The "I'm painting a Captain America Shield" thread

[Kevin Gossett]

Still working on finishing the brackets, but I have the screws on top. I attached the receiver of the screw post on the underside of the brackets so I could attach them to the shield and clear it before attaching the leather.

(Not Valor's brackets, BTW)

 

[DarthCalibar]

Has anyone had issues with the paint sticking? I'm working on a small shield replica that's 7.5 inches across and I can't get the dulpicolor paints to stick. I'm using a spun aluminum disc, so obviously I don't want to sand it or anything because I'd ruin the spun texture. I painted it with the blue and got it looking really good by wetsanding between coats and everything. When I went to peel off my masking it peeled the paint off with it!

 

[Kerr Avon]

How long did you wait before putting tape down? I waited over a week. Also, I used the Frog Tape which left no residue and didn't take anything off.

 

[DarthCalibar]

Do you mean how long did I wait before pulling the tape off? There was no paint on the shield before this. I waited a full day for the paint to cure before peeling the masking tape off. I'm using vinyl masking material. It sticks really good and doesn't leave a residue.

 

[Kerr Avon]

Is blue the first color you were putting on it? Did you clean the shield with acetone first to make sure there was no grease or stuff on it?

 

[DarthCalibar]

Yes, blue is the first color I'm painting. I figure that would be the easiest way. I'm open to suggestions though as far as how to mask and in which order to paint the different colors. I haven't used acetone to clean the surface, but I have washed it good with warm water and soap before painting. I'll have to try acetone, there could be some sort of residual preventing the paint from sticking...

 

[Kerr Avon]

Yeah, use a solvent like acetone or mineral spirits or something. Soap and water won't remove the grease on the metal that well.

 

[DarthCalibar]

I went ahead and cleaned it up with some acetone, remasked and tried some of the testors paint instead of the dulpicolor and the results are 1,000 times better. I strongly recommend the testors over the dulpicolor. I could not get the dulpicolor to work AT ALL.

 

[Kerr Avon]

Yeah, the Duplicolor is a ***** to use.

 

[kdflash]

has anybody have problems with the clear coat being foggy in some spots. I just cant get that high gloss shine on the whole shield. I'm using testors clear coat.

 

[Kerr Avon]

has anybody have problems with the clear coat being foggy in some spots. I just cant get that high gloss shine on the whole shield. I'm using testors clear coat.

Are you talking about at being at the tail end of spraying? You want to stop spraying when pointed away from the shield.

 

[kdflash]

Okay that makes sense don't know why i didn't catch myself doing that.
gonna try it again
Thanks

 

[Dozer3677]

Alright, it has been a few weeks since I updated. And in all honesty, I don't have many updates.

As I stated before, I went to set up shop and got bite by a spider. It is only a spider, no big deal, right?

That was my arm 36 hours after I was bitten. It looks much better now. I was put on medicine that I have/had to take for 3 weeks straight, 3 times a day. My arm now looks like this.

BUT, Back to the shield. I cleaned it w/acetone & rubbing compound for the more ingrained oils and such. Also sanded down that ding on the end of the shield. Laid down the tape and painted.

There is the ding that is now completely gone. Sanded it out w/some rough grain sandpaper. 100grit I believe.

This is all cleaned up and tape up. Frog tape as usually was great. No peeling away the paint at all. Only a little residue in a spot of two, but that was easily cleaned off w/some more acetone. Now we are ready for paint. FINALLY.

Holy hell, that Duplicolor looks SUPERB!!! But wait.... it is all spotty on that side......

And over there, those specks look HUGE!! Crap, I used too much paint in some areas.

So in my other makeshift paint shop, it was fairly poorly lighted. So when I thought I was painting w/the curvature of the shield, I was actually painting a little more straight on in the middle of the shield. So it spotted up a lot in some areas. I could not really fix this, so I stripped the shield down and will paint again. I think I really now have the Duplicolor technique down, because 8/10ths of the shield is ABSOLUTELY Beautiful. But I was not satisfied. I wanted as close to perfection as I can do.

So the shield is now completely stripped clean. Back to silver. The above pic is just the last picture I took of it. It was a REAL PITA to get the red out of the grooves. I am still not 100% sure about how to paint the grooves without doing the greatest masking job in history.

But that is where I am at right now. Back to the beginning. But I have EXTREMELY HIGH HOPES for painting, Round 2. I am almost certain I have it down.

 

[WicKeDM6]

Hey guys

I just painted my shield, I'm really happy with the overall result.... Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for hints and tips about making this shield happen

Looks good amongst my stuff

Just needs a star from valor and then my brackets can be attached..... Hope valor still does stars!?!?

I have a quick question...... I would like to spray a clear concealer/protective paint over the top...... It won't make the duplicolor metal cast paint run will it? Should I conceal before attaching the star or after?

 

[Valor]

Shoot me a PM ...

 

[Kerr Avon]

Nice job! I'm pretty sure Valor is still doing the stars, check the JY for one. I'm waiting for a friend to get a clear weekend in his shop to put an automotive clearcoat on it. I've found the rattlecans too problematic. They leave too rough a surface on the edges of spraying.

 

[WicKeDM6]

Nice job! I'm pretty sure Valor is still doing the stars, check the JY for one. I'm waiting for a friend to get a clear weekend in his shop to put an automotive clearcoat on it. I've found the rattlecans too problematic. They leave too rough a surface on the edges of spraying.

Thanks for the tip man, I have a friend who resprays cars to, might have to give him a call...... It's almost been a week since painting the shield, so I should clear coat it soon

Valor, I get payed in a few days time, my shield needed to be scaled down to 23 inches so it could be sent to Australia....... I will shoot you a pm with measurements, I'm hoping a smaller centre area wont affect me getting a star

 

[Kevin Gossett]

Valor, I get payed in a few days time, my shield needed to be scaled down to 23 inches so it could be sent to Australia....... I will shoot you a pm with measurements, I'm hoping a smaller centre area wont affect me getting a star

Nah, Steve can do whatever size you need :thumbsup

 

[WicKeDM6]

Sweet! Now let's just hope curving isn't a *****

Thanks guys

 

[Kerr Avon]

The star is actually pretty easy. Just bend it a little at a time and GENTLY so you don't put a kink in it. And bend it so it's bent beyond the curvature of the shield so it doesn't have tips that stick up.