How to keep shipping materials from sticking to painted 2D cutouts.

[80grit]

I've been using rattle can paint to spray 2D cutouts. It seems to be the best option for my needs. I am concerned, though, about the paint sticking to the cardboard in shipping. We've had a really damp week here, and I am concerned that the paint may not have fully cured. It feels dry.

This may be one of those things where I am being overt paranoid, but I wanted to play it safe and ask if there was anything that I could use to wrap the piece that would add some insurance to prevent sticking? Wax paper, foil, cloth, etc?

[Davo]

Stick it in the oven :rolleyes:

[MogulTx]

Wax paper is a good idea.

It may leave some residue on the object- but I imagine it would only be noticeable if the color is very dark.

[rb99]

Backing paper from sign shop vinyl. They throw out tons, especially if laminating.

Try a hhair dryer as well.

[80grit]

Vinyl backing is a good idea.

[carlcnc]

My experience with rattle can paints , and most enamels
dark colors take a LONG time to cure. covering them with anything will retard/extend that time
maybe a small fan blowing across the part for a few hours will help

years ago I built a hot box out of an old server cabinet, has an oil filled radiant heater
Generally set it to about 100F, but even that doesn't give a full cure in less than 24 hrs.

[willnewton]

I have built hotboxes for curing composites using 3/4" foam, tape, and light bulbs as a heat source. It works very well and is quite cheap. You can find simple light bulb mounts at a home store and cut up a household extension cord for wiring. With a couple of 75 watt incandescents you can hit 150° easily with a 3-4 cubic foot, 5-sided box placed over the items on a workbench.

For the super cheap solution, I have cured several items in a car with the windows rolled up in full sunlight. Temps can get surprisingly high.

Cure times will vary, but 6 hour to overnight heats will harden most stuff.

[coryatjohn]

I use cardboard and a lightbulb. Keeps it about 15 degrees above ambient. That's enough to dry most anything in 24 hours.

[shilala]

I have two little barrell heaters I turn on my paint.
Then I sit stuff on top of the fridge for a couple weeks. They say that's the warmest place in the house, I don't know.
But it's always worked.
You can't rush paint. Patience is a virtue, and pushing paint out the door just costs money.