spray painting lego?

[cfc]

i was looking at the 8110 Unimog U400 thread, and i realised how good the black wheels look on it. i thought instead of buying new black wheels, i could spray paint them. Is this safe to do? are there any alternatives? Any help would be appreciated!

[Milan]

Welcome!

I tried spray painting parts once, when I got back to Lego few years ago.

If you want to keep your parts nice and shiny, don't paint them. It might be good, but would never be as good as original. It will almost always have different thickness of the paint on it, and the texture could be visible. Not worth it, imo.

Better save and buy four new black ones.

[davidmull]

I agree just buy new black wheels,I think mine were €11 new + postage.not expensive.

[cfc]

I agree just buy new black wheels,I think mine were €11 new + postage.not expensive.

ok thanks for the help. My unimog will look so much better with black wheels!

[Meatman]

Here is another alternative.

[timslegos]

I would avoid painting Lego. No matter how good you are with a paint can, you will not be able to replicate the finish of TLG parts.

tim

[KEvron]

am i the only purist up in this joint?!

KEvron

[DLuders]

There was a previous Eurobricks Technic Forum topic about whether "To Paint Or Not To Paint, That Is The Question". I personally would have no hesitation to paint some Lego pieces (or color them with a permanent Sharpie-type indelible marking pen) if the price of certain parts was high. Heck, even Crowkillers (Paul Boratko) painted a few panels on his new Vampire GT model to use black panels that are just now being released with the 1H2012 sets:

"Now there are 8 panels on this model that I was forced to paint black because they will not be available for about another month or so from Lego Direct. Both panels are used on the upcoming Lego 9397 Logging Truck, they are the #13, #14, #5, and #6."

If one were to go to a hobby store and buy a plastic glue-up car model, one could leave it "nude" or paint it the desired color. Why must Lego always retain its original color? People have complained about the same-old, boring Lego Technic set colors (red and yellow), and wish for more color availability. Why is it better to NOT BUILD a particular model (because of a lack of colors) than it is to PAINT THE PARTS? Lego "Purists" are only limiting their options. Why NOT use spray paint? There are some good formulations nowadays that work well on plastic furniture:

[TechnicJuan]

am i the only purist up in this joint?!

KEvron

No, you are not. I hate to see Lego models painted, especially when they are painted in colors that never existed. Plus spray paint just doesn't hold up as well as the original molded plastic. However, I must admit that I absolutely love the Chromed out wheels especially the darker colored chrome. I even own a few sets myself now . The original Black and Light Stone are just boring and horrid colors.

These dark colored chrome wheels look great and are not overdone or too gaudy.

@Dluders

I don't see an issue with the panels Paul painted as a temporary solution, but I would have just held off posting pictures of them. But I do remember him posting somewhere here that if he wouldn't have seen the new panels on the new sets that he wouldn't have done the model in black at all. I think he did the same thing with the long skinny panels in the Yellow Murcielago that he did. Someone also mentioned at Technicbricks that even designers at Lego paint parts before they are available to them.

[cfc]

am i the only purist up in this joint?!

KEvron

I was only asking whether it was a good idea or not...

[KEvron]

I was only asking whether it was a good idea or not...

please, don't take my outspoken purist stance as anything more than good-natured ribbing.

I even own a few sets myself now

burn the witch!!1!

KEvron

Edited January 5, 2012 by KEvron

[dhc6twinotter]

I tried painting some 6x6 dishes in yellow for the front wheels on my backhoe, but it didn't work very well. I found out I'm horrible at painting. I ended up tossing out the dishes and came up with a solution using yellow 8x8 dishes.

Edited January 5, 2012 by dhc6twinotter

[Blakbird]

I tried painting some 6x6 dishes in yellow for the front wheels on my backhoe, but it didn't work very well. I found out I'm horrible at painting. I ended up tossing out the dishes and came up with a solution using yellow 8x8 dishes.

Painting can be done poorly, and it can be done well. RoscoPC painted some wheels on his F1 cars, and nearly everyone would have to agree that they look fantastic. There was another builder on Eurobricks last year who had done a few Formula One cars that were extensively painted and looked amazing, but I can't seem to find them now.

[KEvron]

okay, since we're talking paint:

a while back, i bought some used train crossing gate counter-wieghts (70163). they're metal, not abs, and as i bought them used, the paint had flaked very badly on one of them. i'm gonna go ahead and paint the thing (damage is already done, right?). i figure a Testors model paint should do the job. the problem is: which black? it's been a few decades, but i recall black came in a few shades (degrees?).

any of you non-purist heretics out there have any idea which shade best matches lego black?

KEvron

Edited January 5, 2012 by KEvron

[DLuders]

@ KEvron: You need to match the black Train Crossing Counterweight against the online Testors color chart, and also decide whether the part needs to have a Gloss, Semi-Gloss, Satin, or Flat Black finish. I doubt that many people would know whether the final product is "correct" or not -- only YOU will know.

[KEvron]

whether the part needs to have a Gloss, Semi-Gloss, Satin, or Flat Black finish.

yeah, i forgot about those. i need to find a good hobby shop and pester the counter help for insight.

KEvron

[Conchas]

Painting can be done poorly, and it can be done well. RoscoPC painted some wheels on his F1 cars, and nearly everyone would have to agree that they look fantastic. There was another builder on Eurobricks last year who had done a few Formula One cars that were extensively painted and looked amazing, but I can't seem to find them now.

Don't know whether you refer to this one, because it was not done the last year but well before.

Nevertheless the green F1 car was extensively painted.

[OzBen]

I'm no purist so I think those F1 cars are just awesome!

I myself just painted the rear fender on a MOC motorbike i made for my brother.

Used sparingly and applied well i think painting add a final touch.

Just gotta print up some custom stickers now... (i'm a clueless newbie so that will be fun)

[gmshades]

i was looking at the 8110 Unimog U400 thread, and i realised how good the black wheels look on it. i thought instead of buying new black wheels, i could spray paint them. Is this safe to do? are there any alternatives? Any help would be appreciated!

I wanted the black rims as well. The best bang for my buck was to buy a used set of 8146 - Nitro Muscle off of Ebay. Now I have the wheels plus some extra useful parts.

Glenn

[BrickmanJ]

Just today I went to the store and picked myself up a can of Krylon Camoflauge with Fusion. I got it so I could paint some flightsuits for a diorama I'm making.

I got it in olive drab. I'm only using it because of price and color. I would much rather have the quality of LEGO, but to get three OD 'figs, it would cost 19 bucks. I got the paint for 7. Plus, the OD LEGO has is a lighter color than the suits.

[MrNumbskull13]

I have painted wheels with an outdoor spray paint that required no primer, turned out great! The finish was smooth and shiny.

[emilstorm]

Is it minifigs you are painting? I have never tried it, but i imagine it is very hard to get a good result on those tiny little things. Remember to cover up the parts you don't want paint on like arm holes and the head stud etc. And i imagine you will get some serious scatch marks on the side of the torso when you move their arms. It might help with a coat layer on top, but then you will get a thickness of layers that will definably cause trouble under the arms.

[Jim]

Hi Brickman,

Please don't revive a two year old topic! Instead create a new one if you want to discuss or show your project.