David Kirk Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 I've been finding time to work on a tin can robot project that's been languishing for years. I'm about to do some chrome work. I've had terrible luck with the shiny paints. They all seem to flake right off. A while back, Henk recommended just polishing metal, and that seems to be working well, but how do I protect it from rusting without spoiling the shine. Also, does anyone know of a good silver paint (not fake chrome, just silver) that holds up as well as other paints? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robothut Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 Once you get the metal pollished then just seal it, as long as air can not get to the surface it will not rust, there are lots of clear top coat sprays out there, the hobby shops sell a nice MODEL MASTER top coat spray or any place that sells auto parts will have DUPLI COLOR top coat clear spray. But I jusy saw a new spray a few days ago and you might experiment with it. You start with bare shinny metal then spray this trasparent paint over it. As it is ment for bare metal it will stick and not flake off. It comes in colors like Red Blue , green and a chrome. These are not sold colors, they use the shinny bare metal to give the look of real anodized metal. I was in the auto section of a FredMyers when I saw this stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volker Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 Hi John and David,here is a Picture from my Old Robby, before Sandblasting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volker Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 And here the Same Part after sandblasting and paint with a ZAPON clear Spray.If you can,t find this in the Staates - so i will send a Spray to you David.But it do not shine.Take carevolker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff W Posted April 15, 2003 Share Posted April 15, 2003 I think it would be cool if there was a "Rust Robot". You would take a robot body off the frame, then soak it in salt water. Let it get totally rusty and then reassemble! It could carry a hypodermic needle with "Tetness" written on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kirk Posted April 15, 2003 Author Share Posted April 15, 2003 Thanks for the suggestions for the shiny stuff. What about plain silver? I have a one of those space explorer guys with the TV body that came to me rusty and crummy in 1967. My mother found it at a rummage sale and it was pre-crapped up. I'm just now getting around to fixing it! I painted some of the silver on it a while back with rustoleum, and it was like the paint had no binder. It just scraped away after weeks of drying. I still have his legs masked off from his mechanism and ready to spray with something. I've been afraid to try again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robothut Posted April 15, 2003 Share Posted April 15, 2003 If the paint just scraped right off then there still must be alot of lose surface rust. Take a wire brush to the parts to knock off the loose crap, then spray with a auto primer and then the silver paint. The rustoleum silver is a very good paint but needs a clean surface to stick to as do all paints. Now there is a dofferent type of paint called hammer tone finnish, that comes in silver it has a different formula and when it dries it realy makes a solid surface and can be painted right over rust. KRYLON and Rustoleum both make versions of it, but the hammer tone finnish may not be what you are looking for.As for the rust robot, they sell spray paint kits that will make anything look like rusted metal in craft stores and Wall Mart I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kirk Posted April 15, 2003 Author Share Posted April 15, 2003 Howdy John, No rust at all. Completely clean and well buffed. Maybe I just got a bad can of paint. Are there any professional brands that would be better? Is there professional automotive paint or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robothut Posted April 15, 2003 Share Posted April 15, 2003 Yes there are pro paints but they require alot more work to use and you should be able to get a good paint job with out spending all the extra bucks for the special paints and thinners and sprayers. Have you wiped the surface off with Lacquer thinner? It is important to do this as it removes all wax and oil that may be on the surface. So try this, wipe off the metal with lacquer thinner let the surface dry so the thinner is all gone, then spray primer the parts useing a automotive sanding primer that you can find in the auto section of any auto parts store or department type store. Then spray the silver paint on. Do not use the new water base spray paints for this project, the drie time is long and the paint will not be as durable.One other thing that can screw up normal spray paint is the Temp and the Humidity.Also many of the new spray paints have to be recoated with in an hour or you have to wait several days, this will be printed in the instructions on the can as well. What happens when you try to second coat and you waited to long is that the first layer will wrinkle up. Not all spray paints do this so when picking your top coat read the backs of the cans to find one that does not say this if it might be a problem for you.A clear top coat will also help protect the paint layer, many types of paint require a clear top coat like metalics and metal flake finnishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velocity Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 I s'pose restoration is out of the question for certain silver/chrome robots, such as the Silver Ray Secret Weapon Space Scout. The chrome finish on mine has seen better days, but there's no way to even retouch it because of all the tiny little litho-rivets and litho-seams. I guess you could photograph every square inch of him, sandblast him clean, and then TRY to replicate the litho detail with paint or water decals. But what a project. Has anyone ever even attempted to restore the Silver Ray Secret Weapon Space Scout, and how did it turn out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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