Painting cameras

[Bobbo]

Well, I have a list of project cameras to work on for the next month until I go back to school. Four SLRs (two for selling), and three rangefinders (one for me, one for my sister, and one for a "special project"). The last one is a Yashica 35w (basically a J) I got here from Clevername. I have stripped it down, fixed it's meager issues, and now it's ready for something special. I'm sending another Yashica to our buddy at cameraleather.com for a custom fitting of red ring-marked lizard skin, and since this body has the same design, I'll probalby get something special for it. I'm also going to repaint it.

Here are my questions:

a) I'm thinking I'm going to strip it with Muric Acid, is that a good choice, or should I go whole-hog and sandblast it to get the old chrome off?
b) I'm going to paint it Olive Green with silver trim because I think it would be pretty. What kind of paints should I use? I have votes for Krylon or Rust-Oleum spraypaint and automotive paint. Any other suggestions? How should I apply it?
c) right now my guide is THIS SITE... good info (I think), but anyone have any other ideas?


Thanks a bunch, and yes, I will post lots of pretty pics of my soon-to-be pretty cameras when I'm done🙂...might be a smartass and make a matching SLR...😀

 

[flipflop]

My Dad does some metal work I'll see what he thinks...
Sounds like a cool project...You have a sandblaster availible to use? Do you have an entire workshop?
*Flip

 

[Gordon Coale]

G-man -- I had another project where I used Rust-Oleum and primer and was not happy with how soft it was. So, without the primer it's a lot harder or some harder?

 

[Bobbo]

Thanks again, G'man...you are a vital asset to these forums🙂.

My Dad does some metal work I'll see what he thinks...
Sounds like a cool project...You have a sandblaster availible to use? Do you have an entire workshop?
*Flip

Umm...yeah, I do have a whole workshop...Not a buisness, just me and my dad messing around with stuff. He worked as a professional cabinetmaker for 30 years, and now we work on microscopes (he went to Cornell and RIT for Microbiology) and cameras. We built an 8-inch telescope and a observatory for it this summer for example. Good times, good times.

I would appreciate any insight your father might have. Thank you for offering.

Have a nice night, y'all.
Bob Clark

 

[Pico]

greyhoundman's advice is spot-on. Surface prep is critical! Do not sand or media blast a camera body. Ever.

I will add that you need not rough up the chrome finish if you use an etching primer. Go to a professional auto place that sells cans of the primer. It's in a tall aerosol can, goes on in a very fine light-green layer and you need only enough to cover the surface. Very nice stuff. I've used it on many projects. (Iif I find an empty can here, I post the exact product number.)


For paint, you are rather limited. Very few aerosol paints are tough enough to stand up to much use. Two that are 1) professional 'wrinke' paint. It's ugly, but interesting. 2) Ace (or other brands) hammerlite. Three colors. It is, unfortunately quite thick, more appropriate to large surfaces, and can interfere with controls over it, such as shutter speed dial.

None of the Rustoleum paints are durable (IMHO), even when baked on.

I look forward to any tips regarding paint from others.

 

[Kyle]

What about an automotive paint applied with a cheap spray gun from Harbor Freight (if you don't have one already)? Seems it'd be tougher than any aerosol paint.

 

[Poptart]

I like the Krylon military flats if you're going for olive drab. They make sand and black too. Nice paints with good adhesion albeit stinky.

 

[w3rk5]

When I painted my Zorki 6, I sanded the surface and used etching primer from a can. I used Krylon Camo Paint (olive drab) as my finishing colour. I'll be doing this to my FED 2 in the spring.

Etching primer leaves a rough finish. I like to leave the rough finish on the camera body and smooth on the top and bottom plate. Here's a pic of the Zorki.

 

[Stu W]

I've repainted a couple of cameras, and I use VHT engine enamel, bake the pieces in an oven at a pretty low temp, maybe 160 for a couple of hours. Right out of the oven and dumped into cold water. The paint comes out hard as a rock. I don't know why the water bath works, but it does.

 

[Poptart]

When I painted my Zorki 6, I sanded the surface and used etching primer from a can. I used Krylon Camo Paint (olive drab) as my finishing colour. I'll be doing this to my FED 2 in the spring.

