crash bandicoute

just got a new set of .40 sizepontoons in the mail from GP. (so the wife says) when i was looking at them online, the description says you can cover them with monocrap or 'glass and paint them. it says to use epoxy paint??? the only epoxy paint i can find online is the stuff you put down on the garage floor. what am i missing and does it require mixing and an airbrush? will laquer or enamelpaint work to repel the nitro in my fuel instead? i haveno airbrush.the last set i had were covered in monocrap, and compound curves are not your friend regardless of what others tell you. i didn't like them so i sold them. another set i glassed for a friend, but he painted them and has moved away since. i plan on using 3/4 oz. glass cloth and polyurethane again, as the finish was amazing. you couldn't even tell they were glassed, and so very smooth.

fireman7875

My Feedback: (7)

I'm not really sure why they specify epoxy paint. I wouldn't think that fuel proofing would be a tremendous concern here. Any fuel that ends up on the floats wont stay there long. Look into Klass Kote. I think it is an epoxy paint and may be there only one left on the market.

Otherwise, there are other options such as a polyurethane. That would still be pretty fuel proof and would provide a durable finish.

Brian

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Klass Kote is a two part epoxy paint. Tough as nails but really high dollar stuff!! I love there paints. I wouldn't bother with it for floats though. You can get a spray can of epoxy paint paint for household appliances from most home appliance stores. I have a can in front of me, HI-Q Spray Epoxy made by TRU TEST, $3.98. Reason for the epoxy paint is it doesn't chip or crack as easy as most paints. It even flexes a bit so you don't get stress cracks.

k12rc

any good laquer paint is fuel proof

crash bandicoute

not that i'm going to walk around huffing on this stuff, but i googled it, and the first thing that popped up was the MSDS. so i figured what the heck, i'll look it over. i don't really think about breathing paint fumes while painting, but maybe we all should. the MSDS says it caused lung fibrosis in 92% of the lab rats tested. now i don't know if i should be more concerned that they're testing on animals, or the fact that the percentage is so high. like i said, i ain't sniffing it, but.....

so maybe i'll just put an extra layer or two of cloth on the bottom side and use some good 'ole krylon. i love me some krylon. (after i google it ) i guess the spray from the water will keep it pretty clean.

man, I wanna fly!!! screw the rain.

mike31

My Feedback: (67)

Only if you are a lab rat. They sell resperators for paint fumes etc. Or you can use Top Flight LusterKote spray paints sold thru Tower Hobbies. Fuel proof and color match to monocrap, if that's what you need.

crash bandicoute

lustrekote is so limited on colors though. does anyone know if the laquer rattle cans from 'testors- model masters' are good paints? they have a wider variety, though a little more expensive. i've never used them. i'm not really concerned on matching the plane, either. they're going on a kadet MKII, and the colors for that are base color creme, with maroon trim. i may just go with the boring aluminium look for the floats, and maybe fit some silver trim tape in the plane scheme somewhere. outline the maroon with it? i'll get some pics of the floats on here when i get to work on them.i gotta work all weekend, so it'll be about monday sometime.

*** can a moderator change the title of the thread to add 'GP .40 pontoon build'? i don't want to end up in the general discussion forum...

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

Testors paints are not fuel proof, or even fuel resistant.

k12rc

If iam useing laquer I go to a local car repair shop most have a paint mixing machine.they can mix your colors and put them in spray cans now it is one coat clear coat do wear a respirator

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Tried that last week. The price of getting it mixed made Klass Kote look better and better!! Years ago when I was still painting my own cars it cost me about $100.00 a gallon for car paint. Today it has just gotten silly. Whenever I'm painting I wear a mask or respirator. Considering all the auto painters still alive without lung problems either the respirators work or painters are tougher then rats??

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

I have also gone to a local auto body repair shop, and I too have been taken to the cleaners by them. Auto paints give beautiful results, very fuel proof, very durable, and glass like finish, but very expensive. Last time I used some Krylon and covered it with some clear LustreKote to fuel proof it. Color match with LustreKote is a crapshoot. White is good, but I tried to shoot some missle red and it came out a rust color, way too brown. Three cans proved it was not just a bad fluke.

exracer

My Feedback: (1)

Lowe's has Appliance pant in a shake can and it great stuff, it's epoxy and flows out smooth.

crash bandicoute

hey guys, thanks for the replies. i found a couple cans of black epoxy paint made by rustoleum. made for appliances. it may be a day or two building before i get to test it, but i will repost the build picks and paint info back here after i get to it. i may just squirt the bottoms of the pontoons with the black, and do something else with the upper portion. i'm not sure yet. i'll try the krylon an some scrap and hit it with the lustrekote clear and see what that does and post as well.

RICMOD5634

Most auto stores have an engine paint thats clear, laquare base and it works over Krylon, Rustolium and Ace paints. It makes them all very fuel proof. Hot, cold or even after sitting a week if your lazy on cleaning.

crash bandicoute

Ricmod, thank you for your service. i too am in the military Air Force. i'm a crew chief on the C-17's. i will look for the clear coat you refered to. that just may be what i'm looking for. thank you. do you know who makes it, so i get the right stuff?

crash bandicoute

wow. too easy to get carried away with building stuff. not much to say about the build. they go way too fast to stop and mess around. here are a couple of pics with the epoxy black paint on the bottom. the tops and sides are still glassed with some primer on them i somehow gota little blistering on the forward of one of them, if you can tell,... not really sure how. other than that, they are turning out really nice. i'm going to cover my kadet MKII in mostly cream with monokote maroon or dk red and try to get some krylon to match as closely as possible. the transomsare black also, as well as a little on the topof the toes. up next after they cure for a few days, will be rivet work, some other details, and then the painting on the rest of them. so far, i'm happy.

crash bandicoute

got the first coat of maroon shot. still needs at least another, then on to clear and wet sanding. hopefully i can get rid of some of the blemishes with the clear coat and wet sanding. then a couple of the snow we finally got yesterday, and i'm not ready... go figure... oops, forgot one.

crash bandicoute

so over my weekend, i got around to finishing up my float's paint job. when pulling off some of the painters tape, some of the paint and i'm not sure, but i think some of the fabric came off as well. i'd really hate to have to go back over everything with sand paper and redo some of the spots with epoxy and the whole task of it; would the clear coat and whatever paint is there be enough to seal them from the water or do i need to suck it up and redo everything? if not, am i doomed to a life time of waiting for snow and maybe takeoff and landing on grass? can i use them on grass? i used polycrylic and glass over them originally instead of the epoxy resin. first with the polycrylic spray to sealand prepthe wood. then laid the glass and brushed on the can stuff, then primed and sanded and painted.not sure i'm happy with the quality, now that this has come up. but it's only along the bottom of the sides where they come to the bottoms in a couple small spots. but right where they sit in the drink. should i put sealant where the LG mount screws go into them and where the rudders screw on, as well?