Painting floats
 

I'm taking my floats in to be painted tomorrow. Is there anything I need to tell my painter as far as clear coating to protect the paint from glow fuel? I forgot to mention he is a bodyman and will more than likely use car paint.

RE: Painting floats
 

If it's a paint and body shop he is probably using a catalyzed paint. Anything that is catalyzed doesn't need a clear coat or anything to protect it. It is already impervious to fuel.

RE: Painting floats
 

Hi Chip,
He does own a body shop so maybe he does use catalyzed paint. Thanks for your input!

RE: Painting floats
 

That got me thinking..I have some cool stickers I want on them after he paints them. I'm guessing they need clear coated over so they don't peel off. Would the clear coat be fuel proof also?

RE: Painting floats
 

The "clear coat" will probably dissolve the graphics. Just apply them. That way they can be replaced.

RE: Painting floats
 

Not neccessarily. On Scale hydroplanes, we use printed and vinyl graphics all the time and, to protect the graphics, we clear over them all the time without a problem. It really comes down to the way the graphics were printed and, if done on a standard inkjet printer, if they were protected with the sealer supplied by the film manufacturer

RE: Painting floats
 

My painter rocks! I picked up my floats a couple days ago and am very pleased with the job. He clear coated over my graffix and it didn't hurt it at all. Looking forward to flying this stik off the water!

RE: Painting floats
 

They look great! 

Let's see 'em wet!

RE: Painting floats
 

Thanks Charlie P. Just need to hook up some water rudders and water proof the servos and it's gonna get real wet! [8D]

RE: Painting floats
 

They do look great,,
seen these
http://www.hitecrcd.com/products/dig...vos/index.html
http://www.hitecrcd.com/products/ana...vos/index.html

RE: Painting floats
 

Thanks scale! That's just what I needed. I also made my water rudders but I may only use one. The plane is kind of big though so I'll probably need both.

RE: Painting floats
 

157 oz/in! (And 6v or 7.4v)   You could retract the floats into the fuselage with one of those.  ;-)

RE: Painting floats
 

I know right,, I wish they'd make a more affordable standard servo version too,, but the anolog is only $44, not too bad

RE: Painting floats
 

I ended up ordering two of the analog waterproof servos, one for rudder one for elevator. Pretty nice servos. They'll get the wettest. My water rudder is a little heavy so I'm using one, should work fine. For balance it will require 9.5oz of nose weight. That is with the weight on the tip of the floats! Gawd I hate to open up the floats and put them inside...probably just use some stick on weights to get me through the maiden at least. If it was blowing 100mph all weekend I could've maidened it. :)

RE: Painting floats
 

Just in case anybody is interested, the maiden went well! :)