Camo paint for plastics. (and glues too)

[+Totem Clan]

I put out some caches last year in the standard Tupperware/Rubbermaid type containers. I spray painted them camo. I used Hunter's Specialties Camo spay paint. It's designed for just about any surface from wood to metal to plastic. For the most part they are holding up very well. There are some dings and scratches as you would expect. But I have a bigger project that I want to be the best it can. I want some advice.

 

I'm planning on hiding a large rubber maid type storage container. The big 20 or 30 gallon variety. I'm trying to camo it very well as it will be in a State Park. (With their permission and knowledge of course. In fact they are going to help hide and maintain it.) It needs to be hidden very well, and with something that size, good camo is a must.

Once it is finished it will be place so that some of the natural surroundings, fallen logs and the like, will hide part of it. If I can, I want to glue/attach bark, sticks, rocks, leaves and so on to it in order to break up the outline of the box. I will need something to hold all that in place.

I want it to be durable. It needs to survive the hot summers and the bitterly cold winters on the edge of the Northern Plains. Plus all of the cachers. Not to mention the wild critters in the area.

 

For a project like that what type of paint would you use? Also what would be the best way to bond the materials to the box? If any of you have tried different products in the past and know how well they do or don't work, could you share that knowledge with us? What are your ideas on this one?

 

 

BTW, when it's done, it will have camping/hiking and other outdoor gear in it, as well as items like t-shirt, hats, and sticker from some of the local outdoor/sporting goods stores and the State Park's gift shop. My plan is to try to restock it with top quality stuff once a year. Maybe some folks will at least trade somewhat even.

Edited March 8, 2007 by Totem Clan

[+Totem Clan]

Someone PMed me with the idea of using a two-part epoxy to attach the camo materials. Does anyone know of one that won't eat the plastic?

[+Gator Man]

As far as painting plastic goes, I lightly sand it, then spray the whole thing with an automotive product my son got for me. It is a plastic adhesion promoter, I think the brand name is BULLDOG, but it might be BULLFROG. After that dries as recommended, I apply the cammo colors. They hold up well in South Florida, can't tell you about in the snow.

 

Concerning the other part of your question, if I were going to put out a cache that I wanted to hold up for the long term in harsh conditions, I would use an AMMO CAN. They can be found in some very large sizes, and can't be beat for durability. Plus it is much easier to hot-glue cammo things to them!

[+Totem Clan]

As far as painting plastic goes, I lightly sand it, then spray the whole thing with an automotive product my son got for me. It is a plastic adhesion promoter, I think the brand name is BULLDOG, but it might be BULLFROG. After that dries as recommended, I apply the cammo colors. They hold up well in South Florida, can't tell you about in the snow.

 

Concerning the other part of your question, if I were going to put out a cache that I wanted to hold up for the long term in harsh conditions, I would use an AMMO CAN. They can be found in some very large sizes, and can't be beat for durability. Plus it is much easier to hot-glue cammo things to them!

Yeah. I thought about using a metal foot locker type trunk. But making it and keeping it weather proof might be an issue. Plus I don't have one.

Whatever I use needs to be big enough to hold things like back packs, walking sticks etc.

 

BULLDOG huh? I'll look into that. Thanks.

[+wandererrob]

As for paint on plastic... Krylon Fusion I think it's called is made especially for plastic. Bonds to the plastic somehow.

 

we used some on those cheesy plastic chairs a while back and it's held up well there. Might get the job done for a cache container too

[+thedeadpirate]

I think the brand name is BULLDOG

 

Is this it?

 

[+briansnat]

As for paint on plastic... Krylon Fusion I think it's called is made especially for plastic. Bonds to the plastic somehow.

 

we used some on those cheesy plastic chairs a while back and it's held up well there. Might get the job done for a cache container too

 

I've tried Krylon Fusion and it bonds well, but it doesn't come in flat colors (at least where I can find it). Containers I've painted with Krylon Fusion are a bit shiny. If they make it in flat finish, local dealers don't carry it around here.

 

I've had the best results using a special plastic primer, then regular spraypaint over it. The plastic primer that worked best for me was Valaspar American Traditions. It is a clear primer and the paint job has held up extremely well. Not even scratches.

