pstigerfan Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 I have 3 of those standing, light-up deer, similar to the ones you see at any Home Depot or Lowes store. I bought mine from a garage sale two years ago, and while they look okay, they need some work. Some of the incandescent bulbs are burned out, and some of the frames are rusting. Anyway, one of the projects I want to do this off-season is tear these apart, repaint them, and convert them to LED lights or maybe even RGB pixels depending on my display for 2015. To repaint them, can anyone recommend what paint I should use for these? I was thinking of maybe even getting them powder-coated depending on cost? Any suggestions? -- Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 powder coating could be pricey unless you find a place that may already be doing some white and you may get a break. If you've got rust just wire brush the rust all off and give it a good coat of primer. Then you can use a rustoleum white to finish them off. I converted mine to led this year. I replaced all the clips and bought white wire led strings. The old clips were cracking and breaking off. You can order clips online and they are not expensive. Just make sure you get the correct size for the wire frame. the most popular sizes are 3/16 and 1/4 inch. My fingers were worn out after restringing 4 deer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I did just like you Mike and bought new clips. But you know what? From now on I am just going to zip tie each socket to the wire frame. Sometimes I just could not get the wire to lay the way that would be best to keep the next bulb in its clip. Thus the wire zip tie from now on for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainyoregonchristmas Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 With existing paint ya can't get them powder coated. You'd have to strip it completely, paint, rust, oil and all. Was a powder coater for a few years. If stuff wasn't 100% clean it doesn't work. Besides a $20 clearance deer is cheaper. Just krylon the thing and call it good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffandnicole Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Unless the frames look like crap from where people are standing or sitting in their cars, I wouldn't worry about it too much. They're only going to see the lights anyway. Spot-touch the worst areas with a paintbrush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince4xmas Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 My deer frames are rusting a bit (6 years old) but this has no impact at night. I have restrung all 4 of mine with LED using white zip ties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulXmas Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I have converted all mine to 4 (colours) strings of LED.When I removed the lights I used rust paint to paint them.Zip ties were used to attach them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Only thing about white zip tyes is that they are not UV stable and will dry rot in no time. They become very brittle and start to bust. Ya black tyes look bad during the day, but they will hold up longer than the light strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince4xmas Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Thanks for the tip. Didn't know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulXmas Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 My wire frames are white and the light strings have green wire so the tie wrap colour is not really an issue. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a31ford Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 My wire frames are white and the light strings have green wire so the tie wrap colour is not really an issue. Paul... do you have a picture of them (even one) I'm planing on building some (30 or so) and any designs would be helpful. The wire tie thing, In Paul's case it doesn't matter, however, I've seen 3 inch long 14ga. white "X-link" wire simply wrapped as a coil around the frame and the light wires, works great ! and can be reused (X-Link wire is generally used in conduit as single wires fished through the conduit as a bundle (white, red, yellow, blue, etc.)). Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebuechner Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 most of those deer are designed to lay flat for storage. My suggestion be would be one of those trays that you put under your washer filled with an acid bath to lay it in. A little patience and it should eat the rest away clean to repaint it. a can of self etching primer with a top coat should make it last almost forever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Elliott Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Hi,Last year I added a wire frame reindeer to the display. Added an incandescent 100W flood to where "Rudolphs" nose is and use the Disney song (sung by kids) of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer for the mp3. Thought being every kid on earth knows the lyrics. Huge success! Jimbo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sarge Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 powder coating is to expensive,they would have to be super clean for it to be done...not worth the expense Just clean them off.. run over with a little sand paper/ wire brush on a grinding wheel... doesn't have to be perfectly clean, spray with a decient primer.. maybe a couple coats. allow to dry and spray with a metal paint.. a couple coats should do it nicely. to help prevent rust at the moving parts such as where the legs fold for storage.. a little light grease or oil on that part. but keep in mind... more paint on these areas will make it harder to fold the legs for storage and any where that rubs or moves is a potential rust area.I have three wire frame deer the moving head ones... I also added a red single c 7 buld for Rudolfs nose. I just spot paint as needed as it cannot be seem from more then a few feet away. I am planning on making more deer and a santa sleigh out of coroplast this year if I have time. Coroplastic sheets at home depot are 48" X 96 " and comes in packs of 10 sheets for $110.00. Gives me enough to make my 4 singing faces for halloween, 4 for christmas... and have two sheets for making some deer.... I may get two packages and have enough to make a full santa and deer display or village scenes etc. Havent decided yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmaskarl Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Hi Sarge, do you have the Home depot stock number for the Coroplast? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 A quick look on my phone at the Home Depot website only single sheets for $14.99 Here are the details: Model: CP4896S Internet/Catalog: 205351385 Store SKU: 1000118572 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfrost55 Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Here's the 10 pack. The 10 pack is only sold online but it ships to the store for free. Model # WC4896-10 Internet # 202489118 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 (edited) My deer frames are rusting a bit (6 years old) but this has no impact at night. I have restrung all 4 of mine with LED using white zip ties.Seems I have already said this. So never mind this post. Edited May 8, 2015 by Max-Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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