isaacslaw

My Feedback: (4)

Hi guys I got an airbrush for christmas and have been trying it out in anticipation of painting the cowl and wheel pants on my Dynaflite Decathlon. I am having some trouble finding acceptable paint, though.

I started out with acrylics which I like very much how they cover and the clean up. I have been stumped with trying to find a clear coat to make them very glossy though. I am looking for something very shiny and a little protective of the paint underneath.

I have tried clear varnish, but with not much effect at all. Next I tried urethane lacquer, but this turned yellow and I'm having difficulty with getting a smooth surface. Should I just abandon the acrylics and try enamel? I am trying to avoid the high-dollar PPG style paints, and also don't want to destroy my airbrush any suggestions are greatly appeciated.

Bonified Wingnut

I have a Paasche VL dual action Its been awhile since I have used it but I would go with an enamel.. I used to use testors enamel for anything not needing fuel proofing. The acrylics are not glow fuel proof(mine weren't).
You can get some descent paints at automotive stores and sometimes at places like Walmart. I used to use Butyrate Dope but thats pretty rare now. Try Home Depot. You can spray anything almost in your airbrush. But really do a good job cleaning it with the right thinner. Don't shortcut completely disassemble it and clean it if its going to set more than about ten minutes. I would not use epoxies though. I don't know about spraying it through an airbrush but latex house paint is pretty fuelproof I use it around firewalls.. don,t kwnow about a gloss or clearcoat with it.
That is what I know.

Hope this helps.-BW

Sorry I did't see the Cyprus Add. don't know about Home Depot then...oops

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

Nelson hobbies sells a clear fuel proof paint, use the crosslinker addative and it makes it fuel proof up to 25% nitro, clean up is with water.

twn

I use lordco's Omni AU. It is a 2 part urethane. You "HAVE" to use a good ventilation combined with a good respirator as this stuff is like epoxy paint, if it gets in you it doesn't come out but this stuff is bullet proof after 4 days of curing and lordco can color match any color of covering except neons. They do a smoking match for metallics too.

The omni au is a single application so u end up with ridges from taped lines, but they also have a ppg concept line which is the same 2 part but it is a base coat clear coat. The omni au is also compatible with the ppg clear so you could base with the omni sand with 600-800 grit then clear coat too, both omni au and ppg concept is fuel proof. I have tested the omni au against 30% nitro hot and cold. rock solid, but you gotta follow the hardener curing temperatures and times to the letter. I wait an extra 2 days to be safe. I just did a goldberg ultimate thread here in the kit forum (called Goldberg Ultimate 60 size build by twn) I used the omni au in the thread if u wana see...

Oddly enough the omni au and ppg doen't stand up to regular isoprohenol alcohol but is impervious to regular gas and nitro fuels...

isaacslaw

My Feedback: (4)

Thanks for the advice, guys. TWN, I looked at your ultimate thread your work is impressive. I have been experimenting with various different paints and clear coatings and found that there really don't seem to be that many out there. It seemed so simple to find something that was clear that would add a deep gloss to these acrylics, but no....

I think I will probably go with the Nelson paints. I would try the urethane-type paint, but am scared off by the fumes and also the availability here in Cyprus. Things I like about Nelson paints are that they are color-matched to the ultracote I am using and that they are fuel proof and seem to be pretty tough. Also, I like the clear coat that they sell with it. Things I don't like are that they are pretty expensive. It looks like close to $100.00 for primer, three colors and clear coat and activator type thingy.

This painting thing is new to me and I must say, it strikes me as an art form, science and craftsmanship all rolled into one. Really makes me appreciate seeing a good paint job.

twn

isaacslaw, thank you for the kind complements in regaurds to the ultimate. With the omni au and ppg u don't have to prime with their primer. I found that the topflite (lustrekote) makes an awsome base, but other over-the-counter primers and sealers that are sold in a can work great too but may not be fuel proof. From the time that I have used this paint I found that the only time a primer is needed is on fiberglass. The normal paint sticks and covers well over plastics without primer. I cheap out and use the gloss white as an undercoat mostly, scuffed lightly 12 hours after spraying. To make it even cheaper Lordco mixes me 1/2 pints at a shot. Costs about $12 per half pint and a half pint will probably paint 3 or more complete planes, so lots... The down side with the primer and clear is that it is only sold in gallons, yup expensive. The fumes are not so bad. The first hour after spraying is nasty after that the paint hardens and reduces stink a lot. I use a venting fan in the room I'm spraying in and it really helps but I haven't ever sprayed a complete plane either, if I did I would spray it out side...

I would love to try the nelsons paints but to get it shipped up here to Canada is insanely expensive...

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

There is no hazmat shipping on nelsons paint, it's non-toxic and contains no VOC's, but shipping is still shipping. The only problem with painting direct on anything without primer, is it needs a solid lite colored base to be uniform in color.

twn

Yes true, but I use the gloss white omni as a uniform base in most cases other than over fiberglass. With fiberglass u get fish eyes with no primer and thus cannot use even the gloss white omni either, must pe actual primer here. I tried.

So far out of many colors the only color that needed a uniform undercoat was metallic blue as it was rather transparent. The cub yellow, white, flaming red, sapphire blue, black, silver and bright yellow all have an increadible pigment. They cover VERY well. Colors don't show through them. But the metallic blue needed a white undercoat.

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

I went through the same thing, with the blue metallic to match monokote, I even did test strips on plastic pieces with different shades of primer to see which shade of primer got the final color closest to the monokote. The dope finishes need a solid white base to keep from seeing through the paint I found. The slighest chip in the white base coat resulted in a dark spot in the color. What a pain in the Asz. But I prefer to paint most of my planes from now on, I can always go back and touchup the damaged area, instead of trying to keep the seams from showing on plastic film repairs. I also found that polyester glass cowls (fiberglass, has oils and wax in the resin, if you wipe them down with acetone and scuff the surface, then repeat with acetone, you'll get the cleanest surface to eliminate any fisheyes. I'm actually thinking of trying the paint in mold technique for a few parts I have to make, this way, the epoxy glass will bond to the paint and it will have the surface finished when I pull it from the mold.

dhal22

nelson clear is not high gloss. it's durable but rubbery so forget polishing it to a high gloss. and you can go months before your order is filled or emails are replied too. i'm still trying to get answer and an order filled from early november with no reply to email or phone calls. try klass kote perhaps. thats where i'm going next.

foodstick

I will often airbrush on the color, then clear with a spray can, as long as the nozzle is working good it seems to be a decent route to go. For the most part airbrush's are not really made for painting large open surfaces..more for detail work. If you have the right needle and tip they will handle it better.