PVC Pipe and Spraypaint

[John V-Neun]

Hello All:

I know that if you use normal spraypaint on Polycarbonate, it makes the Poly much more brittle, and likely to shatter.

What I am wondering is...
Does anyone know if regular PVC pipe reacts with spraypaint at all?

Thanks,
John

[Jessica Boucher]

If I remember correctly, the instructions to make PVC didgeridoos that 237 had in 2001 requested the use of acrylic paints. Upon a quick google search, this still seems to be the case.

So, I dont know exactly about spraypaint, but I hope that helps a bit.

[Mark Pettit]

I've seen a bunch of commercials for Krylon Fusion lately. It is specially formulated to bond with plastics so I doubt it would have any negative effect(s) on them.
Another search located Tower Hobbies which has some specialized paint for RC vehicles that specifically mentions polycarbonates, although it looks like they only carry the purple color in a spray paint. The rest are brush-ons.

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by John V-Neun

What I am wondering is...
Does anyone know if regular PVC pipe reacts with spraypaint at all?

Thanks,
John

You might want to be careful - the PVC may react and change color when you paint it.


Andy B.


<edit... I suppose I should put a smiley in here - It is Friday afternoon, btw>

[Jeff Waegelin]

Originally Posted by John V-Neun

I know that if you use normal spraypaint on Polycarbonate, it makes the Poly much more brittle, and likely to shatter.

And why would you know that, John?

Every time I've painted PVC, it's been with a brush, so I can't tell you how spraypaint works. I do know that OCCRA has used brush-painted PVC pipe for the field structures a couple of times, and I don't think we've ever had a field piece break.

[Gary Dillard]

I can't tell you chemically, but from observation last year it didn't hurt our scissors which saw some enormous deflections and strains and we used Krylon. The version that finished nationals was about 50% aluminum and 50% the original PVC and we never had any member break. (structural member, not team member).

We had some parts of our front ball catcher break a few times; that was PVC and I think it may have been hand painted versus spray painted but I don't remember. I don't think the paint made it any more brittle; they didn't really shatter. It was just a result of "rigorous interaction" with other robots.