Anyone Ever Chromed [Spray] An Action Figure?

[PGowdy]

Strange question but i'm wanting to make a custom Lego figure in silver chrome and am wondering how it can be done without all the limbs seizing up with the paint. I have a can of proper chrome (not just silver) spray paint to do it with.

So any tips? How should i approach it?

Take the figure apart is my thinking but how best to apply spray evenly when one of the sides is likely to being laying against a surface. Perhaps suspend each piece with cotton string?
Just thinking out loud.

Any help would be appreciated.

Pete.

 

[BlueDog]

Best bet would be to get some polystyrene, use some old packing inserts from a box if you have one and then using paper clips stick them in the foam and bend them to the desired shape to hold the parts. Lego has lots of holes so you should have a heap of places to balance the parts on the paper clip.

Just be careful to test the paint on a figure you don't mind destroying as most spray can paints have some sort of solvent in them which may have an adverse affect on the plastic. Also a good idea to try an rub down the figure with some sort of abrasive material ( fine sand paper ) so the paint has something to adhere to otherwise it may just scratch off.

First coat spray in a dust like manner and let it dry, build up the coats slowly until you reached the desired finish.

 

[tiefighterboy]

as legos are made of a more rigid plastic, the adhesion will be an issue. I suggest using a primer first before applying the chrome paint. Then thin layers as suggested and also spraying the parts seperatley will allow the limbs to be movable.

 

[Richard_H]

I'd use the base spray paint from the model workshops as it is designed to grip the plastic. They usually are black or very dark grey. Then apply the chrome after at least 24 hours

 

[PGowdy]

I'd use the base spray paint from the model workshops as it is designed to grip the plastic. They usually are black or very dark grey. Then apply the chrome after at least 24 hours

Do you have a link to this sort of spray? So i know what to get.

 

[BlueDog]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Army-Painter-Colour-Primer-Spray-Matt-White-Undercoat-/111290319069?pt=AU_Miniatures&hash=item19e96b80dd&_uhb=1

 

[PGowdy]

What about these?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Canbrush-Hi-Quality-Aerosol-Spray-Paint-Interior-Exterior-Black-White-Colours-/221247858957?pt=UK_DIY_Material_Paint_Varnish_MJ&var=520153141594&hash=item338366690d

or

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TETROSY-EASY-SPRAY-PAINT-BOTTLE-ALL-PURPOSE-WOOD-CERAMIC-METAL-PLASTIC-400ML-/330775735609?pt=UK_DIY_Material_Paint_Varnish_MJ&var=&hash=item4d03c52d39

 

[Richard_H]

This is what I bought from the model shop to do some plastic figs for my son


http://elementgames.co.uk/paints-hobby-and-scenery/spray-paints-primers/chaos-black-primer-spray?d=22&gclid=CMeKt7TA1r0CFagKwwodpjgAPg

 

[Grant]

I'm pretty sure Capetown or another long term member was getting a few vintage figures chromed a while back by professionals. Possibly they just haven't seen this thread to confirm etc.

 

[Grant_C]

Speak to Joe- think he got an 8d8 chromed.

 

[PGowdy]

Hey, so this is the figure i'm trying to copy. A custom, chrome Lego Silver Surfer.

The chrome part was always gonna be the easily job but does anyone have any idea how i'm gonna do the decals on the face and torso? I haven't the first clue how best to approach this.
I think the people who made this custom used "pad printing". I believe that's how Lego apply their detail to figures. But i have no idea how or even if it's possible to do that without owning some sort of machine.
So anyone got any ideas? :?

 

[PIGCITY]

What I would do is get some fine sticky plastic film and cut it out with a scalpel

 

[PGowdy]

What I would do is get some fine sticky plastic film and cut it out with a scalpel

So, what, print onto the plastic with a regular printer. Then cut out and stick on?

 

[BlueDog]

I'd say trying to cut out the black detail as an actual sticker would be a bit tricky Pete, If I was trying to do this I would make a spray template out of a thin film using a fine scalpel to apply that sort of detail. You'd probably require a two or three part template, for example on the body you'd need one to do the outer shape of the chest section and another to do the inner cross section of the abs.

Your best bet is to use an airbrush as you'll have better control over the paint flow, they can be picked up fairly cheap these days, a good quality hobby style one would suit.

 

[PGowdy]

I'd say trying to cut out the black detail as an actual sticker would be a bit tricky

But surely it'd be cut out as a strip and kind of wrapped around.

The other idea i've had is a rubber stamp. I know a company that can make a rubber stamp with ashy image or logo you like. My only issue is would it be a clean print and would it be permanent?

 

[BlueDog]

Yeah I guess if it's a clear sticker with the black print but I'd make it so it only sat on the front instead of wrapping around. Stamp would get messy I reckon, very hard to regulate the right amount of pressure with out making the image go blurry from to much ink.

 

[PGowdy]

Yeah I guess if it's a clear sticker with the black print but I'd make it so it only sat on the front instead of wrapping around. Stamp would get messy I reckon, very hard to regulate the right amount of pressure with out making the image go blurry from to much ink.

This is very true.
The airbrush suggestion would probably work well but i very much doubt i have the arts and crafts skills needed. I'd definitely make a pigs ear of that too.

 

[BlueDog]

You'd be surprised mate, lot's of tutorials on You tube. Airbrushing only gets difficult when you want to do fine free hand stuff, spraying using a template is no different than using a spray can only much finer and far more control. You'd only need a single action airbrush which enables you to set the flow of paint and then just push the trigger, dual action airbrushes require you to push down for air and pull back for flow and volume which a lot of first time users struggle with.

Most hobby shops will stock a good quality single action hobby airbrush and a odd as it sounds you can even buy air in a can :lol: Cheaper than a compressor.

Here's a single action airbrush:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/145-AIRBRUSH-SET-SINGLE-ACTION-4-JARS-VERSATILE-SET-CRAFT-TATTOO-MODEL-MAKEUP-/151266488435?pt=AU_Toys_Hobbies_Model_Kits&hash=item23382f7073&_uhb=1

If nail salons can use them surely you can Pete :lol:

 

[PGowdy]

You'd be surprised mate, lot's of tutorials on You tube. Airbrushing only gets difficult when you want to do fine free hand stuff, spraying using a template is no different than using a spray can only much finer and far more control. You'd only need a single action airbrush which enables you to set the flow of paint and then just push the trigger, dual action airbrushes require you to push down for air and pull back for flow and volume which a lot of first time users struggle with.

Most hobby shops will stock a good quality single action hobby airbrush and a odd as it sounds you can even buy air in a can :lol: Cheaper than a compressor.

Here's a single action airbrush:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/145-AIRBRUSH-SET-SINGLE-ACTION-4-JARS-VERSATILE-SET-CRAFT-TATTOO-MODEL-MAKEUP-/151266488435?pt=AU_Toys_Hobbies_Model_Kits&hash=item23382f7073&_uhb=1

If nail salons can use them surely you can Pete :lol:

Yeah, it's the cutting out the tiny fine detailed stencil that bothers me more. :?

 

[PIGCITY]

By the time you finish Pete thats going to be a lot of cash you've invested in that little figure :lol: :lol:

Surely it can be too hard to paint the features on with a fine brush, the details we used to get on Citadel miniatures back in the day was more detailed than this. Why not spray a few up and post on here for someone to paint the details on isn't Grinchy a master of this sort of thing?????