(Topic ID: 95124)

Stencil Kit Question

By Arcade

9 years ago


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  • 70 posts
  • 19 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 9 years ago by KingNine
  • Topic is favorited by 12 Pinsiders

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#9 9 years ago
Quoted from Chuck_Sherman:

Do stencil kits come with paint mix info?

No they don't - and absolutely DO NOT use Classic Arcades. I have now used 4 sets of his stencils - all were incorrect - and required A LOT of work to get them to look right. In fact, I have three full brand new sets now waiting to be used (2 Mata Hari sets and a Space Invaders Set) that I will never use because I don't want to go through the hassle of correcting. I intend to re-purchase the three sets from Twisted Pins. Travis has been awesome with communication and he actually cares about making sure his stencils are correct!

1 week later
#36 9 years ago
Quoted from John_I:

I use automotive paint. It is more expensive but you get what you pay for. It doesn't need to be thinned when it goes in the sprayer, covers in one nice thin coat, can be applied easily to a vertical surface, dries rock hard in like 10 seconds and doesn't peel or lift when you pull up the stencil. Once the prep and base coat is on, the stencil work literally takes less than an hour for the whole cabinet and head. I then do a light sanding to knock down the paint edges and coat the whole cabinet with Minwax polycrylic semigloss clear. This gives the whole cabinet uniform reflection, protects the paint and you can run your hand down the cabinet and barely feel any edges.

What brand are you using? I ask because every automotive paint I have ever seen is "mixed" with reducer - which is thinning it. Also, I don't know any that cover in one single coat. Not trying to be argumentative, quite the opposite, if you have a product that does as you say I would like to try it because although I love the product I use and it gets phenomenal results, it certainly has to be reduced (thinned) and it takes about 3 coats to look perfect. If there is a cheaper, easier alternative that produces similar results, I'll be all over it! Thanks!

#38 9 years ago

Thanks John - that makes sense. I go to a specialty auto paint and supply place as well. They are basically reducing (thinning) it for you and then putting it into the generic can. And I agree entirely about the quick flash times between coats. That's exactly what I do. I usually wait 5-10 minutes between coats just for grins, but it really does flash very quickly depending on humidity. Thanks again!

#42 9 years ago
Quoted from Arcade:

I talked to me friend that owns the body shop and he told me to get DBC grade with the reducer and that it would need to be clear coated. Are you using automotive clear coat or off the shelf at home depot clear coat? Also.. he mentioned there is a "shop grade" auto paint he won't use because it only last about 5 years on an automobile in the sun but would probably work well for this application and would cost less. Any thoughts? I know this paint is much more expensive but in the long run if you only use a little of it is it close to the cost of putting multiple coats of home grade paint like the Behr paint mentioned above?

I use either PPG OMNI or Shopline. Both paints work EXCELLENTLY for our game restorations. That said, they are on the lower end of the automotive paint spectrum as discussed. This makes them reasonably priced, yet still very good for out purposes. Your friend is probably correct in the longevity for a car, but we don't purposely keep our pinballs outside in the sun baking all day. Also, the clear - depending on which kind you use - will also aid in the UV protection. The clear I use is also PPG - in the OMNI brand it is 161.

In the end, I use automotive paint because it is harder/tougher, lasts longer, is smoother when applied, and looks much much better. I know there might be some who would disagree, and I know there are some people that do good work with latex, but if you put a latex painted cab up against a sprayed automotive painted cab, and there is no comparison. Just my .02

#48 9 years ago
Quoted from Arcade:

Our automotive place is recommending a single stage paint that already has clear coat in it.
Anybody see a problem with using that.
Seems like a good idea.

Never used it so I can say for sure. The benefit of having the paint and clear separate is that it allows you to lightly buff-sand the painted piece prior to clear. This does two things: 1) It can help remove any minor particles/imperfections that you might have in the paint (dust, etc) prior to clearing. 2) it removes the ridges created at each paint stage from the stencil and allows the entire piece to be very smooth before you clear.

I also concur with Travis that I ONLY use automotive clear. I am not saying that you cannot use any other clear and I know people that have done it, but if you don't use an automotive clear, you better test it on scrap wood because some clears are too "hot" for the paint and will react negatively. If you get the automotive clear, the shop can generally tell you that it is compatible with the paint you're using.

The MC161 is indeed a gloss clear. I use that when people want a shiny smooth finish. I use PPG DCU 2060 (Flex'd n Flat) as a flattening agent when I want it satin or flat. The spec sheet tells you how much to mix to get the desired look.

#50 9 years ago

Pictures of the latest. First couple pics look washed out, forgot to turn off the flash... - in reality they are rich and deep:
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#62 9 years ago

Hey guys, a couple of answers for you. Please let me know if I don't answer them all and I'll get right back to you:
1 - those pics do have clear and it is a gloss clear. Though the pictures wash out some of the gloss, it is a glossy finish in person. That said, it is definitely not too glossy. I know exactly what you mean when you say you don't want it to be blindingly distracting, but I didn't find it that way at all - and so far no one else that has seen them has either. The sheen is very nice.
2 - The automotive supply guy is absolutely correct when he says matte is more expensive. It's because you actually have to mix a couple of different materials to get the matte finish. Not hard to do, but uses more "stuff". I do this for my arcade machines and they are all a matte/satin finish (depending on choice). Pinballs I typically clear in gloss. Though they didn't come this way, I have never had anyone say - "I wish that was matte"
3 - I only get my supplies from an auto-paint supply place, but I do know of others who get theirs from Auto-Zone, Advance, etc. I get mine from a specialty store because I know I am getting the right stuff and it is compatible. Trust me - it is way cheaper than having rework because the materials were crap.
4 - I DO reduce my clear SOMETIMES. It is entirely dependent on the material. Most clears WILL NOT call for reducing in the spec sheet. It is usually a ratio of clear to activator (catalyst). I only use reducer when I need it. How do you know you need it? Once you get used to spraying a cab, the you can tell when the material is not spraying properly and needs to be thinned (often this is seen as the gun "spitting")
5 - It isn't cheap - as has been mentioned before. The red in those FG pictures alone was $160 for a half gallon. Red is THE most expensive pigment. And that doesn't include the black, gold, and clear...But...and there is always a but...you absolutely cannot beat the outcome.If you plan on doing several cabs, you can usually negotiate a rate with the auto supply place. Or you could trade. A Galaga, for example, can get you a lot of paint
6 - Plus one on the latex comment. Though I don't use it, I HAVE used it. If that is what you can afford, I say go ahead. Our machines are not in arcades where they get lots of abuse. They are generally babied, comparatively. That said, SPRAY it - DO NOT ROLL IT. That might upset some by saying that, but in the end - it usually doesn't come out all that well. And yes, if you spray latex, you will have to reduce it (with water) and it will generally require a larger size tip than what comes with your standard harbor freight gun. Drying times, depending on humidity, etc, are about an hour per coat. You'll need two to three good coats (depending on color). Then you will likely have to wait at least a couple of days between stencils/colors.

Hope this helps.
Cheers!

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