ER-95

Hey Guys,

Currently waiting on an order with Tmaxx upgrades (excited)! Along with the order I have a HPI F150 body. Now I saw some videos with people painting from the inside.. Is this how you do it? Or paint on the outside?

Also is any light buffing of the body required? Or clean it then paint?


These are the steps I'm thinking of:

1.) Trim the body.

2.) Clean with dish soap and dry.

3.) Mask windows.

4.) Paint

Here'sthe paint scheme I'm going for.

mattster1971

Hello. That will be a nice paint scheme. You don't have to prep the body at all for painting just minimize touching the inside so much. If you want you can clean the plastic with warm soap and water, rinse and dry will a cloth that wont leave a bunch of lint. The outside should have a plastic covering on it, just leave that until your done painting. Window mask should be included with the body. Mask off the windows and paint on the interior of the body. Use several light coats and then maybe an oil resistant final coat inside dark to help keep from scratching off the nice paintjob of the inside.

JoeMaxx

It also help to use a plastic style wool pad about 120 grit to scratch the inside of the body as step 2.  In the large areas of the body use circular motions and attempt to get in the tight areas.  Be careful not to do any areas that you want to stay clear.    

This helps the paint to adhere to the smooth plastic on the inside of the body better. 

After painting you will never see the dull surface it creates because the paint will fill it in.   On the outside it will shine very nicely.

ER-95

How many coats do ya'll suggest? Maybe buy a can of clear coat from Lowes or something for the last layer?

JohnP2

The steps you noted are pretty much what I did for my first (and only) paint job. In fact, knowing it was only a "practice" job, I was pretty sloppy but incredibly happy with the results (I swear it took me less than45 minutes for everything).. It's not as difficult as it seems. I'm about to do my PL Bulldog body, which will be the true racing scheme... that is the one I will spend more time on.

Just YouTube some videos of it and you'll do fine!

Painting is easy, trimming the body is what I found the most difficult. Ugh!

JoeMaxx

ER-95

That came out good John!

JoeMaxx

Did not mean to qoute myself got a phone call right when I was about to post a video link

ER-95

Lol no problemo

JoeMaxx

You should buy the paint from the hobby shop because other paints will damage the body.

I generally do about 3 coats and let it dry for About 1hours between coats. A hair dryerwill help to speed up thedrying process and you still should wait 45minute to an hour betweencoats or the pain can run.

ER-95

I ordered the paint already, it's Tamiya paint.

JoeMaxx

That is great they sell Pacra/ testers paint at my LHS. I just got done with a 3 tone body for my Traxxas Slash. Picture is not that great and had some bleeding near the tape edges in areas. [img]<a href=[/img]" />

ER-95

Came out great!

I can't wait to get started!

ER-95

Any tips for doing the painted wheel fenders?

SyCo_VeNoM

for the OP I'd also mask the bumpers on the inside

heres how I would do it
mask the bumpers, and windows
paint the red 3-4 coats or till you are appy
back the red with white to red pop if not I'd take the tape off the fenders, and bumper and just spray it all gray and back the red with the gray to deepen it.(or black if you want it even darker)

If you wanted the red brighter after backing with white then peel the fenders off and spray the grey, then back with either black or white (depending how you want it to look)

Pretty much what you back the pain it can completely change the look. Popular colors to back the paint in: white, Black, Silver

ER-95

Masking off the side panels and bumper won't be that hard, it's the fender.

Not sure how I'm gonna get a perfect arch of color.

SyCo_VeNoM

could always buy a 2oz bottle of parma faskolor gray and do the gray section by hand with a brush
if you make a mistake or want to sharpen your lines with that paint you can use a q-tip with rubbing alcohol to take the paint off
total you would be looking at $7 or less for the paint, and brush shipped
then after you can just spray the body the red you want without worry


Heres an example the silver in this body I did was hand painted, and the blue was sprayed

ER-95

You mean the tan layer?

I was thinking of taping it off the best I can and the lightly cut the curve with a hobby knife.

SyCo_VeNoM

yea the tan (looked light gray to me [&:])


well you can do that too. my way just kinda if you found the fender too hard to tape

ER-95

I shouldn't cut the body by cutting the tape right? Ha, don't want to see a cut line...

Depends on the pressure applied..

SyCo_VeNoM

pretty much it depends on pressure applied it will still scratch the body, but the paint should fill it in and be unnoticeable

ER-95

Yeah, true.

I'll be fine.

There will be pics!

BKoz559

My Feedback: (3)

This is a good tape because it's thin, flexible and it doesn't leave tape residue.

http://www.testors.com/category/137918/Masking_Tapes

prestonlal

An easy way I find is to draw the curve out on the outside with a thin sharpie, then when applying the tape inside you just follow the line you drew! If you don't have a steady hand for drawing the curve, you can always use something curved as a template to draw the curve. After you paint and you remove the overspray sheet and no more drawing!
Hope this makes sense to you!

ER-95

Good idea, we'll see how it goes!