hambama

Acquired plane that has been covered with solartex(off white covering) and will have to be painted. I was told to use epoxy paint to help prevent from fuel damage. What type epoxy paint do I need to use? And will it spray?

Thanks for any help!!

Crash-RCU

Look up Klass Kote, they sell a lot of paint to modelers

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

Not epoxy paint but I would certainly recommend that you at least have a look at WarbirdColors paint. It comes with a cross linker that makes it glow fuel resistant and it is much, much nicer to work with being water based rather than solvent based. Just my .02 cents anyway.

http://www.warbirdcolors.com/

PS - There are other types of paint beyond epoxy based ones which are glow fuel resistant by the way. Not that epoxy is a bad option, it's just not the only option.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

If your using a gas engine Latex paint is fine. If it's glow powered I use the Klass Kote paints but make sure your sitting down when you see the price. Good stuff though. It thins 50/50 so it doesn't take a lot to paint a plane. Go to there web site and look at the colors offered and how to mix and use.

TomCrump

My last two painted models were both covered in Solartex. Both were Sig Spacewalkers, 1/3 and 1/4 scales.

On both models, only the glass and plastic parts were primed. The Solartex was painted directly with the color coats.

The 1/4 scale Spacewalker II was painted with Nelson Hobby Specialties paints, which is waterborne. The paint job has held up well to glow fuel.

My 1/3 scale Spacewalker was recently painted with Rustoleum. An automotive hardener was added with the idea that it would make the paint fuel and gas proof. I have not flown this model, so I cannot vouch for this. However, I have a friend that has done this, and he states that it does make the paint gasoline proof.

hambama

Thanks to all for the info on the paint!! And those spacewalkers look beautiful!!!!!!!!!

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

YES, THEY DO!!!!

TomCrump

Thanks, guys.

hambama

Tom,
What is your technic? Do you mask your design or stencil or both and what color do you start with first? Like on your red and white spacewalker. Man that thing pops right at you no matter what angle!!!!!!!!!!

Donnie

Gray Beard

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I would like to know that myself. My main problem is the masking tape always seems to remove the edge of the first color. I use the blue tape but I have also tried the pin stripe tape I buy at the auto paint store. I let the colors dry for two to three days before I mask. Other then that little problem I'M OK with painting other then a bit of bleeding under the tape. My next plane is getting painted with Latex.

TomCrump

I paint the lightest color first. On the 1/3 SW, this meant that the entire airframe was painted beige. The airframe sat for a week before masking.

For the starburst design, templates were created, and then transferred to the airframe. I use a pencil to do this. I then mash the design, using 1/8" Fine Line tape, from 3M. I purchase it at the automotive paint store.

This tape is not inexpensive, at $14.00 a roll, but it's provides a sharp line. Other benefits include stretchiness and it goes around corners well. I burnish the edge, to minimize bleed through.

Next, I widen the line, using the blue painter's masking tape. Large areas are filled in with newspaper, etc.

I allow the paint to tack up nicely, and then pull the tape. I never let the paint fully cure, before I remove the tape.

I try to mask, and paint, the same day. I don't like to leave the masking tape on the airframe for long periods. Whenever I do, I seem to run into lifting problems.

TomCrump

Gray Beard: I seldom get the "perfect" mask job. I hide minor imperfections (blead through), bu using automotive pine stripe tape over the joint line.

This tape stretches well, allowing it do go around tight corners.

hambama

Tom,
Thanks a million on the tips!!!!!!!! You make it sound and look so easy, but I know better.ha! So that we are on the same page-you do not use a clear coat on any paint(latex or solvent type)paint? You mix in a additive w/the paint to make it seal or harden up more-so.... I saved these post on my computer so I can refer back. O by the way my plane is a super sportster 60 kit built by one of my fellow club members that got burned out on this project so I got it from him. He modified some of the things and spent alot of man hours doing so, I hope I don't mess up what he has started!! Picking it up this pm sometime. I will post pics later on.

Donnie

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I do the same thing, I tried my hand at pin striping, the auto trim comes out better for me. I'm not too bad with an air brush but I get carried away and start adding more paint until I get bleed under my templates.

huck1199

Anyone tried Frog tape for masking?  It is advertised to seal the edge when contacted by moisture. I think they mean water.  I wonder if oil or dope  based paints will seal it.

TomCrump

huch1199; The models that I have seen masked with frog tape, did not turn out well. In my opinion, you need to spend the $$$ on the 3M fine line tape.

Donnie; No, I don't use clear coat. The automotive additive was added to Rustoleum from quart containers, at the rate of one can per quart.

Good luck with your Sportster. It's one of my favorites.

Gray Beard ( a trait that we share, LOL), I think the key to any masking is to apply light coats, letting it set up between coats. If paint gets applied too heavily, it is bound to weep under the mask.

Avaiojet

Many years ago, and I do mean many years, this was when you had fewer choices with tape. Only masking tape was available, no plastic tape was offered then.

(We), why "we" I do not know, but I used to spray a light coat of clear to seal the tape edge before spraying color.

It helped.

OldScaleGuy

My Feedback: (2)

I just finished painting a 50% Smith Miniplane with latex. It turned ok but i think for the future i will only use latex for a war bird when there are very little if any crisp paint line seperations. The latex is cheap and this is my first experience with latex but i had to work my butt off to get a decent finish. I have heard of some fellows masking off the trim and then spraying a coat of the base color. I have not had the patience to try that but it sounds like it may be a viable solution or at least an aid to getting crisp lines with less or no bleed under. Like you said Tom, i like to get the tape on and then off again asap. Doing the base color with some drying time before the trim color would slow down the tape removal process......

hambama

Thanks to all !! I will be in touch.

Donnie