How to make your plastic parts look pretty?

[bingley]

At the end, I realized, I am a metal and wood man. I love the rich luster of a good finish on the wood furnishing of a gun, and shiny metal is pretty. However, I do have some "evil black guns." What can I do to the plastic parts to make them pretty?

Some people try different combinations of "military" colors, like OD green, desert tan, coyote brown, or different sorts of camo, but frequently that just looks like painted-over plastic. So let me appeal to the collective wisdom of INGO: how can we make plastic look less like plastic, and in the process beautify it?

 

[MikeDVB]

I heard they now make a Glock Bedazzler you may be interested in...

 

[bingley]

Yeah, yeah, make fun of me all you want. At the end of this I'll have some awesome-looking guns.

Check this out. It's a pretty good Cerakote job. There is the illusion of organicity. The pattern looks inspired by alligator leather.

 

[ddavidson]

Make fun of you?

Yeah, yeah, make fun of me all you want.

Aren't we all going for this?

There is the illusion of organicity.

 

[smokingman]

You could always go with real wood?http://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...sets/ar-15-m16-wood-stock-sets-prod38906.aspx

Then there are always duracoat or cerecoat finishes that can look like nearly anything.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Paint them.

 

[BogWalker]

You could always go with real wood?AR-15/M16 WOOD STOCK SETS | Brownells

Then there are always duracoat or cerecoat finishes that can look like nearly anything.

If I ever get an AR-15 it will have these.

 

[Hornett]

INGO: how can we make plastic look less like plastic, and in the process beautify it?

You can't.
It's plastic.
There is a silver/aluminum Cerakote colors but the plastic will never be as smooth as real metal and you will not get the shine.

I have metal and wood guns and I love them and I have plastic framed guns and I revel in their black, lightwieght, who cares if it gets scratched, utilitarian goodness

 

[jerryv]

FWIW .. there's some stuff called 303 Aerospace Protectant that's great on plastic or vinyl. I use it on my cars, but it works well on any kind of plastic .. provides a satiny sheen (not shiny like Armorall) and also provides UV protection. Makes the part look new again, but without looking obvious about it, if that makes any sense.

 

[LarryC]

I agree with you, but I just change or build using real wood. My AK has all Walnut furniture from Ironwood. My LR 308 has Walnut from Precision Firearms. They are a little heavier, and none adjustable, but I sure like the handling, feel, and looks of wood much better.

 

[bingley]

I might try painting first before going the wood route, because I've got things mounted on the gun. I've been googling for examples of cerakote jobs, and once in a while I see a design that looks good. These don't appear to be DIY -- at least I'm not good enough of an artist to do it myself. Do you know of some good "cerakote arists"?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Do you know of some good "cerakote arists"?

AR in the dishwasher, go to store and buy some HS bowflauge camo paint, pick leaves off tree, dry AR out and disassembly, spray on undercoat, stick some leaves over your AR, spray on overcoat, lube AR, reassembly and you are all done.

 

[MikeDVB]

Yeah, yeah, make fun of me all you want. At the end of this I'll have some awesome-looking guns.

Check this out. It's a pretty good Cerakote job. There is the illusion of organicity. The pattern looks inspired by alligator leather.

Y u no sense of humor?

 

[Slapstick]

You could always go with real wood?AR-15/M16 WOOD STOCK SETS | Brownells

Then there are always duracoat or cerecoat finishes that can look like nearly anything.

How dare you! It's no longer black and evil. Are you trying to confuse her Highness Ms. Fienstien? (not that it would take much effort)

 

[bingley]

Y u no sense of humor?

Haven't you figured out from my preferences for metal and rich walnut furnishing that... I'm ironic and wooden?

 

[CathyInBlue]

If the Mythbusters can literally polish a turd, couldn't you polish the plastic to look like shellacked wood?

 

[sharkey]

I heard they now make a Glock Bedazzler you may be interested in...

If it works for Hi-Points....

 

[bingley]

AR in the dishwasher, go to store and buy some HS bowflauge camo paint, pick leaves off tree, dry AR out and disassembly, spray on undercoat, stick some leaves over your AR, spray on overcoat, lube AR, reassembly and you are all done.

Sounds like a great kindergarten project. I know how kids love to pick leaves and paint things. Let me suggest it to the teachers.

 

[grand champ]

If it works for Hi-Points....

That's literal definition of polishing a turd....this whole post should be my Sig line......u gotta be kidding me

 

[grand champ]

Spent more on aesthetically than point of purchase,maybe x3....absurd at best