KenChoo

Hi Don,

Great to hear from you. I'm happy to help any way I can. So to answer your specific questions:
- Yes, I applied a coat of Balsarite to the entire airframe before covering. I read a number of threads that said doing so helps a lot with getting a good bond for Solartex (not needed as much for other film coverings).
- The masking tape does sometimes lift the covering up from the air frame, but it's not a problem as I can iron it back down later or even let it be in some places (as long as it's not at a seam or an edge). It doesn't always do so, just sometimes.
- I've applied the paint with both foam brushes and hair brushes, and I have to say I prefer the way it goes on with the hair brush. It just seems easier to blend and smooth the different strokes together. That said, I think it's more of a personal preference as both work fine. I did find that I liked thinning the paint at a 10-1 ratio (not 4-1 as is suggested).
- I'm using cross-linker in each coat, yes, because I decided to apply all my coats at one paint-session. There's absolutely no harm in doing the bottom coats without cross-linker and letting that sit for a couple hours, then doing the last coat with cross linker - it was just easier for me as I only needed to mix my paint/cross-linker once. It's amazing how little paint you really end up using.

The only two things I would have to say about the Solartex and Nelson's (System 3) paint approach are that, 1) it's time consuming...when you're done covering you're still less than half done with the finish (there's masking and painting to do still), and 2) it'll most likely weigh more than just film alone, although I'm fairly comfortable that the plane and engine combo can take the extra weight-I don't think it's TOO much. I've been pretty busy the last week, and I'm hoping to get back into finishing the last bits of black I need to put on.

Please feel free to ask any more questions about covering/painting...There's lots of people on here with great experience who can chime in.

Cheers!
Ken

DBD1

Thanks Ken! That's good info, I'm glad you mentioned the weight as I was wondering about that as well.

KenChoo

Finally got around to finishing the cabin area - with this done, all the black is on the fuse. It didn't come out as well as I'd hoped for...in fact when I finished it I felt it looked kinda crude. The reason for this is that the 1/8" masking tape tended to pull in on the really sharp corners of the cabin windows so I had to supplement the mask in those areas with regular (wider) masking tape. Anyway, chalk that one up to my masking job. It'd have been better had I invested in doing a proper vinyl mask (full windows) with transfer tape. Now I know :-). I consoled myself by saying this way it has a certain rustic, hand-made (and amateur) look to it.



Cheers,
Ken

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Ken, get a roll of black trim tape from Great Palnes or whomever and put it on over the paint edge. No one will ever know!

Mike

TomCrump

You're learning way too fast. I just did that, last week.

KenChoo

Neat tip, Mike! Thanks! :-)

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Two things to remember, pinstripe tape is your friend and flat black paint looks like a shadow and hides a lot of sins.

KenChoo

Well, here's a little bit more done - first bits of red on the airframe: control surfaces and the horizontal stab done.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Looks good Ken!

KenChoo

Thanks Mike!

Okay, fin completed too, so that means the empennage is done.



Ken

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Beautiful!

DBD1

Really looking good!

KenChoo

I was just testing out how the System 3 Paint would take to the landing gear. I scuffed (sanded) the entire surface with 120 grit (I think, though it may have been 80 grit - it was a scrap that didn't have the label on the back) and cleaned it with acetone, then painted two coats of the black... looks better than I was expecting! This'll prepare me to do the cowl later on.

buzzard bait

Spray or brush?

Looks nice.

TomCrump

Yes it does.

The 80-120 grit sounds coarse, though. I use 320 when I prepare to spray.

KenChoo

Hi guys,

Brushed on...I forgot to mention too, no thinning for applying paint on the landing gear-straight out of the bottle. Tom, yeah, I think 80-120 grit was a bit overkill too :-). I wanted to make sure the paint had a good grip on the surface, but 320 for the cowl it will be.

Ken

buzzard bait

Nelson Hobbies recommends 220. I have no experience with this, but I'm very interested in it; thanks for the report on the landing gear.

Jim

KenChoo

Jim, thanks for the reminder of what grit Nelson's Hobby recommends. It's been a while since I visited their site so I've forgotten. I do remember their saying that the System 3 paint relies on mechanical adhesion and so sanding the painted surface to allow the paint to grip is important.

With the hard metal surface of the landing gear I was quite comfortable with a lower grit paper to do the sanding..also I'm very pleased the scuff marks are completely covered by the paint. It's a very smooth finish.

I think for the cowl I'll decide between 220 and 320 when I get too it...(if 320 seems too fine a paper I'll go to the 220). The cowl will be a while later though as I want to finish up then fuse and wing first before marking out the scheme on the cowl.

Cheers,
Ken

KenChoo

Hi Everyone,

Pardon the long periods of silence. I'm finding it very difficult to be motivated to keep painting...but here's the fuse done (at last!). I'm sorry the pictures aren't the best - I don't think it's the camera's fault, I just don't seem to know how to take good photos.



Cheers,
Ken

P.S. the misaligned rudder is because I haven't glued the hinges yet...it's just hanging there loosely.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Fantastic paint job well worth the wait!

Hydro Junkie

First off, don't use "backlighting. Having the subject sitting in front of a window drives the light sensors in the camera totally crazy

buzzard bait

It looks great! The hardest parts are done, don't get discouraged, it's going to be a beautiful airplane.

Jim

KenChoo

Thanks Mike (FlyerInOKC) and Jim (buzzardbait),

Truth be told it's not as good as the photos make it out to be, but from 5 feet away it's decent enough! :-). Yeah, I'm glad the toughest part is over. Once I get the wing done I can focus on something other than painting at least :-)

cheers,
Ken

skylark-flier

Geez Ken, you're being WAY TOO HARD on yourself. She looks great!!!!

Hydro Junkie

I have to agree, it does look really good. Once you get the engine and cowl on and wing finished, you'll wonder why you were so hard on yourself