# HDPE finish?



## Themexicanshooter

Hello my name is Luis, i've been making Hdpe slingshots. I was wondering how do you make it have like a glossy look? These are two that i want to come out really good.


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## Individual

Flame lick then polyurethane spray


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## treefork

Propane torch and lightly brush the surface with the flame. Practice on a piece of scrap.


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## stej

I also saw that heating some piece of smooth metal (screwdriver) and then rubbing the surface doesn't work. I don't know who reported it, it was Ash maybe.

Besides that I noticed from some videos (maybe Ash, maybe Beanflip, I don't remember) that when using sharp tools (router etc), you don't need to hunt for glossy finish. It is made by itself. Just try to cut the HDPE lightly with sharp knife.


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## Themexicanshooter

These are the two i was talking about


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## ash

You need to cut the surface flat before you do anything else. I mill it flat on an industrial router, which leaves a regular textured surface that it pretty nice by itself. A cheaper/easier alternative is to sand it flat by getting a piece or 60 or 80 grit sandpaper stock down onto a flat piece of plywood or MDF and rubbing the frame on that until it's flat. It will be furry and far from shiny, but you can then work your way through finer grits to make it smoother. Once you get to 320 grit or higher, you stand a chance of flame polishing or a sprayed finish actually working.

I would think a sprayed finish would run into problems with adhesion, anyway. No many kinds of paint or lacquer like to stick to HDPE.


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## Themexicanshooter

Ok thankyou very much for the information. It's very useful


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## lexlow

ahh the frustration that started it all for me lol.


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## stej

lexlow said:


> ahh the frustration that started it all for me lol.


I guess you are not frustrated anymore


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## Rathunter

Individual said:


> Flame lick then polyurethane spray


+1


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## Samurai Samoht




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## Bob E

+1 on Machined surfaces. Cutting tools like hand planes leave a nice surface too.


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