How to paint a flashlight

Jan 10, 2006 5 Replies

Hi, How do You paint a tank light (flashlight)? I tried to paint it white and then cover by slightly dirty gloss coat (used gloss smoke paint). To bo honest I hate the result - though my wife like it :) I think about using metal paint , then gloss coat. Is it OK? What should I do to get 'ribbed' glass effect? Is it possible in 1/72 scale? (ISU-152 and T-34 lights)



Maciek


well i paint mine flat aluminium.put a little stroke of a black colour at the base.........tiny....let it dry really well.a few clear gloss coats.....and when the last coat is nearly dry i .push a layer of .gauze(hospital type.on and off .it layers it a little ...........best of luck ..let it dry and see

Thanks. I got everything but the gauze - what is gauze (or .gauze). I will try to google it whan I'b back home. Thanks again.

Maciek

Ok I know now what gauze is :) So the difficult part is to do it exactly when the last coat is still soft to be modified and dry enough so the fibers from gauze won't stick?

Maciek

Maybe it would be safer to use a metal tea basket (mad of metal mesh) instead of gauze? No risk of white fibres sticking to the paint.

Maciek

Sounds like you're talking about a headlight (or any type of a lightbulb with a reflector and a lens).

Instead of trying to simulate it using paint, why not make a miniature model of the real thing?

Easiest way is to drill out the front of the lamp and glue in MV lens of the correct size. Then if the reflecor is not supposed to be smooth, take a modeling knife and score some lines into the reflector.

Here is what they look like:

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Or google "mv lenses".

If you can't find MV lenses, drill into the front of the light housing, then apply Bare Metal Foil (or silver paint) to the drilled out area. When the paint is dry, apply a drop of epoxy glue to simulate the lens. Again, you can score the lens with a knofe to make it look more realistic.

If the lamps just have a thin slit in them, just paint the lens over just leaving a slit exposed.

This will look like a real lamp.

Peteski

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