DSA.308

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Heres the new paint job on my 46VR...Its automotive SIKKENS 2 stage base/clear two tone "SOLAR ORANGE AND PORSCHE BOXSTER SILVER". I applied 3 super thick coats of clear and then color sanded for the final polish....the pictures couldnt even come close to doing the paint justice! It turned out simply PERFECT and looks stunning in the sunlight, and while in flight. The picture in flourecent yellow was the first paint job, and was a 'shake and shoot' spray can job. Let me know what you all think!

Raptor^Norway

Super paint job!

heli143

My Feedback: (6)

Todd,
that is a great paint job.
I am getting ready to build a Long Ranger. Where did you get the paint, I've never heard of it (not a surprise though, really, LOL).
I want to do a good job and I was going to use automotive paint out of a can.
how about pointing me in the right direction with some pointers?

thanks.

DSA.308

My Feedback: (6)

I dont know of any high quality automotive paint thats sold in spray cans. Sikkens is a brand thats sold to pre-approved automotive shops that are able/willing to do only the finest quality work. The paint repas periodically come by the shop to decide if we can EVEN continue to use their products! Sikkens is a super high end european brand paint. It requires that the final color be mixxed with reducer, and a catalist before being applied. Just the small amount I used to paint the small body on my helicopter costed in excess of $40! and thats MY cost! I wouldnt paint a canopy for anyone for a penny less than $100.00 and even at that price, I would be doing it as a favor.....not for profit. I just cant compete with crappy spray can jobs from china, neither do I want to. The more people see it anyways the more I realize people dont have a FUC@%$# clue as to what a "good" paint job is and what a crappy one looks like. To put things into perspective, the auto shop I work at doesnt do a complete paint job on ANYTHING for less than 7GRAND and we are back logged for OVER two months! But then again, the people who we paint cars for, are ready and willing to pay, in excess of a hundred grand for a used sports car too. Sorry I cant help more on the spray can-it just isnt my area of expertice.

randy41

Nice paint job. I like that color better than the
first color you painted.

Todd: I just painted mine base coat/clear coat. Its orange and yellow.
I tried to upload a pic but i guess my pic thing isnt straightened
out yet by RCADMIN. I went to take a picture of it and its so shinny
that you can see me in it while taking the picture. I hope the shinny
thing dont hurt me while flying on sunny days. I painted my canopy
with PPG paint/clear and the Sharp FG 98 HV/LP spray gun.

DSA.308

My Feedback: (6)

PPG is good paint too, thats what we used to use, before bringing in the Sikkens paint system. I used PPG since 1997, and then switched to Sikkens in 2002. Personally i wouldnt ever use PPG again simply because we get a bargain on Sikkens in bulk and the cost while still higher, is close, but the quality cant even compare. the final product might look similar, but Ive used bot for long enough to notice the minor differences, such as Sikkens is MUCH easier to work with, and VERY forgiving. Things like that matter when its all you do everyday, and the extra cost is nulified by the fact that, Sikkens just makes my job easier, and I think the final product is slightly better quality, as well as lasting longer. I ve seen top of the line PPG global paint that I painted myself, and know the prep was done correctly, and it just doesnt look as nice in 5 years or even 10 years as the Sikkens products. Sikkens seems to last forever, and looks as nice in many years as the day it came out of the booth. But thats just my experience. Thats like people who LOVE 'HOUSE OF COLORS', which is GARBAGE PAINT unless you doing graphics and dont care about the fact it will fade out in the sun in less than a year! Thats because its made with 1970's and 1980's paint technology (laquer based) rather than polyurethane (2000+ technology) which has the ability to block UV rays like a good pair of sunglasses does. But unless you do the stuff for a living, nobody can hardly tell the difference between garbage paint, and the better quality paints. I just refuse to use the junk paint, its harder to prep, lasts like sh$t, and then I have customers thinking I did a crappy job when they are the ones who wanted to cut corners cost wise then end up *****ing to me later! IT Just aint worth it, I tell them to step up, or shut up, and go to MACCO, or EARL SHIBE! LOL!

heli143

My Feedback: (6)

Todd,
thanks for the insight from someone who knows their stuff. I know next to nothing about paints so I appreciate the pointers on what to stay away from. One last question, what do you mean by "color sanding"?

Thanks.