Batgirl Resin Fins and Boots.. anyone?

Hmm....I've never worked with urethane rubber before. How dense or flexible is it? I'd say get a few paints and test on the inside of the pieces or any scraps you may have. Maybe some type of epoxy based paint??
 
Yikes....someone with more experience might need to help on this :/ I mean it comes down to finding a paint that won't crack from flexing. I still think acrylics might be your best bet but still test before of course.
 
Urethane? You might be out of luck. Paint delivery systems for flexible urethanes are still in their infancy, much like silicone paints about 7 years back. This should be an issue to bring up with the person who supplied the parts.
 
Hey Mystique, a real pity with the yellow :rolleyes And the belt pieces look a bit large?

I think I found a solution.. need to go visit my Smooth-On supplier her ein Orlabdo

I hope that´s just a typo and not you having caught a cold...


So latex and urethane rubber don´t mix? I though that a lot of the LARP folks use urethane rubber weapons and paint them with latex paints?

And I am still trying to figure out how that toad fits into the whole project...
 
Unless you have an airbrush, getting even, smooth coats of a bright color like yellow onto the pieces will be frustrating.
 
I'm pretty sure you can use the plast-a-dip on the urethane. i think that's what my husband did on his batman in that pic I posted for you. it's flexible so it doesn't crack when you move and it comes in an aerosol can so you can get an even coat. If you can fins it in yellow in an aerosol go to the craft store and get design masters spray paint. It's used for floral arrangements so it has a flex to it. good luck!!
 
Plastidip will not permanently adhere to urethane. Do you know what brand of urethane he used?
Autobody places may be able to help as many bumpers are made of urethane and they paint those. Usually with an adhesion promoter before the paint.
 
OK.. thanks to by buddy Carlos AKA: Rage and Tiffany.. I was able to paint the Urethane rubber successfully. The small piece in the center is what it use to look like.

I had to first clean it off with Denatured Alcohol.. then I used Krylon Fushion yellow paint from Wal Mart. The trick is to do VERY light coats.. then let it sit for 15 min before applying the next. I did 4 coats total.

I'm very happy to report that this now matches everything. All I need now are the yellow gloves. I'll pick those up today from a bridal store then add the fins to them :D

37649_407032036149_547611149_4959502_5056801_n.jpg
 
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Nice progress.

You're gonna rock this one when it's done!

Rage doing alright? ...haven't seen him post anywhere in quite awhile.
 
I'd be willing to bet most of it is latex rubber, you'd be able to tell by the smell. If latex isn't sealed then it will fade over time to give you different shades of color. Which means your vendor most likely thinks it's all the same shade because it looked that way when he cast them.

To avoid this in the future go with someone that makes things from silicone. It will be more money up front but more cost effective in the long run.

To fix this now I would try this on a small area first, but mix up latex w/ water based lacquer to the gloss sheen you like. 50% 50% mix.

Or you could also get latex paint in the color and sheen you want.

The big problem, if these props have been sitting around, most flexible paint won't stick to them in the long run, no matter what they're made from. This is due to dust getting in the pours of the materials and creating a barrier layer.

I hope this works out for you, the costume is looking wonderful!
 
I'd be willing to bet most of it is latex rubber, you'd be able to tell by the smell. If latex isn't sealed then it will fade over time to give you different shades of color. Which means your vendor most likely thinks it's all the same shade because it looked that way when he cast them.

To avoid this in the future go with someone that makes things from silicone. It will be more money up front but more cost effective in the long run.

To fix this now I would try this on a small area first, but mix up latex w/ water based lacquer to the gloss sheen you like. 50% 50% mix.

Or you could also get latex paint in the color and sheen you want.

The big problem, if these props have been sitting around, most flexible paint won't stick to them in the long run, no matter what they're made from. This is due to dust getting in the pours of the materials and creating a barrier layer.

I hope this works out for you, the costume is looking wonderful!

Thanks.. but it's made out of Urethane rubber.. not latex.
 
OK.. thanks to by buddy Carlos AKA: Rage and Tiffany.. I was able to paint the Urethane rubber successfully. The small piece in the center is what it use to look like.

I had to first clean it off with Denatured Alcohol.. then I used Krylon Fushion yellow paint from Wal Mart. The trick is to do VERY light coats.. then let it sit for 15 min before applying the next. I did 4 coats total.

I'm very happy to report that this now matches everything. All I need now are the yellow gloves. I'll pick those up today from a bridal store then add the fins to them :D

Great solution and a lot easier than tracking down the distributor here in Orlando.

Who knew Batgirl got her gloves from the bridal store? I find that pretty funny.

Looks like everything is coming together well, can't wait to see the finished product.
 
Well.. some bad news ad some great news..

The bad news is the paint started to fall off this morning.. UGH!! So I had top strip it off with thinner and clean off the pieces...

The great news is I picked up this paint called Break-Through paint... it's a flex waterbase paint. I applied 3 coats and it worked like a charm...

Here's a sneak peak.. still needs some work.. but it's getting there :)

35216_407462311149_547611149_4969143_4927131_n.jpg
 
Great color match.

Did you end up using Velcro on the boot tops ?

No velcro what so ever... what I did was take plastic board and melting it with the heat gun enough for it to adhere and conform to the top of the inner vinyl of the boots.. once it's heated.. you can also shape it.. and it's way better then using styrene or foamie.
 
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