Shawn

Ok, now I am pissed...big time.

I used the Alclad, let it dry about a week, sprayed the clear coat and...the friggin thing freakin cracked! A few weeks of work down the **** crapper!

So anyone want to provide any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated now.

Shawn

I'm so sorry, that totally blows rocks!

Man that does suck!!
OK, I gotta know..
What cracked and how???
I sprayed my Helmet a few weeks ago with Alclad II and have not noticed this problem at all!
What type of helmet do you have?? I have a Resin based helmet and it is very stout after all the work I put into it bondo wise and such!! Not much Flex if any!!
The only 2 things I can think of is:
1) If this is an original DP or Dubies the material may Flex too much! Alclad is not known for NOT being flexible for only only reason, that it is a very thin based paint!! I know this info probably does you no good now, I'll try to bring up all the things I can think of to alieviate(sp?) this problem!!
2) If the surface wasn't preped good before you added your topcoat this would result in cracks and reactions! A nice fine Scotch brite pad or 4000 steelwool would do for this!!

Let us know what your problems were !!
thanks, shunned

yah, describe the helmet and where it cracked. That does suck pal, I am sorry.

Well, now that I am over being totally pissed. I think the problem may have to do with the base coat that I used.

I used Testors Model Masters Gloss Black, #FS17038 for this. When I first tried to apply the GB undercoat, in certain spots, the paint came out like I had added a sand mix. The first time that this happened, I passed it off that I didn't shake the can long enough and that I am doing this in my basement, which is about 60 degrees. It did take a few attempts to get a clean coat after some sessions of light sanding.

Well, after I experienced the disaster the other night, I obviously had to sand the sucker down. In doing this, I discovered that the gloss black had turned into - tar. At least that is the consistency. My guess, and it should probably have been apparent to begin with is that its was old paint. Something I wouldn't have known as I had just it up at the hobby store a few weeks ago.

Incidentally, the problem happened on the crown, the cheeks, and a bit of the back by the vents. So, now I am back to painting as I have spent most of my waking hours sanding this sucker.

Shawn

Man that stinks!! Sorry that happened to you man !!
After reading your last post I wondered about the temp. in the room your painting in and about the drying time in between coats of the GB!
I have had what you described happen in a cold paint booth before and it wasn't pretty!! At the time I was very impatient and eager to get the project moving!!LOL
You are right about the Old paint theory! This will do the same thing!!
Anyhelp we can be man, post away!!
Hope all goes better for you this time around. Keep us posted!!
sincerely, shunned

as a general rule, whenever I use enamels and am going to paint on top of it, I leave the base layer to dry for at least a day or two. Not hours but days.

I am doing a custom mandalorian with a black/silver scheme.
I was gonna use rust-oleum chrome and black spray paint. I dont wanna screw up the paint due to touching it too much. So i also have crystal clear paint for a finisher. In the past when i have used the clear coat on the chrome, it has turned a dirty dull gray. Was i just clear coating it too soon or is there another way to protect the chrome?

Many thanks in advance.

Wy wife's armor turned out the same way. But I was cool with it since I didn't want the super shiny chrome look. Honestly, I don't know of anohter way. Seeker's Jango MLC helmet turned out great. Check that thread to see. He said what he used on there.

Wes

First things first, try to use a better type of paint. Automotive paint is much more effective for this type of thing. Remember you get what you pay for ESPECIALLY with paint! Metallics are basically metal flakes that are floating in lacquer. Some have more density than others. When you clear coat over it, you're re-activating the the metallic paint. That's why you need to do it in light coats, or else it ends up graying or uneven. It can be done, but you really need to take your time. Make sure you let the chrome/silver paint cure for at least a week before you clear-coat it. And most important practice & test it on a scrap piece before you do your helmet. Some clears can be funny & unpredictable (like crinkling). Hope this helps!
Art

I would recommend just using a silver paint- like Krylon(I think) dull aluminum. Then you can apply rub-n-buff in silver over the top of it- gives it a real nice metal look. You do not clear coat it. You could do it under the rub-n-buff if you wanted but really no reason to. Using chrome spray paint just doesn't work very well- I've tried it before for other projects and it just sucks!

