Any tips for spray painting hinges?

[harveybirdman]

The thickness of the paint seems to be causing friction and removing my fresh layers of paint every time when I move the hinge.

Is it possible to separate those long piano style hinges? How just hammer out the pin?

[Fursphere]

You can remove the 'pin', but it can be a pain. 

The paint often comes off because its not really bonding to the metal (or more specifically the coating on the metal that was there first).  You need to sand them down first (light sand blast if you can, but scuffing with 80 - 150 grit sand paper works too) to give the primer something to stick too, coat them with an etching primer (so it'll "bite" in), then paint them with a good paint made for metal.  I often use Rustoleum rattle cans, but it takes a long time to dry / cure.

Basically, the factory coating on that hinge is not letting anything stick to it. 

[harveybirdman]

I am using rustoleum exclusive products. But you make a good point. My primer coat seems to be absent from the worst areas.  I will sand it tape it off and  re-prime

[yotsuya]

Fursphere has sound advice. I use Rustoleum on my hinges as well, light coats that are enough to color, but not enough to build up.

[Nephasth]

Is it possible to separate those long piano style hinges? How just hammer out the pin?

Depends on the coin door. Some hinge pins are peened into the hinge and can't be removed, like Midway doors. But I was able to separate the hinges from my coin control doors on the Beast.

[harveybirdman]

One more question....

What's the best masking solution for spray paint.... Frogtape no work so well.... at least not if you don't reapply after each coat.  Paint drys and then peels off with tape.

I'm reading some good stuff about Tamiya tape it's thin and designed for models...

Or there are several Pin-striping tape options I've seen online....

[Vigo]

You should remove the tape before it completely dries. I usually carefully remove mine after an hour.

[Nephasth]

You should remove the tape before it completely dries. I usually carefully remove mine after an hour.

Ditto.