Painting Whirlwind moving parts

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**dreadblade**

My next project is to paint a Whirlwind...

Having built it as directed, without glue on various parts to allow them to move, how do you paint the damn thing so they still move without wrecking the paint at the edges of the moving parts? Normally I'd prime/base coat with Macragge Blue spray but I've not painted anything with moving parts before.

**Rybrook**

The paint really is robust with the moving parts, but you could use the Matt Varnish if you want,

I have had various moving parts over the years, metal on plastic, plastic on plastic and have never had paint wear off. Just make sure the mating surfaces are as clean and flat as possible,
For doors I would file the frame and door edge so there are no points of contact

But if you intend to spin the turret round and round then you will most certainly get swirl marks and paint loss

**dreadblade**

So by spraying it's not going to seal the moving parts together?

The launcher only moves up/down on a double hinge and doesn't rotate, but I'm actually hoping not to glue it on at all. It's a tight fit and I want to be able to remove it so the Whirlwind can be transported in a single tier of a Citadel case.

**Rybrook**

When spraying hinges, you want a light coat so it won’t clog it

The missile pod should be able to rotate

If I were building one I would paint the weapons seperate and un-assembled, which is what I’m doing with my land raider

**dreadblade**

Rybrook wrote:
The missile pod should be able to rotate

If I were building one I would paint the weapons seperate and un-assembled, which is what I’m doing with my land raider

The launcher will fit on pointing in any direction but it doesn't rotate as such. As I intend keeping it separate I do have the option to paint it off the hull but I'm worried that I'll get paint on the interface between the two parts that way. I'm thinking pushing it very nearly all the way in and painting it as one might be best?

**bebopdrums2424**

i painted two whirlwinds recently and, and after much gaming, i glue everything....moving parts is pointless in games anyway and leads generally down the line to things breaking...if youhave trouble reaching the part then you can paint first then scrape of paint at the joinging points, etch some tiny scratches on for a strong join (take care not to scratch exposed areas)....Thats my advice and what i did for mine. the missle pod just rotates up and down anyways, its really not that special..

**dreadblade**

**Elbows**

Ideally, you would have wanted to prime/spray them before assemble. That's your best option.

**SkylarkR6**

Glue a bit of sprue across the opening and to the bottom of the turret. Attach 3/8" magnet to each. Now it spins and doesn't quite touch to rub away paint. Problem solved

**dreadblade**

Just to be clear, some of the parts move because that's how the instructions said to build it so I'd like to keep it that way. If it wasn't for wanting to remove the launcher I would glue that on as per the instructions too. I just want to know how I should go about painting it given those constraints.

**kb_lock**

If you don't care that they move, like the visor, glue it down. The instructions are a guide.

With paint rubbing around the turret, you won't be able to do anything about that, but you won't see it when attached anyway

**Weazel**

Just prime the turret and hull separately. If you're worried, just stick them together before the spray fully cures so the excess will rub off. You cannot see the rim anyway so it doesn't matter what it looks like. Unless you are priming super heavy coats (which you shouldn't do anyway) they will fit just fine after priming. And you can always file some of the paint away if it's too tight.

But I agree, the vertical movement of the missile pods is rather pointless, I would glue it solid.

**Nevelon**

When I do stuff like that I normally prime and paint separate. I do get some paint rubbing, but it’s in places I can’t see, so I don’t care. If it is a very tight fit to start, I might sand/file it down a little before priming. Paint does have a thickness, and if you are tight before, it might be very tight after.

**dreadblade**

Thanks for all the advice. I'll let you know how it goes.

**dreadblade**

Okay, so I sprayed it with the launcher pushed nearly all the way in so as not to get any paint on the interface or inside:

The launcher can be removed and reattached no problem and all the moving parts still move

**dreadblade**

The finished product (all moving parts still moving):

**Rybrook**

That looks really good