RCU Forums

RCU Forums (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/)
-   "1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/1-2-1-8-airplanes-70/)
-   -   HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/1-2-1-8-airplanes-70/11515458-hob-me109-plastic-fuse-top-painting.html)

Steve Westphal 05-18-2013 03:42 PM

HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting
 
We are getting ready to put color on our House of Balsa ME 109 and need a little advice. First: will Sig Supercote attack the plastic canopy and fuse top? Second: we are doing a sky blue bottom and a grey top with green camo spots. We did it on a big Spitfire and it came out nice. Does the cotton ball technique work on small scale? How are these spots applied? Any precautions I should take? I have some Parma(maybe Pactra)slot car paint that is water based. Is it fuel proof? I am sorry that I didn't do a build thread on this plane. My brother does nice work. Our system, for over 50 years, consisted of me building the aircraft and him flying it(at least the big ones). I have a stack of HOB WWll warbirds and he wanted to do the ME109 himself. I didn't know that he was that good. I have an Enya .09 that we thought we would use on this plane but after flying our Ace Whizard with our Cox .051 R/C we decided to use it on the ME109. It screams to the point that your ears begin to hurt. We fly out in the country so noise is not a problem although the muffler is quiet when we use it. We will be doing the HOB FW190 next. Eventually we will have a hangar full of Allied planes and Axis aircraft. Should be fun. I will try to post a pic of the Messerschmitt when complete.

SnApRoLl- 05-23-2013 09:34 AM

RE: HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting
 
I'm not sure about the Sig paints as I have never used them on plastic. However, I would try the Testors brand lexan paint for r/c car bodies on the canopy and plastic top.
Tamiya makes a plastic safe paint as well. Also, regarding the r/c car body paint, try it on a scrap piece of plastic first but I think it will fine. Oh before I forget, the r/c car body paints go on flat so you would most likely have to do some color sanding and add some clear coat. I've used those paints on some plastic model cars with good success but I'm not sure what kind of plastic your working with.
Hope this helps, :)

Shawn

guitarsbanjo 05-24-2013 01:10 PM

RE: HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting
 
I've got a P51 almost finished, and have wondered the same thing. What my friend in the AF did with his P-39 (wished I had one of those kits or plans) was to use Tissue and thinned epoxy to, in effect, fiberglass the body, then painted it with fuel proof paint. The fiberglass will protect the plastic from melting.

Austin

combatpigg 05-24-2013 06:19 PM

RE: HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting
 
What does HOB suggest..?
For a top coat I only trust catalyst type paint systems..mix part A to part B type stuff.
Same goes with primer...like K&B or Klasskote, or even automotive "Y2K" types. A mist coat that is allowed to dry should not melt the plastic....but I'd want to hear from HOB before doing anything.
Others would use waterbased acrylic for the color, then shoot fuel proof epoxy clear on top.
Either way, paint is very heavy stuff and it is easy to go overboard on shooting a 1/2A model.

Steve Westphal 05-24-2013 06:45 PM

RE: HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting
 
I have a bunch of Parma "Fastcolor" paint that I use on slot cars. I do have a lot of colors so I guess I will use that. I have about 7 colors so I ought to be able to come up with about any color I need. I had forgotten about those paints until now.

SnApRoLl- 05-24-2013 07:16 PM

RE: HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting
 

ORIGINAL: Steve Westphal

I have a bunch of Parma ''Fastcolor'' paint that I use on slot cars. I do have a lot of colors so I guess I will use that. I have about 7 colors so I ought to be able to come up with about any color I need. I had forgotten about those paints until now.
Ahh, I forgot about the FasColor paints as well. It's water based, easy to use and fuel proof when dry. It's also excellent for airbrushing and the color selection is really good. Also, if I'm not mistaking, it dries to a flat finish and might need a clear cote.

Steve Westphal 05-24-2013 09:13 PM

RE: HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting
 
What clear top coat would you recommend? I think Parma makes a clear coat that ought to work over the color. I would assume that since the fascolor tints are fuelproof the clear would be fuelproof also. All of my HOB kits have that clear plastic fuse top. I am thinking that the plastic should be painted on the outside as doing it on the inside gives it way too much shine. I will try to do a build thread on the P 47 or FW 190 whichever is next. I do need to get their P 51. The P 47 or FW plans have the P 51 plans on the back side so I guess I could scratch build it with those plans. I can't wait to fly these planes as I have read some reviews and they are all very positive. One fellow called the P 51 a "total screamer" to fly. I guess I will have my younger brother fly that one as he performs way beyond me on the flightline. The building reviews are all positive as well. It should be a great summer if the wind ever lets up here on the plains!!!!!!

SnApRoLl- 05-26-2013 07:22 PM

RE: HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting
 
I would try the Fascolor Clear on a scrap piece to see if it works. And yeah your right about spraying it on the inside of clear plastic. It will give a shine and being a war bird, You'll probably wan't a flat or semi gloss finish. And yes please post a build thread. I'd like to see it.

Shawn

CafeenMan 06-05-2013 10:50 PM

RE: HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting
 
I'm with CombatPigg - use paint you know is fuel proof, spray on several VERY light coats and you'll have no problem with incompatibility. In fact, the two part paints will melt the plastic giving it a good "bite" into the plastic. Too much and you'll craze the plastic but it's easy to spray light coats. A lot of paints that don't attack plastic can peel off and may not even be fuel proof.

The other option is to use any paint you want and then clear-coat it with clear epoxy paint. But again, you might have adhesion problems. I think the plastic is ABS but I'm not sure. Haven't seen one of these HOB kits for about 25 years.

combatpigg 06-06-2013 05:11 AM

RE: HOB ME109.....Plastic Fuse Top Painting
 
Howdy CafeenMan..it's been a while!
It's been a while since I bought paint supplies for models, too. I mean truly fuel proof 2 part stuff like Klass Kote.
The cost involved getting all set up is kind of high, but pint sized amounts of paint and hardener will last pretty long if all you are doing is a 1/2A model now and then. I still have K&B epoxy paints that date back 20 years that are still good [even though they need serious stirring].
Harbor Freight has inexpensive air brushes that you can power with the weakest air compressors.
The 3M half face respirator works OK for occasional use with adequate ventilation from outside air.
I took an old CPAP machine and adapted a 50 foot long garden hose to a 3M respirator it to give me clean fresh, cool air. The machine sits outside well away from the "spray booth" and it supplies all the air you need so very little air actually comes through the filters on the mask. For big projects this helps reduce fatigue because pulling air through cannister filters is work, especially if it isn't 100% clean.
I'll bet old CPAP machines are available 2nd hand, or just check with folks who have been on CPAP for several years who might have "out dated" units.
I use a 90 degree plastic barbed fitting that runs into a hole I drilled in the mask and the "accordian" style CPAP hose slides over the mask fitting at one end and over the 3/4" garden hose at the other end. I also use a CPAP hose at the machine to connect the machine to the garden hose. The brass ends of the garden hoseare sliced off to make this idea work.
It might actually be 5/8" hose...just use the CPAP hose to get an idea for what size garden hose will make a tight slip fit.

nomadboreau 09-23-2013 10:39 AM

I have the 109 I kit house of balsa, but lost the plans, I have assembled the fuselage and wing media, please can you send me the plans? thanks


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:58 AM.


Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.