Hey, cats and kittens.

I'm looking for feedback from anyone who's successfully painted one of the HandSchaub metal helmets, specifically a Jango.

Can you share how you did yours? I've never really painted anything before and could use all the tips and tricks I can get.

Thanks,

Hey squirk! It just so happens that I am finishing my helmet TONIGHT!!! I will post pics and help you out. I know that SEEKER has painted a fantastic Jango as well and he has color recomendations and a mini tutorial on a thread that helped me out. Until later...

I could use some tips as well. Even though it's not Fett, I have a lot of R2 parts that are aluminum. I've heard its difficult to paint. Any help would be appreciated. Sorry for the slight hijack.

No, no. No hijack. The fact that the helmet is metal is exactly what I'm concerned about.

What do you use for primer? Self-etching? Regular primer? No primer at all?

Do you coat the Krylon or Rustoleum with anything in particular? Or is the paint durable enough without the need for a clearcoat of some kind?

What about the dome? Do you need to prep the dome with anything for solid pinstripe placement? Anything you can/should place over the pinstripes to keep them in place?

Questions, questions.....

Sorry - no picture yet. I cleaned the helmet using a brillo soap pad. This will get rid of the dirt and oils. I taped off the bare metal parts and gave a coat of the 'clean metal primer' from a can. This is new/clean metal so it works well. I then paited the entire colored areas the light visor color. I let it sit for three days to make sure it was dry. I then taped off the rest and hit the dark areas. I let it sit for a few days again so to not disturp the paint. BTY I used Rust-O-leom bewcaase they had the colors I liked.

That's the hard part. The pinstripe is just hobby pinstripping that can be applied with no prep. After it is in place a put a tiny spot of super glue at the ends so it doesn't curl up. I weather it with acrylic paints using black and raw umber. The acrylic paint film will help seal the pinstriping further. The visor is a welding mask cut to size and held in using metal putty. I should have a piture up tomorrow... seriously this time

Looking forward to seeing pics Brian!!!

So there's no special paint or prepping that needs to be done? Just sand, prime & paint as usual?

best thing I can say is make sure the metal is clean before painting. Thus far I haven't had any problems with the few I painted.

HS - I used a Brillo too, and while doing so did bring a uniform coloring/finish to the helmet, it also dulled it a bit. Not horribly, but it's not as shiny as I would like.

What would you advise to bring back the reflectiveness?

buff - then buff some more. Some metal rubbing compound will help too. It will seem more shiny when painted as well. I actually left mine a somewhat raw wire wheeled finish which is duller than high buff but at least it's consistant. I'll take a few pics of my helmet now so I can show more clearly...

Hand-Schaub wrote:
It will seem more shiny when painted as well.

What am I missing in that sentence? I'm not painting the silver areas. We're just buffing them to a shine, right?

Do you mean that the blue areas will look shiny with the gloss paint?

squirk wrote:

Hand-Schaub wrote:
It will seem more shiny when painted as well.

What am I missing in that sentence? I'm not painting the silver areas. We're just buffing them to a shine, right?

Do you mean that the blue areas will look shiny with the gloss paint?

Just implying that the contrast between the painted areas (being darker) and the bare metal will make the bare metal seem shinier - optically

It seems like every time I try to add a second coat to anything, the surface seems to acquire a kind of bumpy texture to it. This is even more obvious when using Rustoleum Metallic Finish as it is reflective, and thus the bumps can be seen easier. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there any way to avoid it?

Any info is greatly appreciated!

