lamarkeiko

My Feedback: (1)

I've been building a BTE Venture, and I'm almost at the covering stage. I have some rolls of white Solartex to cover with, and I plan on painting on top of that, with the final coats being spray painted using a HVLP gravity gun and latex paint. I have covered planes with Monolote, Ultracote and Sig Koveral in the past, with the Koveral being painted with rattle-can Rustoleum. I have never used Solartex before, nor have I used a spray gun, so I'm anxious to try both. One delima I have is covering the fuslage of the Venture. As I look at the job, the only part of the fuslage that requires Solartex is the turtle deck and the openings in the sides just below the turtle deck. What I'm considering doing is just covering these openings, then using a latex primer over the entitre fuslage once Solartex is applied. I will then sand smooth, and add more primer and continue sanding until I achieve a good smooth fill. The line where the Solartex stops on the fuselage, I could use either use a spackling compound or more primer and then feather out with fine sandpaper until I have good smooth transition. I will probably just brush the primer, since it will be sanded, but I intend to use Home Depot paint tinted to my colors of choice and spraying the final colors, then clear coating with Lustercote for fuel proofing. I would appreciate some opinions on what I'm planning on doing. If there are better Ideas, I would love to hear them. Also, should there be any type of finish applied to the bare wood before Solartex is applied?
Thanks for any help
Lamar

Leroy Gardner

Hi Lamar, sounds like you have some experience so this shouldn't be to difficult for you. First thing, Laytex does not sand well because it is vinyl and would be a poor choice for filler. I'm doing a 1/4 scale Spacewalker right now and I glassed the fuselage with .75 oz. fiberglass and filled it with Dap light weight spackle, sanded and went over it again and sanded again with 220 grit being careful not to get into the fiber and then went over it lightly with 400 grit and primered with Dupli-color High Build grey primer then repeated the sanding all over again. It's ready for paint. In your case Solartex could be put over the open areas and feathered tnto the finished primer area the white as well as the netural color Solartex is sealed and light sanding should be done before filling the weave with a filler primer, may take a couple of coats and many do it for that smooth surface to paint on. All balsa surfaceses sealed with Balsa Rite or laquer sanding sealer will provide better adheasion for all heat activated coverings so yes it's a good idea to seal the wood.

This will be my first experience with Solartex but all I have heard about it is good and I've seen it on several planes, those that use it don't go back to Koveral and I'm sold on it. Another thing is it don't loosen up in the sun like many others do, just follow instructions and you should have no problem. Re-think the laytex, Rustoleum is a better choice and Lowe's and Home Depot should have it in quarts to mix your favorite color. I use urethane automotive paints and they are fuel proof, I don't know if Rustoleum is or not.

You will likely get other opinions about your questions so hang in there and good luck with your finish.

Leroy

TomCrump

Here are a few tips, when using Solartex.

Balsarite will aid in adhesion, helping the covering stick to the wood.

Never apply primer over Solartex, where there are open bays. Cracking and peeling may occur after the model is set in the sun.

Filled and primed balsa will eventually show would grain. If you want a smooth surface, the balsa should be glassed, using epoxy resin, or be covered with your Solartex.

Solartex doesn't need a primer. Apply color coats directly to it.

The weave does not need to be sealed.

Most paints will go over Solartex.

Latex will work, but on a small model, like yours, the weight gain will be significant, as a clear coat (more weight) will be required.

An excellent waterborne paint is available from Nelsons. http://www.nelsonhobby.com/hobby_paint.php It reqires no clear coat.

lamarkeiko

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks Leroy and Tom for your replies back. I really don't want to add too much weight to the plane. I don't think fiberglass & epoxy would be a good choice. Since you mentioned it Tom, I now recall reading in a forum once that warned about primer cracking if applied over open bays. I'll exclude the primering on the Sorartex. I would be very interested in using the Rustoleum in the quart cans if I can have them tinted to my color choice, but I was under the impression that Rustoleum only came in basic colors. I'm not after a high glossy smooth finish, but I would like to fill the balsa wood some. I have been expermenting with Mod Podge over the balsa prior to painting, and it seems to help give a much smoother finish. Do you have any thoughts on that? I don't believe it would add much weight. As for Nelsons paints, I have looked into them in the past and they seem fairly spendy. I'm looking at using a paint easily available and not so costly. I do already have Balsarite on hand, so I will use it over the bare wood prior to covering and painting.

Lamar

TomCrump

I use Rustoleum, too. Like you, I am not aware of the fact that it can be tinted to specific colors.

Like I stated before. Filling the balsa does not work, in the long run. If you want to hide the wood grain, you must glass it, or cover it.

Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

Though expensive, a catalyzed epoxy primer such as KlassKote or any of the catalyzed urethane automotive primers will fill balsa very well and permanently. I have airplanes over 30 years old that were finished with K&B Superpoxy (very similar to KlassKote) and zero wood grain shows to this day. You can't duplicate these results with any air dry primer as like dope, these constantly shrink through their life.

When trying to go cheap, I find that Rustoleum Industrial Coating works much better than regular Rustoleum. As far as I know, it only comes in larger spray cans but it sprays extremely well, better than most rattle can paints. You may have to warm the can half way through a spray job to keep the spray pressure constant but a bit of time under hot water in the sink quickly takes care of that task. These paints shine and level very well and dry a bit faster than normal Rustoleum. They have moderate fuel resistant properties about the same as any paints of this type. The color selection is limited.

Frankly if this were my airplane and I was set on using Solartex, I would just use colored material and spray a light coat of clear on the finished product and be done with it. Seems like all the other steps are just so much extra work when Solartex has a good color selection.

I still have one of the very first Bruce Tharp Ventures. I try to fly it at least a few times each year but for the most part, it is just a hanger queen these days. Nice plane though I enlarged the small ailerons and faired the nose into a large spinner with a side mounted engine. Covered with Ultracote.

lamarkeiko

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks again Truckracer and Tom for your replies back. I am set on using Solartex and painting. I just have to come up with the best method for me to use. I am leaning toward using latex paint. I was at Home Depot today to see what they had to offer, and I found they have an interior/exterior base sampler of Behr Premium Plus flat latex paint in 7.5 oz size that they can tint to any color you like. I had them mix me a color called Sexy Pink that I'll do some expermenting with. It only cost $2.95 and looks like enough to paint an airplane with. Even though it is flat, if I clear coat with gloss Lustercote for fuel proofing I should still have my gloss. I will keep this thread informed on what I come up with.
One other thing I tried today, in the building process of my Venture which Truckracer will be familar with. For the elevator and rudder, the plans call for applying fiberglass at the points where the control horns are attached. I did the elevator using thin ca per plans, I was not too fond of the process, so when I got to doing the rudder, I used Mod Podge instead of ca. This turned out so much more easy to do, and once dried, it sanded out very nicely.

Lamar