Painting the Body Question

[Beowulf]

I see many great colors of SCX10s. This relates to RTR models. When most of you are chaning the colors are you just painting the outside of the supplied shell? Do you buy new shells? Something else?

[BigGame4x4]

I'd bet most are fresh shells. You can't strip paint off lexan without ruining it. And if you paint the outside loses that deep shine/gloss that painting the inside of a clear body provides. But, that may work for you. If you were trying to have a more used look or want the color to be flat like a military vehicle you could paint the outside of an existing shell. Camo would look silly with a high gloss. FYI, if you want a flat look, paint from the inside like normal and spray some or all of the outside with clear flat. Most bodies have clear overspray film which you can cut and peal like paint mask.

BONUS, if you go with a fresh shell, you can choose any body you want, provided it will fit an SCX10! Build yourself pickup, or turn a Honcho into a Jeep, whatever suits you. Watch out, 1/10th scale isn't always exact. If you're not buying an Axial body check the wheelbase of your kit with that of the body.

Are you experienced at painting RC bodies? It's not to hard. The most important tools are patience and PS Polycarbonate safe paint. If you decide to paint, consider using liquid paint mask. It seems like more work, but it's so worth it. You can make some really co0l designed, and easily paint little stuff like door handles, lights, and other body details. Thins like that look so much better painted versus using stickers.

[BigGame4x4]

Correction, you can use non PS paint IF you first back the area completely in at least one coat of PS paint first.

Example:
1. Paint the interior with Bright Silver
2. Back that with Black... this makes the underside look better
3. Paint the exterior with PS Bright Silver
4. Paint over that with non-PS

Why the interior layers? Well you want the black so when you are looking between the wheels and the body, you don't see the exterior color.
Having the inner coat of silver makes scratches in the exterior layers loo real because it looks like exposed metal.

[98sporttj]

Agreed with that even on my hard body it has a silver base coat so when i scratch threw my outter color the silver shows threw


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[Kesuai]

Originally Posted by BigGame4x4

Correction, you can use non PS paint IF you first back the area completely in at least one coat of PS paint first.

Example:
1. Paint the interior with Bright Silver
2. Back that with Black... this makes the underside look better
3. Paint the exterior with PS Bright Silver
4. Paint over that with non-PS

Why the interior layers? Well you want the black so when you are looking between the wheels and the body, you don't see the exterior color.
Having the inner coat of silver makes scratches in the exterior layers loo real because it looks like exposed metal.

This is what I did with my fiances rubicon. Flat black on the outside looks GREAT with silver scratches.

[2-shot]

You can also use DOT 4 brake fluid to strip Lexan paint from inside a body. It takes a little time to get all the paint stripped off, but it works! After all the paint is off, wash the body thoroughly and paint it again!!!
There are a couple videos on YouTube that shows you how to strip Lexan paint off RC bodies with DOT 4 brake fluid.


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[pottymouth]

Lexan paint or Krylon Fusion will work on the outside, but it WILL scrape off and it will never look as glossy as painting the inside. Brake fluid USUALLY works to remove paint on the inside, but it's godawful mess. It might be worth a couple hours of work if you want to reuse a body no longer made, but otherwise I think it's a waste of time.

You can buy a new body for $20-40, so you do the math. Personally, I bill time pretty high

[2-shot]

Originally Posted by pottymouth

Lexan paint or Krylon Fusion will work on the outside, but it WILL scrape off and it will never look as glossy as painting the inside. Brake fluid USUALLY works to remove paint on the inside, but it's godawful mess. It might be worth a couple hours of work if you want to reuse a body no longer made, but otherwise I think it's a waste of time.

You can buy a new body for $20-40, so you do the math. Personally, I bill time pretty high

I agree. Just saying, if someone wanted to take the time to use brake fluid to strip the paint, it will work.

Personally, I would just buy a new body...


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[javi]

I tried all of kinds of different things to get the original paint off my slash but turns out that it is not paint more of a print thing that they do at the factory.

[MattyJ603]

I have used DOT4 on my SCT bodies and it works really well if you are patient and have the time, with my Rubicon, I just took everything off it and painted the top, couldn't be happier! The more it scratches the better it looks.