Humidity Question

[Jimmer]

I live in Tennessee and summer here is a very difficult season for spray painting (rattle cans).
As a general rule I avoid spray paints for the entire season because of the extremely high humidity.

A week ago we had a relatively cool night and I got brave (actually got stupid) and painted a small
wooden plaque with Testors metallic chrome and needles to say the results were less than stellar.
The plaque was so small I thought I could quickly pull it off but the can began sputtering almost
immediately (and I did follow every correct painting rule).

I was curious if painting inside the house, where temperature is regulated, would yield better results.
I would of course be wary of fumes, I just wasn't sure if humidity would still be a factor.

By the way, I have a couple of metal batarang and painted an oval plaque chrome and then mounted
a rare earth magnet in the center. This holds one of the black batarangs very securely in place but it is
easily removable. The magnet is strong enough that I was able to put a piece of scotch tape over it (to
avoid scratching the finish on the batarang) but it still holds the batarang firmly in place.

Obviously I am going to repaint, and putty in the recessed areas around top edge. I was hoping they would
give it a "battered" look, but I think it would look better if I putty and smooth it out.

** I know this isn't a model, but models are 99% of what I paint and I reasoned that this question was pertinent
to model painting. If thread needs to be moved please alert me and I will do so.

Thanks

 

[Riceball]

If you do try painting inside the house, I'd make some sort of pain booth to suck up all of the paint fumes and I'd wear a mask for an extra level of protection.

 

[DiggsBarklightr]

Yes, inside would give you better results, but as you know the fumes are going to be the issue. As Riceball mentioned, the mask is highly recommended. A little trick to get better painting out of the rattle can is placing your can directly in warm/hot water for about 5 minutes before you use it. Not airbrush quality, but better than if it were a cold can and cuts down on the orange peel texture.

 

[Analyzer]

I see your problem... Testors rattle can paint

Actually in all seriousness, I always seem to have issues with Testors spray cans. They either stay tacky for weeks, if not months, or they clog up. It could be the age of the paint can as well as those paints seemed to sit on store shelves a looong time as the ones I got where from AC Moore

I know others have probably had good luck with them, but I avoid them

I've seen sputtering happen sometimes with old paint, or when you get to the end of a can (maybe about 1/4 or less full)

I have used rattle cans during the summer, outside, in hot and humid weather and rarely have issues. I typically use Army Painter primers or GW primers as well as Tamiya spray cans.

if you want a Chrome finish that looks quite nice, I might suggest Spaz Stik chrome. paint. I've sprayed it in all kinds of weather without issues and if you use it over a nicely primed black paint it has a nice shiny metal look. It also dries to the touch super quick, like within 30 seconds or so

 

[star-art]

It's much easier to paint indoors using an airbrush. Painting inside using a rattle can will make a mess even with some sort of booth to duct fumes outside. You can smell up the entire house with harmful fumes. The spray volume coming out of the can is just too much and it will easily overwhelm all but the most powerful vent fans.

Get yourself a spray booth, duct it to a window you can open as needed, and use an airbrush. The amount of spray coming out of the airbrush is less than with a spray can and you can more easily get rid of the paint mist overspray and the fumes. You should be able to paint indoors anytime of year this way.

 

[Chrgr440RT]

I live in Miami and if I waited for a non humid, non scorching hot day or night I'd never paint. I actually leave my rattle cans in the garage so they can stay warm and not have to put them in warm water like I did when I lived in Utah. I'll prep everything in my office and then paint quickly with the rattle cans in the garage and then right back into the office. it tends to work out pretty good as I haven't had any truly atrocious finishes and since its mostly clear coats.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

It's much easier to paint indoors using an airbrush. Painting inside using a rattle can will make a mess even with some sort of booth to duct fumes outside. You can smell up the entire house with harmful fumes. The spray volume coming out of the can is just too much and it will easily overwhelm all but the most powerful vent fans.

