Ways to "torture test" products?

[draggin81]

Just wondering what methods you use, if any, to test new products before using them on a customers project? This is mainly aimed at automotive/hard surface products, and illustration products, since thats almost all of what I do. Of course, if anyone wants to throw any info on textile or other paints, I'm sure there are people who'd benefit from it.
Every manufacturer claims they have the best stuff, and every new product is hyped as God's Gift to Painting. But short of waiting for someone to post a review, picking products can be a shot in the dark.
So, do you test the product for yourself and see what it can really do, or just take the manufacturers word for it?

Personally, I only use products I've used on my own things, and that I know work. But I can't repaint my motorcycle every time I want to try out something new, and spraying out a small test panel only tells me if it works short term, but not if it will last.
So, anyone have any good or creative "torture tests" they put products through before using them on a customers project? (I'm absolutely positive that with some of the minds on here, there are bound to be some interesting answers. And probably a few disturbing ones. lol)

[airartista]

hmmm.... always have kept varied materials around to pre-test! Used to have bits of everything. From various papers, to canvas, materials and fiber glass... metals, glass.... old helmets from yard sales...all depends. It can be hard to be exact. Must say. A project I did recently was on boots!!! AND I should have gone out and got a thrift store shoe to test. It ended up not sticking... hard to know what kinda dye/polish, etc is there and honestly was afraid to strip it. It wasn't the best of leather! Now I gotta take it off and start again! aggghhhh.... always a learnin curve.

[AndyW]

Have only one customer lol.............

Anyway, with new paints I tend to throw them at anything and see what they stick to,
Past 2 and a half years has been all about experimentation, I can afford to, I don't require this as a living so I have the luxury of time to dabble to see what works for me....

Take Etac have mixed feelings, silky silky on the whole sprays nice, but as the be all and end all don't know as well a cost is quite prohibative.

Played with Medea by Jurek, again I like, described as a multisurface paint, does what it says on the tin so to speak, did a helmet over two years ago for myself, colours still nice and bright, took a clear coat no problems.

Going to play with AA original and maybe the Autoborne......just to see, seen some wonderfull work with the AA no probs......

Base materials I tend to stick to what I know, ie primers etc, that I have used for years for repairs etc that have never let me down or caused any issues.

[draggin81]

Artista- to strip off any polishes, put some shaving cream on the boots and let it sit for a while (like overnight), they "buff" it off, wipe them down with a damp rag.
The tricky part is finding a "regular" shaving cream these days. The "sensitive skin" stuff doesn't work as well.
Waaaay back when I was in ROTC, the first thing we did with new boots was to strip the factory polish off and use A LOT of saddle soap to loosen up the leather, then re-polish them. You'd dtill get plenty of blisters but not near as bad as the poor guys who didn't

[Skids]

hmmm.... A project I did recently was on boots!!! AND I should have gone out and got a thrift store shoe to test. It ended up not sticking... hard to know what kinda dye/polish, etc is there and honestly was afraid to strip it. It wasn't the best of leather! Now I gotta take it off and start again! aggghhhh.... always a learnin curve.

could try origional formula "easy-off" oven cleaner if the above suggestions won't work.....will take un-catalyzed One-Shot off slickern owl poopy. Naptha's pretty good too, used in dry cleaning actually, doesn't go too deep and dries real fast.

Is the leather black? There's only one black ya know..hehehe....strip it down, don't worry just keep it smooth...find the black paint that sticks, paint the whole thing then start over on top of that with your normal paints.

otherwise yer...ummm,....out of luck.

[airartista]

Hmmmm... good ideas guys... and I didn't even post this for help. Nice added bonus! LOL She's a friend, so I can afford this learnin curve thank goodness.

[draggin81]

sometimes its "ask and ye shall recieve", here it's "ye shall recieve whether ye like it or not" (and I'm referring to advise you perverts. Dell, Skids, that means you)
Maybe thats the key (friends). Paint something, and let them do thier best to wreck it. My friends are good at that, which is good since otherwise they're really only good for amusement and the occasional round of beer.