I am assuming you are talking for Jango? Mine is very similar and I just posted briefly about the steps. Check this thread, 6th post.....

http://tdh.prop-planet.com/viewtopic...c=6509&forum=4

I'm thinking that Metallic paint is your problem, and you need to wetsand the surface for prep. If you want to continue with the Metallic Rustoleum, I don't think you can sand it so your surface and technique have to be really good. Most of the Metallics turn grey when sanded. The Krylon Dull Aluminum is different and wetsands well if you need to (320 grit/lightly). Plus, it really doesn't matter if the wetsand takes some of that paint because the Rub n Buff corrects it. It took me re-preping my bucket 3 or 4 times before I figured it out. Also, don't expect the surface to look flawless if you go this route. Buff in small light circles. It doesn't all look right until it's weathered. That's my advice. Good luck.

Awesome helmet and armor, man! Yup, I'm making a Jango and I'm definitely going to use your techniques! Where do you get krylon dull aluminum? I hear it's difficult to find. Also, how many coats of primer and aluminum are you using? One last question (I promise! ), do you know if clear enamel or lacquer would stick on a RnB'd surface?

Thanks for your help!

I was planning on going the same route you did, but was
warned of the potential problems with chrome/silver/metallic
paints. So, I didn't paint on mine at all. Strictly Rub 'n Buff.
I primed it first then sanded it a ton. Then applied
the Rub 'n Buff. I am more than thrilled with the results!

before weathering:


after weathering:


Seeker gave some terrific instructions on the best way to apply the Rub 'n Buff.
Here's the link to that thread:
http://tdh.prop-planet.com/viewtopic...c=5460&forum=9

Good luck!

darksidedesign

The Dull Aluminum is kind of hard to find. I had to order a box of 6 online but I don't remember the store. I received it in a few days. As far as coats, thats hard to say because I apply several very light coats. I never paint full coverage in one coat. I mist it thin, wait a few minutes, mist it, wait, etc etc...once its fairly well covered I give it one more light overall blast. Probably the equivalent of a few coats for each. Darkside is right you can skip the Dull Aluminum if you want but I chose to have something over the primer and under the RnB that had a good alloy look. Whatever you do, just made sure the surface is nice and smooth.

As far as the clearcoat sticking on the RnB....I've heard different stories but I'd guess that in the long run it wouldn't hold too well. The RnB acts as a paint protectant though so it's not really nessesary. For the colored areas, I did use a clear satin Krylon coat, but I masked off all of the areas that I wanted to RnB when I did. Clear on the RnB may also change the appearance, so I would test it on scrap.

Great helmet, darkside!
Thanks for the advice, guys! I'll try to take some progress pics.

You guys have empowered me! I feel a new sense of confidence I've not had in a long time! Why do I have to be stuck at work at a time like this?! Grrrr... (

There are a lot of great minds around here....I learned from everyone else. Kinda the whole apprentice to master cycle

Heh. The circle is now complete! Well, maybe not.
One more question for you if I may. Seeker says to apply the RnB to the entire surface of the dome and buff it. In your experience, does applying only a little at a time yield better results? Is it easier to manage that way?

Thanks again!

I found that it dried too quickly to put on the whole surface
at once. I did it in small sections. 3 or 4 inches at a time.
Then once the whole surface was covered and buffed for the
most part, I buffed the whole thing again, blending in any
uneven spots.

My arm felt like it was going to fall off when I was done.
Plus my hands were super shiney, kinda like the T-1000.

Good luck and be sure to post pics of your progress.

darksidedesign

Agreed. You'll know once you mess with it....I use a very small amount at a time. You'll notice that all the Jango's have really buff arms...RnB

Did all you jangos clearcoat your gauntlets?? So far all the silver/chrome colors i have tested have turned grey after clearcoat. I am now using duplicolor auto paint, and clear so i am hoping it will come out nice. I really want a clearcoat on these to keep them from chipping and stuff. LMK what you did or tried and how it worked

thanks for the input
dan

I used Rub n Buff...no clearcoat.

Ditto