[RamaSha007]

Just got my 3d printed trap to the ready to paint point, which is amazing considering I've been plagued with problems with this build. First the plastic used for some of the parts cracked when assembling, despite having drilled out the holes as per the instructions. Determined that the plastic used was too brittle and had to replace all those parts. Then by accident I ordered one trap door centered and one not...so I had to reorder another door. Then I drilled out a pilot hole too large on the top piece and no amount of filling would hold the screw, so I had to reorder that...then the replacement came I had all the pilot holes drilled and as I was trying to test fit the doors the door support just snapped right off....so off to order another one of those. (different printer this time.) So now that I'm at the painting point I am not really all the surprised to be having paint issues as well. Anyway, here is what is going on and I hope I can get some help here.


So I figures I'd use some of the extra doors that won't work to test some paint options for the stripes before I place them on the real door. So I bondo, sand, clean, prime and give it and under coat of Aluminum paint (which was a little sticky, but not to bad.) and then I gave a once over with Flat black, and this is where the problems began. One door came dried to have a textured finished that was almost sandy like and little bits of the paint would come off on your hands even after drying for 24 hours. The other door was super shiny (and I was using flat black paint.) and sticky to the touch and never seem to get any less sticky even after the 24 hours of drying. At first I thought it might be the paint so I went and bought another brand and tested it on another part and the same sandy rough finish that came off on your hands. Now I figured it must be something I'm doing wrong...so any ideas?

Here are the details.

I sprayed both parts equal distance on the ground.

The first time I used Rust-oleum 2x Ultra Cover Flat black.

Second time I used Krylon color master Flat black

Temp has been warm in the mid 70s...it is colder today as winter decided to return, but it was warm at the time I painted.

I am using one of those trigger handles for the spray paint cans.

See if I can get some pics of what I'm talking about up later tonight.

Any help would be most welcomed.

[RamaSha007]

Took a little longer to get the photos up (we had work drama that required my attention.) but here they are...

Don't know if you can really see it here. The one on the left is the one that turned out shiny (I've sanded it a little, so it was even shinier before.), one on the right has the dusty paint.



I even tried it on the handle, which is metal thinking maybe it was the Plastic that was causing it, and same dusty results.





Putting off painting till I figure this one out.

Course it isn't all bad. Doing some test assembly on the pedal and that's coming along well. The Right box for the trap is done except the ribbon cable attachment to the front. Waiting on the proper black connector I ordered. I test fit it to the pedal base, and it is looking pretty good so far.





Left box is taking a little longer. Taking my time drilling the holes in the metal box.

Also tested the tape method on the door stripes and it turned out pretty awesome, so this is the method I'm gonna use.

[RamaSha007]

More progress on the Pedal, which is going a lot smoother then the actual Trap has up to this point.

[RamaSha007]

Think I've locked down the cause of my paint woes. The wind seems to be the reason. Most of the days it was warm enough to paint it was also very windy. I did some painting in the morning earlier this week when it was warm, but not windy and the paint came out just fine. The next day I tried to add another coat and the wind and picked up and I got the same dusty finish. So I'm just putting off paint till I can find a way to either paint inside (which my wife might kill me if I do.) or it warms up without being so windy.

So from now on I'll just be using this thread to chronicle the rest of my build.

[RamaSha007]

Also I know most of my pics are blurry. That was the camera I was using and I hope that those will be better from this point going forward.

[RamaSha007]

More progress pics (although I don't think they are any less blurry sadly.)









Still not going to be able to paint. There were tornado warnings this past weekend, and it is suppose to snow this upcoming weekend...and I have to work the weekend after that.

Might try to start cutting the aluminum side and front plates instead. Also I royally screw up my side vector plate for the trap and half the holes didn't match up after I was done. Had to order a new one and I'm gonna be triple cautious on that now. It has also got me so scared that I have put off drilling the holes in the large vector plate for the pedal, which is why you don't see it in any of this pictures.