Get yourself a spray booth, duct it to a window you can open as needed, and use an airbrush. The amount of spray coming out of the airbrush is less than with a spray can and you can more easily get rid of the paint mist overspray and the fumes. You should be able to paint indoors anytime of year this way.

Exactly. I've got the 15x30 Artograph spray booth and a Dullcote rattlecan will overwhelm it. The propellant, I guess, causes too much spray in the air or something. With an airbrush you don't have that big of a problem.

 

[Jimmer]

Thanks for all the info, guys.
Sorry for slow response, been a busy weekend.

If you do try painting inside the house, I'd make some sort of pain booth to suck up all of the paint fumes and I'd wear a mask for an extra level of protection.

Paint booth is a definite - I already have one for my garage. Garage is unattached to house and not air conditioned which is why I was curious about indoors.
But I agree completely about fumes. If I do paint inside it will be very small jobs with a mask, windows open with a fan right after.

I see your problem... Testors rattle can paint

Lol...it's funny you say that...this was an old Testors can, about half full that I have had over a year (from when I first got into model building). Probably part of the problem.
As I kept building kits I've found better metallics but this was a quickie side project and figured I'd use the Testors for it.

I live in Miami and if I waited for a non humid, non scorching hot day or night I'd never paint. I actually leave my rattle cans in the garage so they can stay warm and not have to put them in warm water like I did when I lived in Utah. I'll prep everything in my office and then paint quickly with the rattle cans in the garage and then right back into the office. it tends to work out pretty good as I haven't had any truly atrocious finishes and since its mostly clear coats.

I fell ya about the humidity...it gets crazy here. I heat my cans in warm water before use and actually once considered keeping my rattle cans in my garage but it gets so hot here I didn't know if it would damage the paint.

Thanks again everybody.
I am going to try a small job indoors using all tips recommended (most of which I already do..I have a booth and mask) and I have a fan with side extenders that is designed to be placed in a window that I can use to help blow out fumes as soon as finished.

I live alone so after painting I can turn on fan and do something outside for a bit while the air clears.

Thanks again

 

[Carnet]

On the rare occasion that I use rattle cans, I always get the best results if I boil some water and plop the cans in it for about 30sec to a min before spraying...it significantly increases the performance of the propellant.

 

[TazMan2000]

Its true, the air can't be too humid to paint, but it can't be too hot and dry either. I once painted something under a natural gas radiant heater and the paint dried before it hit the object creating a very bad orange peel effect. Static is a big problem. 85% or lower seems to be the default value when spay painting.

TazMan2000

 

[newmagrathea]

Did you use a primer first? Also are you looking for a really smooth shiny silver finish? I would find a sand-able primer and coat it with that first, wet sand it with some very fine sandpaper, clean it, then spray with a high gloss black paint. Then paint the silver over the top once you have your smooth finish.

Also putting the cans in hot water before spraying will help with the pressure and smoothness of the paint.

I live in MO, it's gets very hot and humid here too.

 

[Jimmer]

Thanks for response, everyone.

The plaque in pic I posted was a rush job.
I wanted a base for a metal batarang.
I did apply a layer of grey sandable primer, but I didn't go for ultra smooth.
I was using remaining paint in a Testors metallic can and was hoping imperfections would come off as "wear" in the metal.

It's funny you mentioned black under metallic silver though.
I built a Bandai R2 and loved it, so I got a second kit to do an upgrade.
I already filled seam in the dome and had planned on using black under a silver buffing metalizer...then read that the buffing metalizers should be applied to bare plastic.
Also that they should be sealed with a metalizer sealant.
Since I have never used a metalizer my R2 is currently on hold til I decide what to use.

I have basically decided to go with airbrush.
I ordered one a few months ago, and a part was defective on delivery.
Took me a week to figure that out, finally found someone locally who airbrushes.
They tried it and diagnosed problem.
I ordered through Amazon Prime and returned it, without reordering.

But tonight in my part of TN, it is 69 degrees and humidity is still at 90...aggravating.

By the way, I do place rattlecans in warm water, shake often, etc.