 

I also tried Rustoleum plastic primer. It's an opaque white primer, but it hasn't worked as nearly well as the Valaspar. Once primed and painted, the paint scratches fairly easily and the paint cracks on the flexible tabs on Lock n Locks, showing the white primer underneath.

Edited March 8, 2007 by briansnat

[+Gator Man]

Yep, GeoBain, that's the stuff!

[+wavector]

Winter is going to win.

I do a lot of camo and can tell you that it probably won't matter what type of plastic paint you use, winter will win, in a year the paint will be flaking readily. I would suggest that you make your container out of plywood and then use a high quality primer and paint followed by a UV sealant, that might keep the Old Man at bay for a few years, make sure to break the mill finish before applying your primer.

My experience with Rubbermaid has been that any type of adhesive or paint will eventually let go. In many cases the lids and the bodies of large containers are made of different plastics because the lid is subject to a different set of stresses than the container. The lids on small Rubbermaids do not paint well at all. The clear plastic used in smaller LnL containers bonds well when you are using Krylon plastic paint but as noted, it chips after awhile.

You could probably build a wooden box that would take a protective finish well. Weathered wood itself is a great camo feature and you could attach other objects that break the outline by using screws or bolts.

I regularly use two part epoxies (several types), marine goop, gorilla glue, spray adhesive, contact cement (exterior grade), clear silicon (very handy) and tape (camo, two sided). I have about 50 cans of spray paint in every brand/type/colour combination. In my experience nothing is durable enough to handle the local weather for any length of time regardless of what is claimed on the package. The applications vary depending upon the hide location but I can tell you I have had every type of adhesive fail and every type of paint job on plastic fail.

The best paint jobs are high quality paints on properly prepared metal surfaces, several of those camo jobs are still holding up well despite time and severe conditions.

It sounds like a great cache and I hope you find something that works well.

[+joeandjill]

Heres another idea that I have been using lately. I have found that Gorilla tape will stick to lock n lock containers and last for a long time (haven't had any containers with problems yet and a couple have been out a year or so). I wrap the containers with the Gorilla tape which is available at Wal Mart and then paint them with camo spray paint. The tape sticks to the container and the paint sticks to the tape. Has a great finished look. Just something you may want to try.

 

Joe

[+Gadgetman!]

Build it out of Plywood and 'paint' it using oil-based stains usually used on houses.

(Use two or more coats to ensure that the wood is properly saturated. You may thin the stain before applying the first coating for even better saturation.)

 

If the stuff can last 4 years or more here on the weatherbitten coast of Norway...

[+briansnat]

Heres another idea that I have been using lately. I have found that Gorilla tape will stick to lock n lock containers and last for a long time (haven't had any containers with problems yet and a couple have been out a year or so). I wrap the containers with the Gorilla tape which is available at Wal Mart and then paint them with camo spray paint. The tape sticks to the container and the paint sticks to the tape. Has a great finished look. Just something you may want to try.

 

Joe

 

Camo duct tape works well too. It may get a bit ratty after a year or two in the wild, but sometimes that adds to the camo.

[+Kit Fox]

Heres another idea that I have been using lately. I have found that Gorilla tape will stick to lock n lock containers and last for a long time (haven't had any containers with problems yet and a couple have been out a year or so). I wrap the containers with the Gorilla tape which is available at Wal Mart and then paint them with camo spray paint. The tape sticks to the container and the paint sticks to the tape. Has a great finished look. Just something you may want to try.

 

Joe

 

Much cheaper method is to spray Lock and Locks with 3m adhesive, then sprinkle a fine coating of dirt and sand onto the container. Repeat the method several times, taking the time to spray the coated sections again. Once the container is sufficiently covered, allow to dry. Once dried, camo paint the now textured container, and glue any twigs, rocks, or grasses to acheive the desired affect.

 

Here are two examples:

 

 

 

[+Too Tall John]

I've tried Krylon Fusion and it bonds well, but it doesn't come in flat colors (at least where I can find it). Containers I've painted with Krylon Fusion are a bit shiny. If they make it in flat finish, local dealers don't carry it around here.

There have been lots of good suggestions, but if anyone is interested in the "Krylon Fusion" in a flat finish, look for "Krylon Camouflage." It uses the "Fusion" formula. I think I got mine at the local Wal-Mart. The Lock'n'Lock I used it on hasn't been out long enough to really put it to a proper test yet, but it seems to be doing well.