marksextra

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Anyone know how much or how little paint can add to a 2.6M plane? How about when compared to vinyl?

Thanks in advance.

marksextra

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Of course I'm talking about the total weight of the plane.

marksextra

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Someone said this plane got "heavy". What's that mean? 2 pounds? three?

Flyjets

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Hi

I have painted several Airframes and at the most I have seen 1 to 2 lbs and thats for a paint job like the photo u displayed. That weight also includes the clear coat.

Ian

marksextra

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Thanks for the quick reply.

How does that compare to a plane with the same amount of vinyl?

Here's another airbrushed one. Again....just 1-2lbs extra..???

bubbagates

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Paint versus vinyl is a hard one. A lot depends on the type/brand of vinyl. Some are thicker than others. IMHO, I think vinyl would be lighter in most respects but again, as with paint, i all depends on how much you add

You would need two people with the same plane and setup with one using paint and another using vinyl to get the better results you are looking for

HarryJ

My Feedback: (98)

I'm getting ready to cover a 33% Waco YMF with a fabric and automotive paint. I am estimating a 3 to 5 pound weight gain. That includes, primer, base coat, and clearcoat. I'm covering a lot of area, especially with two wings with a 10' w/s.

marksextra

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So, where would I find an experienced airbrush guy?

bubbagates

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Where in the North East of Pa are you? Down close to Hershey is a LHS I work for at times. One of the owners paints cars for a living but does airbrushing on the side for RC cars/trucks as well as planes. He does excellent work

I do not have any pics available here to show you but if you are interested PM me and I'll put you in contact with him

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

A painted in the mold Comp Arf will gain a lot less weight than one that was painted after the mold. As far as the vinyl comparison, that depends a lot on the amount of vinyl. A few logos or short designs in vinyl won't be that heavy, but someone that uses vinyl to make up a lot of flames, checkers, and logos can end up heavier that if they painted it.

as722

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I'd have to say that if done right paint is ligther than vinyl. I know someone that had a 3.0 extyra painted and only added 1.5 lbs.

Where are you located ? I'm up in MT Pocono, PA

Albert

marksextra

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Thanks for the offer guys. I just might take you up on it. I'm up here near Erie(that's right on the lake). The name of the town I live in is North East.(yes i know it's in the NW part of the state...but I didn't name it..lol) Here a example of what I would like to do or at least something close to it. Any idea how long it takes to airbrush one like this? This is the Comp-arf Extra 260. It's supposed to arrive soon so I have to figure something out.

Tired Old Man

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If you have design templates already cut for the painter it shouldn't take more than a couple of days. The painters schedule has to be factored into the completion time, too.

marksextra

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ya think I need an airbrush guy or will a autobody shop paint guy work?

bubbagates

My Feedback: (32)

Either would probably work but someone that is good with an airbrush would be better. You also will need to remember that whatever paint is used there is an additive to allow it to flex. Almost every C-Arf manual says this somewhere near the end. I know for sure the manual for the white and scale colored 2.3 says it.

The guy I was going to recommend a few posts back does custom car painting and is very good. He uses both the normal paint guns and airbrush techniques on his car/truck bodies.

What I would do is call around to the local hobby shops, especially the ones that do a lot of work on RC cars and trucks, they will most likely know of someone that airbrushes car/truck bodies. Custom sign painters, local artists, heck even check the yellow pages and see what you can find. In any case you will most likely end up paying for the paint and well as the work.

as722

My Feedback: (1)

You don't need any flex additive unless it is something like a landing gear. If your airplane flexes that much you are going to have bigger problems.


Albert

rmh

Talk to some painters- the first model shown here --is one I built for a friend and there was 2 pounds of paint on it by a custom airbrush guy.
what is missing in discussion here --is the fact that most airbrush guys use a base coat for colors -then clear coat entire model rather heavily to get sheen correct

When we were doing pattern planes - airbrush guys asked "how do you keep em light?" the problem being that 99% of their work has nothing to do with keeping things light
Clear coat has to be layed on such that it can level -and that can really load on the weight
You may consider super thin vinyl cut in patterns you like
it can easily be lighter.
Our secret for the light pattern planes was to use a flat epoxy basecoat as primary color-then automotive basecoat -then clearcoat but ONE clearcoat was it - and it takes some experience to get one good wet coat that does not run --or go flat .On th bigger gassers -doing a paint job over the shell can really pile it on
My Buckers for TOC -were 17-18 lbs Monokote and Tartan and Zenoah powered .
a local guy did exact same model in fabric and paint and scale detailed it really a knockout
and used an 80 twin (3W ). his weighed 25 lbs still flew nicely but landed hot.

JLS

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Everything Dick says is exactly true. If you have an experienced painter that can lay down a single layer of clear without running or having a dull finish, I think the weight is minimal. Here is a plane that crashdaily painted for me. I didnt weigh it before paint so I dont know exactly how much it added but currently it is a 38.25 lb comp arf 260. ZDZ 160 super, MTW cans etc....

marksextra

My Feedback: (28)

Wow,

JLS: That is one nice plane. Maybe Crashdaily could do me one too. Did you get a chance to fly it yet? How'd it fly?

I talked to the bodyshop guy that's supposed to paint my plane and he said he used Dupont and it doesn't need a flex additive. Also, he said he could keep it light. We'll see.

JLS

My Feedback: (19)

Thanks for the compliment turbo. Im very proud of it and yes it does fly awesome. The 160 super is the smoothest motor I have ever seen. I have to mention that I copied Brian Zangs Edge from Aerografix. He is going to make some graphics for it that will really set it off. Crashdaily is the rare perfectionist type that you want painting your plane. When he did mine, he kept talking about wanting to do more planes. Im sure he would if you could get it to Kansas City. Maybe buy it and have them ship it here first? Oh yeah, get House of Kolor paints. These pictures dont do it justice. The colors are a pearl metalic and are amazing in the sunlight.

crashdaly

My Feedback: (19)

Thanks for the compliment Jeff , I would do some more planes if they were in the midwest and could deliver them here to kansas city.
Here is the underside of jeffs plane on a very cloudy day so you cant see the candy purple flames with candy green tips, But you get the idea.

marksextra

My Feedback: (28)

Crashdaly: Very nice!!! Since you know what you're talking about....how much do you think that paint added to the weight?

AndresAM

JLS,
Are you using just one servo per aileron and two for each elevator half? I thought you need more power for the ailerons than for the elevators. What kind of servos are you using?.
Thanks,
Andres

JLS

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There are two 5955's on each aileron and two on each elevator. The Comp Arf has two servos ganged together on the inboard aileron hole and an option for a third toward the tip. In case you are wondering, have 3 on the rudder with a SWB self adjusting tray. Hope this helps.
Jeff

marksextra

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C'mon Crashdaly. you out there. How much do you think paint adds to the total weight of the plane?