misfitsailor

My Feedback: (6)

Long story, but I have a Magnum 91 that would be much more atractive again if it could be painted. (stained dark grey) I saw a picture posted of a Saito that had been painted, and it was pretty sharp. Any tips on type of paint, ect?

Motorboy

You need the equipment to anodize the engineparts of aluminium. http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize99.html

Jens Eirik

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

Here's how I do it:

First, I completely disassemble the engine and clean and degrease it. Then I mask off the areas I don't want paint getting on/into. I now pre-heat my parts as well as my paint. I place the parts in a 150*F oven before painting. I heat my paint spray cans by placing them in a large pan of hot tap water and occasionally shake the paint to get it evenly warmed up. I take the parts and paint outside to a table already prepped for painting, and just paint. I will usually put 3 coats of paint on, waiting an hour between coats.

I have used Krylon enamel successfully for many various applications (model engines; automotive engine parts; etc). I recently have tried Duplicolor and, unlike Krylon, it didn't work so well until I started pre-heating the parts to be painted. I let the paint dry completely for 4 or 5 days and then remove the masking tape and bake the parts in a 250*F oven for one hour, then cool the oven to 150*F for an hour, then shut the oven off and let the parts cool down inside the oven. This will make the paint about as hard as it can get and also virtually fuel proof.

I will also polish various parts to a brilliant shine; and I replace most hardware with button head stainless steel socket screws.

Richard L.

My Feedback: (24)

Powdercoating is another durable way to paint an engine.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

VHT brand disk brake caliper paint is very good. It just comes in the more primary colors. You must use VHT brake cleaner to clean the engine. You must bake the engine afterwards to set the paint.

Enjoy,

Jim

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

Richard L.: Let us see your powder coated engines.

w8ye: Let us see your VHT painted engines.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I don't have any yet. I was just reading about this last summer on here.

I would have done it if I could have found any VHT.

I was searching for the thread and all I could find was something that this Kmot guy did. Heh heh

Enjoy,

Jim

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

Bummer! I wanna see some other painted engines!

As for VHT, most auto parts stores carry it don't they? Online, I think Caswell Plating sells VHT.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

They used to. You could even find it in the discount stores.

I've been all around the city I'm in and I havn't found any. The only VHT I found was at Summit on line. This city is pretty big 100,000 (not Shelby, Ohio) but I struck out.

I think the big secret is to bake the paint?

I bought a Saito 50 GK real cheap because someone had sprayed black paint all over it some years before. The engine ran great but looked awful. The paint was here and there and was peeling.

I wiped the paint off with a rag but it wasn't easy. It looks good. Don't know why they sprayed it or even what kind of paint it was?

I doubt they cleaned the residual oil off the engine before they sprayed it?

Enjoy,

Jim

Ed_Moorman

My Feedback: (1)

I have thought about painting an engine myself, but never got around to doing it. Here are a few of the URLs I found. Common to all for our use is baking the paint after it dries.

About a year ago I had Bill Robison put ceramic bearings in my Saito .72 and when he did, he painted the cylinder black. It seems to be sticking well and the engine has been on 2 airplanes, a Bellanca scale plane and presently a Harrier 3D 46. I'll check with him and see how he did it and what he used.


[link=http://store.newlevelmotorsports.com/brcapasy.html]Brake Caliper Paint[/link][link=http://wheelskin.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=BRAKE+CALIPER+PAINT]More Caliper Paint[/link][link=http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@1377144586.1138485075@ @@@&BV_EngineID=cchladdglhkjddicegecegjdghldghg.0&pid=00917288000&vertical=TOOL&ihtoken=1]Sears Craftsman Powder Coat System[/link]

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

The Sears link doesn't completely work. When you get to the Sears site, just do a search for System powder coat Just think, for $200, you can have black powder coat on your Saito.

Enjoy,

Jim

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

I've been asked to stick my nose in here, as I've been painting air cooled engines for many years.

On the motorcycles I always used what was called a "Stove" enamel, but it's not suited for model engines because it makes too thick a coating.

On model engines I've used Imron, ordinary butyrate dope, and several paints in rattle cans. The rattle cans are the least expensive, and the least bother.

The Carl Goldberg "Spray Epoxy" was good, I don't know if it's still available, I haven't bought any for several years. The 21st Century "Coverite" paint works well, and the Top Flite "LustreKote" is also a good choice. But the most easily available, and if not the least expensive then close to it, is plain old Krylon, as mentioned in an earlier post.

For good results the metal has to be sterile. Not just clean. Give the parts a few hours in your crock pot, then scrub it with dish detergent in hot water. Rinse thoroughly. Finally, scrub it again in acetone.

I've never done a preheat or prewarm, but in damp weather it might not be a bad idea to prevent blushing with a fast drying paint.

In spraying the main thing to watch is keeping the spray in line with the slots between the fins, else you'll get a lot on the outer edges and nothing goes to the base of the fins. Also, try to get your coverage with as few coats as possible, too much paint can become an insulator and keep the heat in, rather than helping it radiate.

After the paint is dry to the touch, put the part(s) in your toaster oven (if it has a thermostat) and cook for about 20-30 minutes at 140F-150F. Your wife's kitchen range can also be used, generally the toaster oven costs less for cooking the engine.

I've never tried the "Duplicolor" paints, I can't comment on their suitability.

Hope this helps somebody.

Bill

PS: Ed Moorman's FA-72 was done with LustreKote, David Hobbs' FA-30 was Coveite from 21st Century.wr.

cyclops2

I think Satio usedto have a Black Knight series. Very practical, as BLACK is the best color for ahot engine to give off heat on a hot day.

A hot engine should always be under 280F. So any paint would do with a good job.



Do not bake a engine with the front ball bearings in or the carburator on. Just in case your oven goes nuts O. Seals and O rings do not like the HOTS.

Also, baking will release some cylinder sleeves or bearings.

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Cyclops:

The baking is done before assembly - there should be nothing other than the painted parts in the oven.

Bill.

cyclops2

We need to tell some people why they need to completly take the engine apart, or they will not.

cyclops2

Bill every new reply I make shows a mail error path notation at the top left corner on the blank screen time. Could you checif I am the only one ? Thanks

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

OneEye:

You're not alone.

Check [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3832299/tm.htm]this[/link] thread.

Bill.

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

WR did my .30 cylinder and I like the look. He borrowed it to gain info for a future Saito maintainance seminar. I almost had to buy it back from him.

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

I tried very hard, but I couldn't convince Hobbsy that I could give the engine a better home than he.

Haw.

If you ever get one of these little FA-30 engines you will be surprised at its power.

Bill.

maxtenet

My understanding from motorcycle days is that painting keeps the heat in as it covers the metal and anodizing allows it to dissipate as it is part of the metal. Anyone know different?

Max

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Max:

Aluminum stoved in flat black enamel radiates heat better than plain aluminum, and much better than polished aluminum.

Harley-Davidson finally learned this lesson, and stopped spraying their cylinders in aluminum paint, all the later engines have the iron and steel cylinders done in black. The few that still have polished finned alloy muffs are for decoration, not for cooling.

Air cooled aircraft engines have almost always been painted black. Because of better radiation.

Problems occur only when the paint is applied too thickly, then it does start being an insulator rather than an aid in cooling.

Bill.

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

jessiej

Georgeous, Kmot. Absolutely beautiful.

jess

Tom Jones

My Feedback: (4)

Kmot, it really is nice. What is the mark or notch on the prop nut for? Tom

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

OK, Tom. In this picture I can see the mark. Answer in the "Club Saito" thread.

Bill.