# Plastic chain painting help!



## IMU

It's Monday so I'm sure my computer skills are still asleep (tried searching but came up empty) but here is my problem.

How the heck do you paint plastic chain and have it STAY on the plastic without rubbing/scratching off?

I've tried:

Spray paint for plastic (supposed to work without prep)
Paint thinner to "remove the shine" before painting
All kinds of "other" spray paint
Drylok then Acrylic paints

I haven't tried sanding it since its so hard to get every surface. Thinking about putting it in a small container with some actual sand and shaking it to simulate sanding it???

NOTHING sticks to the plastic chain! Anybody have a method to apply paint to plastic chain and it actually STICKS????

I'm all out of ideas!!!!!!!!!!


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## bobzilla

http://hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=17989


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## RoxyBlue

Bone Dancer's thread doesn't have any mention of whether the paint stays on the chain without flaking. IMU, you might try dropping BD a note asking how well the paint he used is holding up.

DarkLore had a thread about painting plastic chain here:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=22235


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## IMU

I've tried Bone Dancer's method without any luck. I've even sprayed a top coat over the paint and it still chips/flakes off.

So far nothing I've tried has worked without having to "touch-up" even after 1 days use. I really am at a loss as to how I'm going to keep any kind of paint on plastic chain. 

I'm going to try the sand/bucket sanding method to roughen up the surface and try painting again.


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## daBOOhouse

One thing I do is use black chain as a starting point. That way, the chips aren't so noticable.


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## Bone Dancer

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=23663

Check this thread out. Someone was using spray adhesive on PVC as a primer.

I got my chain from "Mr Chain" and it was a dull gold color. After dipping it in flat black enamel and then doing a lite spray of tan and primer red any chips really didnt show that much. I can see starting with white chain would be more of a problem. 
As long as the chain isnt moving around much it should be ok. Retouching after storage may be needed. I don't think there would be anyway of painting that would not chip at all.

http://www.mrchain.com/-close-outs-0

here is the link, not sure if the close out chain is still available


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## IMU

I tried soaking some of the chain in paint thinner, dried it off then placed it in a container of sand to 'roughen up the surface'. I used the spray adhesive as a primer & glue to keep the sand on it. After about an hour, sprayed it with regular flat black spraypaint. After that dried, I sprayed with the adhesive again and added a second coat of spraypaint.

I'll let you know how it turned out later today ... giving it 24 hours to dry. BTW, my chain was bright yellow so ALL the chips show nicely!


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## FMX1

I've had the same type of problem as IMU. I have about 50' of yellow plastic chain. I got it for free so I was not about to complain, but yellow doesn't go so well with dark and gloomy motif. So, I thought a good spray of black paint for plastics would solve the problem. I even used a plastic primer first. The initial paint job held up well since it was being used for a static prop, but it seems that after the season is over and all gets put away the flaking of paint occurs. The chain I am using is not a plastic like PVC or styrene its more like polybutylene or polyethylene, that it maters or not. I've just come to the conclusion that I will have to do touch-ups on the chain to keep it respectable.


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## DarkLore

If you can figure out how to line pots and pans with the stuff without melting, let us know. That plastic chain coating could give Teflon a run for it's money. I'm a little surprised spray adhesive stuck to the chain. lol


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## IMU

OK ... checked it out last night and things are better but not perfect. The paint thinner did nothing to dull the "shine" on the plastic. I soaked some for a few hours, some for 24 hours ... no difference.

I put the 'cleaned' chain in a plastic coffee can with some sand. I then shook the container for several minutes hoping it would roughen up the surface of the chain. It did very little but it also began to stick to the chain. I took it out of the container leaving some of the sand on for texture.

I used a spray adhesive (brand name escapes me for now) to coat the chain and help keep the sand on for texture. After about an hour, I used a flat black spray paint and gave it a light coating of color.

I repeated the glue/paint a total of 3 times (making sure I moved the chain a little to get every section coated.

The paint held up a lot better, but won't take heavy abuse/use without needing some touch-ups. I guess the only thing that would help "hide" the chips is to use a dark colored plastic chain and make sure the use is for a static project.


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## billman

I wonder if you coat it with liquid nails first. Then paint it. It should give you a beat up look as well.


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