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Hill Inner circle 1164 Posts |
I am currently constructing a mirror box and square/circle from MDF (kind of like chip-board, but made from much finer grains of wood an is a little more sturdy).
Could anyone tell me - does MDF need a primer coat or can I put gloss paint straight on to the naked surface? Thanks, guys. Any tips would help imensely! |
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts |
Yes, ALWAYS use primer on any kind of wood. And, with MDF, a good primer will also help provide a smoother surface. Also, MDF will be very porous and will absorb paint. A primer will reduce this.
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Magicusa Elite user 478 Posts |
Starrpower is right, it is best to put a primer coat on first to seal the wood.
Allow this to dry and, using light sandpaper, go over the entire prop, sanding until smooth. Then spray one more primer coat and allow to dry and sand again. If done properly, the surface should be smooth as glass and ready to take your decorative paint. Unless you go first class with an air compressor and automotive enamels, you may, like other DIYers, elect to go the spray can route. Make sure you select a good grade spray enamel in colors that suit your needs. Now, as far as the actual spraying goes, lightly mist the area to be sprayed. Do this four or five times to slowly build up the paint, allowing each layer to dry before spraying the next. It all goes back to you own patience and your willingness to let the paint dry as it should. Emmett |
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George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts |
For a real smooth finish on a surface like MDF, you can use a brush-on primer. It's thicker than a spray primer, so it'll level the surface better. Then, as Emmett said, sand lightly and repeat and take your time.
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
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Larry Barnowsky Inner circle Cooperstown, NY where bats are made from 4770 Posts |
It's very important to sand the primer coat as this raises the grain. Failure to do that will result in a rough finished coat.
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts |
Rather than use a brush, I have had great success with a roller. It's fast and leaves no brush streaks.
Depending on the thickness of the "nap" of the roller, you can leave a *very slight* texture which I find very pleasing. For one thing, it helps diffuse light so you don't get brilliant glare from theater lights or flash photography. It's not a coarse "orange peel", mind you, just a gentle texture. As for a "light mist", it really takes more than that. For the finish coat, you want the paint to flow in order to get a smooth surface. If you "mist" the final coat, you'll never get the perfect finish. |
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Ron Reid Inner circle Phoenix, Arizona 2733 Posts |
This is all excellent advice - very helpful to me. I want to add that Chance Wolf posted a series of articles here about finishing techniques. Do a search - I believe it was at least a year ago. The techniques he gave really helped me.
Ron |
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Bin is a great primer. Sold in most stores. Apply three coats sanding between coats. Then at least three final coats of the color you wish. Sanding with 600 wet/dry sandpaper.
Spray cans make the best job. Note: The first primer coat you will remove most of this coat do the the comments above, raised grain and leveling. What really creates shine is a flat/level surface. This is why you use so many coats. Have fun! |
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts |
Ooooh ... you guys are good! But, make sure you really WANT shine! As in my previous post, sometimes shine creates glare. Not nice. I like a satin finish, which looks just as smooth and professional but doesn't shine or glare.
Also, you can draw attention to certain parts of a prop by using flat vs. satin vs. gloss finishes. I'm currently building a Juke Box illusion. Rather than go with plastic (scratches too easily) or glass (breaks). I used wood to create the "glass tubes" with a high gloss painted finish. Then I used a satin varnish over natural stained wood for the cabinet itself. The effect really looks nice, even from just a few feet away, as the gloss "pops" from the satin background. |
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Hill Inner circle 1164 Posts |
This is really helping guys. I am priming and sanding at the moment. Just a quick question. When sanding the primers and subsequent paint coats, am I just roughing them up lightly or am I trying to get them glass smooth before the next coat?
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts |
Well, you need more than just "roughing it up", but you don't need, or necessarily WANT, the smoothest possible. Different paint manufacturers suggest different techniques that work well with their product. Many suggest sanding no smoother than 220 grit between coats. It's the FINAL coat that matters the most.
Your best bet is trial-and-error. Try it several ways on scrap wood and see what produces the best results. |
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
No, you are not just roughing it up; just sand it till there is no unsanded spots. That will mean wiping it now and then to see the surface. Depressions shine as spots.
If you are just painting another color for some effect, that only requires roughing up. Be sure to mask-off the area you do not want covered with the new color. 220 is okay for the primer coat, but when you use the color coats, start with 400 wet and dry and work up to 600 grit sandpaper. |
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Peter Loughran V.I.P. Ontario, Canada 2683 Posts |
As an Illusion Builder, the best advice I can give is use automotive paint, and whatever you do, is sand in between every coat! Sand, sand, and Sand!
Brand New: - SNAKE BITE ILLUSION
www.masterofillusions.ca Follow me on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/peter.loughran.9 Check out my new movie: www.plasterrockmovie.com www.globaluniversal.com Also visit: www.l2fireworks.com |
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Jeff Dial Special user Kent, WA 533 Posts |
If you are going to use spray cans use Krylon brand paint (USA). It really is a superior product right off the shelf.
"Think our brains must be too highly trained, Majikthise" HHGG
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magia355 Regular user Virginia, USA 172 Posts |
Paint is great, but better formica. It gives the prop that perfect touch, and there is no sanding requirement. I built my modern art illusion completely of formica, AND I TELL YOU, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. I performed it already on TV.
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Hill Inner circle 1164 Posts |
Quick verification - I have primed and sanded, primed and sanded, primed and sanded. Then I painted and sanded, and painted again. I am now looking at the perfect colour for my prop. Do I need to sand the painted surface before I varnish it, or do I simply varnish? I am worried that if I sand the existing (almost perfect) layer, that I will lose some of its colorful glimmer.
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ClintonMagus Inner circle Southwestern Southeast 3997 Posts |
Varnish will most likely change the color slightly, but this depends primarily on the color. Why do you have to varnish it? Why not use several more coats of color, and call it done?
Amos McCormick
Things are more like they are today than they've ever been before...
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MagicalPirate Special user Shamokin, PA 828 Posts |
I would use a clear polyurethane if you are trying to give it a protective coating.
Martin
Martin Blakley, CSH, DASH, CMSA
http://www.thehypnoguy.com/HYPNORESOURCES http://www.docgrayson.com/ How To Sell Anything Online http://tub.bz/?r=1z Copyright to my own words retained 100%. |
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Paul Arthur Regular user 196 Posts |
Minwax Polycrylic is an industry standard for sealing theatrical sets and props. It comes in several different finishes and you can find it at most retail sellers....
http://www.minwax.com/products/protective/polycrylic.cfm |
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hugmagic Inner circle 7665 Posts |
The Krylon is a good tip as you can always find the paint for touchups. Back in the days when everything was painted, the krylon matched many of the standard colors..blue, red, yellow and purple.
Richard E. Hughes, Hughes Magic Inc., 352 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH 44266 (330)296-4023
www.hughesmagic.com email-hugmagic@raex.com Write direct as I will be turning off my PM's. |
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