Painting 3D Prints - FDM

A question that comes up often enough is "Can I paint my [Kiwi Milsim] box?", to which there is an easy answer, yes!

Here are tips to keep in mind based on my experiences with painting my own builds.

NOTE: Dependant on you desired final look,  you may take the time to prep the surfaces thoroughly, using hand-powered sandpaper to remove all evidence of layer lines. This is not required to get paint to adhere though. Note that use of power tools to sand wil result in the print surface warping. So don't do that.

1. Disassemble and/or cover with blue tape the areas you do not want to paint. I recommend NOT painting the the inside of the mag.

2. Using hands and sandpaper (I like 150-200 grit), lightly scuff up the surfaces you want to paint.

3. Apply 2 coats of a dedicated aerosol primer like Rust-Oleum, working to manufactuers specifications. Note that 2in1 type paints are less effective.

4. Apply 2-3 coats of the colorway of your choice working to manufactuers specifications. I like the camouflage line from Rust-Oleum for its matte colors.

5. Repeat Step 4 if applying mutliple colors.

So while all of my products and boxes are offered in solid colors only (and only in black at the time of this writing) you can personalize your fully printed box!

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