SURVEY - Do you dislike paint rollers at Steel Challenge matches?

[scottlep]

I am involved with organizing a state level Steel Challenge series. We are going back and forth about the cost of paint....spray paint vs. rollers. I personally think sloppy rollers can tarnish the reputation of a good match and the extra cost of spray paint is worth it. Let me know your opinions about this topic.

Thanks!

Edited April 30, 2014 by scottlep

[Rob Tompkins]

Spary cans are simple to manage and most shooters don't mind using them. Rollers are messy and in a match I would not touch one plus they are hard to manage to keep the paint fresh all day long.

[alecmc]

Spray cans all the way.

I've got plenty pair of sneakers, pants, and guns, with white pain specks and globs all over them from rollers.

[Bearcave]

Spray paint is way better than rollers. The good brands of paint cover better than a roller and faster, better coverage equals less paint used.

[Mk18]

Spray is the way!

[Guest]

The US Steel Nationals used Rustoleum (flat white I believe) and that worked really well.

Rollers are OK, but sloppy.

[PASCSA]

Her's a spin. I agree spray paint is less of a mess. Consider this part on a match management end. Estimated Costs (Retail) for 3 matches: Spray Paint $1115 vs Roller $462. Payouts to shooters based on percent of income after expenses.

[BSeevers]

Spray and pray

[GOF]

White spray Primer works great. Just a quick spritz on the black marks. You can do this without soiling your hands. Paint trays and rollers are a major PITA. IMHO, far more trouble than they are worth. It only takes one fool to drop the roller too far into the tray and contaminate the handle, so everyone now has paint on their shooting hand.

Spray Primer... dries fast. No mess

[crucker]

We roll all of our steels the day before an event, then spray between shooters.

[hornetx40]

rollers suck, all it takes in one person to drop the handle into the paint. Nobody wants to get paint on their gun. Doesn't matter if it's a $200 or a $5000 gun. 22 hits don't show up after half way thru a match when you use rollers.. If you use rollers the shooters will bail and not help clean up. Rustoleum is the only paint worth using. most of the rest won't cover then you use twice as much, slow the match and spend just as much as if you would have bought good spray paint.

[chaosshooter00]

Our club broke it down over three months shooting and Krylon/Rustoleum lead the charge in coverage and price. We shoot in the desert and the Krylon dries way faster than Rustoleum. The rollers came in first for least cost effective due in part to product lost, including brushes, paint, and shooters. Don't buy the cheap paint...PERIOD, it's a waste of time and money. My .02

[Jaxshooter]

Don't buy cheap paint. If you do it will cost more than using a quality paint.. The cheap stuff just doesn't cover like Krylon and other top brands. Try to get a local paint store for a sponsor..just have them donate the paint.

[Avezorak]

Buy Krylon white primer by the case. Get the range set up as a dealer. Rollers are a huge pain and it never gets a chance to dry completely.

[ZackJones]

Spray over roller any day. I also buy Krylon paint but I can't seem to find a can handy to post exactly what we use but it works very well.

[hornetx40]

Don't buy cheap paint. If you do it will cost more than using a quality paint.. The cheap stuff just doesn't cover like Krylon and other top brands. Try to get a local paint store for a sponsor..just have them donate the paint.

Another sponsor for you to get Scott....good idea!!....Free to the match is always a good idea. I wonder if Home Depot or Lowes would sponsor?

[basman]

Spray.

[PASCSA]

We have reached out to Home Depot, Lowes, 84 Lumber, Ace, and a few other local hardware store. 1 Local is willing to donate roller covers and Handles, and sell Paint at cost. The others have not responded.

[Tom E]

Spray cans. Rollers suck, as does trying to get the paint off your hands after using the roller. There are other things I want to be doing instead of trying to get the paint off my hands between stages.

[thermobollocks]

Spray paint all the way.

[Sarge]

Rollers have to be a mess and a royal PITA.

[Lifeislarge]

Put it this way, ask a guy if he wants to come over and spray some graffiti in your garage, and he'll be early. Ask a guy to help paint (roll) your nursery, and he's got to wash his hair that day.

[a matt]

1 quality can of spray paint will last almost 2.5 times longer than the cheap stuff. When I practice steel I can go trough almost 3 cans of cheap junk to 1 can of rusto or any quality manufacturer and the quality will cove in one pass not 5 of the cheap stuff. Just saying.

[lawboy]

I can't even believe anyone would consider using rollers to paint steel at a match!

Just seems like a mess of an idea and a big annoyance to everyone.

Spray paint is so obviously superior in every way. It is worth the cost!

[Chuck Anderson]

If cost is a concern you can get away with cheap paint if you use darker colors for steel. One local clubs paints the steel different colors on each stage. Brown, yellow, green, blue. The cheap paint covers fine as long as it isn't white. That said I use only the good white stuff for my matches.

One cost you probably aren't reflecting with rollers is the wasted paint that will dry over the day, or can't be used, and the damaged equipment over time. Rollers have a tendency to dry out with paint on them and become worthless. Get the spray.