Etching primer leaves a rough finish. I like to leave the rough finish on the camera body and smooth on the top and bottom plate. Here's a pic of the Zorki.

That's the stuff! Looks sweet. So to get the smooth finish does one omit the etching primer or sand again after the color?

 

[CZeni]

When I painted my Zorki 6, I sanded the surface and used etching primer from a can. I used Krylon Camo Paint (olive drab) as my finishing colour. I'll be doing this to my FED 2 in the spring.

Etching primer leaves a rough finish. I like to leave the rough finish on the camera body and smooth on the top and bottom plate. Here's a pic of the Zorki.

That's darned impressive - super nice job.

When I did my M3, I send the top and bottom plates to a company in Colorado and had them chemically strip them down to brass - cost me about $45. Paint was then done with hammertone paints from Hammerite bought from Eastwood (car products company). I would not use this paint again as it can not be baked. A couple of pix:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/Project-Pimp-My-M/M3_E_barebrass
http://gallery.leica-users.org/Project-Pimp-My-M/M3_J_pimped

Lots of work, but I'm pleased with the results...

 

[anselwannab]

I've never used any of these but some of these might be worth a shot.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/catsearch.aspx?c=754&p=3948


My buddy was telling me about another finish that is supposeddly awsome also, I'll check.

 

[Pico]

The etching primer I have in mind does not leave a rough finish. It is very thin. What is does leave is the surface below it. You can't sand it, and it doesn't fill in mistakes in the original surface. Very good stuff unless you have screwed up the surface with sanding mistakes.

One last thought - Powder Paint. I use it for small exterior parts on custom vehicles and bicycles. It's almost invulnerable. There are plenty of shops that do it on a custom basis.

Powder paint - look into it.

(It is very cool that so many others are looking at olive-drab. I was so alone for so long in that color.)

😛

 

[DHu]

When I painted my Zorki 6, I sanded the surface and used etching primer from a can. I used Krylon Camo Paint (olive drab) as my finishing colour. I'll be doing this to my FED 2 in the spring.

Etching primer leaves a rough finish. I like to leave the rough finish on the camera body and smooth on the top and bottom plate. Here's a pic of the Zorki.

This is a sweet looking paint job!

 

[w3rk5]

So to get the smooth finish does one omit the etching primer or sand again after the color?

Thanks for the compliments guys. To get the smooth finish, sand the etching primer after it's dry using 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper. If you sand though the etching primer, respray the area. Finish it off with 1000 grit and apply the colour. I noticed something cool when I was spraying the colour. The etching primer seems to be soaking up the paint. Kinda like a sponge.

When I repaint my FED I'll do a little write up with pic's. I'm thinking either olive drab or khaki. 😀

I know there's tons of ways to paint your camera but this was the most practical way for me. 🙂

 

[Bobbo]

Okay, after searching my cupboards, I have two cans of spraypaint... Krylon OD Green Ultra-matte, and a can of Krylon gloss black epoxy enamel. I have another camera coming...should I try to get some etching primer (make and model specific please, since I have no idea what to look for), or should I just sand the chrome off, wash it, clean it with a tack cloth, and then just paint it? Should I try to bake them on, and if so, for what time and temp?

Thank you all for your imput. I'll experiment with some of the other ideas above when I get some more money in my pocket🙂

Thanks again,
Bob Clark

 

[w3rk5]

Okay, after searching my cupboards, I have two cans of spraypaint... Krylon OD Green Ultra-matte, and a can of Krylon gloss black epoxy enamel. I have another camera coming...should I try to get some etching primer (make and model specific please, since I have no idea what to look for), or should I just sand the chrome off, wash it, clean it with a tack cloth, and then just paint it? Should I try to bake them on, and if so, for what time and temp?

Thank you all for your imput. I'll experiment with some of the other ideas above when I get some more money in my pocket🙂

Thanks again,
Bob Clark

I would get the etching primer. I think it's a key to have a durable finish. You should be able to buy it at any auto part store. I bought mine from NAPA. I started off by sanding. Be careful...the top and bottom plates bend easily. You won't be able to hand sand all the chorme off. Actually you could, but it'll take you forever. I never bake anything I've painted with spray cans. Unless the manufacturer recommends it, I wouldn't do it. 😉