Ever hand painted stencils?

Sectorseven

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I don't really have the proper equipment or space for air brushing, so I was wondering if anyone has done a full re-stenciling by hand.

I'm not talking touch ups, but a full on repainting. Obviously it can be done, but is it a task that's going to drive me insane from the tedium or is it not as bad as I'm imagining?

The games I had in mind were Pac-man or Ms. Pac.
 
I have to wonder if that would work very well. I'd assume the paint would pile too high and rip off bits and pieces removing the stencil unless removed very carefully while wet.

EDIT: Oh and my only stenciling experience was a Stargate, which matches commercially available bulk spraypaint. You could probably do a Pac-Man with bulk spraypaint as well, but not sure about the sorta pastel colors on Ms. Pac.
 
Never thought about using actual spray cans. Did you roll on the first coat or spray that too?
 
I think that it would take WAY more time, look uneven, and just not look the same. If using a compressor and spray gun is out of the question, I would do this-

Get oil-based paint, custom mixed to match the base coat. After your filling, sanding, primer work, get the primered surface smooth as possible. Use a fine foam roller to put the base coat on. Spraying would be more even, smoother, and easier, but this would work. Use oil-based (RustOleum most likely) rattle cans for the stencil colors.
 
Here's my recent MultiWilliams (recent like this past weekend!). Rolled on oil-based Rustoleum and rattle cans for the colors:

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I rolled on the first coat. Compressor-sprayed can't be beat for the first or tertiary coatings, but if you have a large surface to cover the roll-on will come out smoother than the spraypaint 9 times out of 10.

Just remember to sand properly between coats with the primer and roll on so you don't end up with a surface that is too bumpy. And when done stenciling you pretty much must go over the whole thing carefully with 400 and/or 600 grit, then coat with a water based polyurethane (probably 2 coats with a rougher sanding between, like 220). Stencils without some kind of clear coating is usually a big fail.

It may not end up exactly perfect, but it will be far nicer than what you start with.

I can't find any GOOD images of the Stargate (long gone), but found a partial:

SL380237_resized.JPG
 
I hand painted an entire Joust cabinet that had faded paint and some peeling. I painted over the old paint and did not use primer. It turned out pretty good. This was a few years ago and it still looks very good, with no flaking. I rolled on most of the brown and then used brushes for the rest. Using quality brushes is a must. I probably would not do it again, as it took significantly more time than stenciling. But I saved on the stencil cost.
 
I'm a little unclear as to what you want. Are you wanting to do without the stencil as well or just the spray part of the job.

I know there is a company that makes a sprayer that you put your own paint in, and then attach a disposable propellant cartridge. Doesn't look like it would hold much though.

Also Harbor Freight has a turbine HVLP sprayer for like $120 that gets pretty good ratings. It's a turbine sprayer, so no need for a compressor.
 
I hand painted an entire Joust cabinet that had faded paint and some peeling. I painted over the old paint and did not use primer. It turned out pretty good. This was a few years ago and it still looks very good, with no flaking. I rolled on most of the brown and then used brushes for the rest. Using quality brushes is a must. I probably would not do it again, as it took significantly more time than stenciling. But I saved on the stencil cost.

I'm trying to figure out how this is done, because I'd like to do it with a couple of Ms. Pac-man cabinets I have.

How would one accurately apply the base(background) color without painting over the other colors which one would be need as a template to go over afterwards?

I'm assuming only the background that is supposed to be visible is re-painted and that a fine brush would have to be used at all the areas where two different colors meet.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.
 
I just checked the website for the place I go and they only have two locations, and they are both local to me. I would have thought all Automotive Paint Stores did this, CRAZY!
 
If you are trying to get custom spray paint cans filled, check your local independent paint stores (NOT Lowes, HD or Menards.) Call around to these stores first to see if they have the ability to fill custom paints.

There is a brand of empty aerosol cans by "Seymour of Sycamore" that can be filled with whatever paint you bring to the paint store. There is a can for "Oil Base" products and a can for "Latex Base" products.

You can also thin your own oil base product and use one of these "Preval Sprayers" (~$5-$7) at your local paint store:
 

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Re: filling rattle cans

NAPA has a paint division that can usually fill rattle cans, if not check your yellow pages for auto body supply stores (not all will fill cans though). You may even get lucky with a car dealership in your area as well. That being said, someone at one of these places may be able to point you in the right direction of who would be able to help.
 
I'm trying to figure out how this is done, because I'd like to do it with a couple of Ms. Pac-man cabinets I have.

How would one accurately apply the base(background) color without painting over the other colors which one would be need as a template to go over afterwards?

I'm assuming only the background that is supposed to be visible is re-painted and that a fine brush would have to be used at all the areas where two different colors meet.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

Yes, I rolled the brown as close as I could to the other art then used a high quality brush for the rest. It's not easy but if you take your time and do it in stages it will look better than people might think. If you use quality paint and quality brushes and take your time it will come out decently.
 
I'm trying to figure out how this is done, because I'd like to do it with a couple of Ms. Pac-man cabinets I have.

How would one accurately apply the base(background) color without painting over the other colors which one would be need as a template to go over afterwards?



Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

Short answer, there is no way. Even if you use a roller or brush through the whole process the only way to get it right is to sand it own and use stencils.
 
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