Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Hey Folks,

Am finishing up the covering portion build of my Balsa USA Eindecker 90. Have covered is with Solartex Fabric covering and now I will need to be doing some painting.

Over many, many years of building models I have used just about every name brand of paint that you can find on the shelf, but I have never used KRYLON or RUST-OLEUM on a fabric type of covering. I have used these paints on various home, sporting and model projects, usually with great results, but this is my first build that I have ever used the Solartex Fabric covering.

Thus, I am wondering if anybody has ever used these paints on the material that I have mentioned above ? RUST-OLEUM also has a " HAMMERED " effect paint that I would like to use on the cowling for a more realistic appearance.

Also, not quite sure if I sure go with a white or gray colored primer. I assume gray would be the best primer if I was to used the HAMMERED affect paint over it.

Any advise is greatly appreciated.

Thank you ................

gauls22

I'm hoping you get some replies because I also would like to know. What did you use to attach this to the air frame. Meaning its own adhesive or something like balsarite ?

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

I have always used Balsarite with the covering of any model. With my Eindecker build, this is the first time that I have ever used the Solartex Fabric covering, as I have mostly covered with Monokote in the past. I will have to tell you that I think the Solartex is FANTASTIC. Parts of the Eindecker were some what difficult to cover, especially the wing tips. The Solartex stretched and rounded to every corner, with not a wrinkle, and if you are afraid that you do have a wrinkle, a little extra heat takes them away. I am quite sure that if I have any builds in the future, that I would only be using Solartex.

Getting back to the covering adhesive, I firmly believe that you need to use some sort of added adhesive. I am sure that many hobbyists out there will find and admit that these AFR's coming out of foreign countries have no added adhesives under their coverings. You can tell just by the many wrinkles.

Their are two types of Balsarite and I had an email exchange with a fellow from Balsarite as I wanted clarification on which one to use. I started by using the can of Balsarite for regular coverings, which is somewhat thick, but can be thinned out. When I ran short of the regular Balsarite a friend gave me a can of it that he was not going to use. Come to find out, it was Balsarite for FILM. I finished coating my Eindecker with the Balsarite for FILM, but wished I had stayed with the Balsarite for regular coverings.

The fellow from Balsarite did explain that either will do the job, but I did find while covering my model that the Solartex did seem to adhere better to the Balsarite for regular coverings.

My Eindecker is covered now and I must say that I really do like the finished product and you would not be able to tell where I used the two different types of Balsarite.

As for getting replies to painting this covering. I am receiving replies in other forums and they have only confirmed to me that I will be staying with the Rust-Oleum paints. One fellow stated that the just used the paint, with no primer used. But, knowing myself, I am quite sure that I will be using a primer.

Other fellows had stated that Krylon had a tendency to crack. I have personally never had a cracking problem with the Krylon on other projects, but I have a lot of time and work into my Eindecker and at this point in time, do not care to take any chances with a possible paint cracking problem.

Hope this answers you questions.

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Just noticed where you are located. I lived in Westfield for seven years while flying out of the Westfield airport, for what started out to be the ARM Corporation, then turned into Turbine Air Management, then turned into Executive Jet Aviation and then finally KC Aviation. Left in 1994 to fly Corporate Jets over here in New York state. Am now retired. Still have friends there and just a couple of months ago got together with them all for a luncheon downtown.

Just can not forget the old joke about Westfield.

What do you call a good looking girl in Westfield ? " A TOURIST "

TomCrump

If you use primer, I think that you will have cracking problems. The primer's high solids contents will crack with the expansion and contraction of the Solartex when it's in the sun.

I, and others have learned this the hard way.

I do use primer on plastic and glass parts, but not over covered open frame areas.

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Thank you for the input.

Their are a few glass parts that will need to be painted, one is the engine cowling and two side cheeks, otherwise most of the other painting will be over balsa that has the Solartex covering.

Just thinking something funny and that was if I did use primer and it did crack, it may make the Eindecker look more authentic.

Was also thinking about using primer and the Rust-Oleum Hammered Aluminum paint on just the fiberglass engine cowling. Then use the regular Rust-Oleum Aluminum paint on the side cheeks and balsa covered parts.

I do want a good looking model, but I really am not striving for a to scale looking model, either.

Rodney

I have not found a paint that will not work on Solar Tex. For absolute fool proof permanent paint durable to all common fuels, you can not beat Klass Kote, expensive but worth it.

gauls22

Thank you so much for the info

gauls22

Retired myself hope to get some good flying weather this year enjoy your retirement

raptureboy

Latex works fine and a coat of clear polyurethane over the top.

Leroy Gardner

When it comes to Solartex it's going to be hard to beat for self adhesive fabric, the covering is already sealed and ready to paint with your choice of paint, a properly washed with a automotive enamel / lacquer prep solvent will remove any body oils and other shop contaminates prior to painting, think of it as if your prepping a car to paint. Solartex can be primed, I use Dupli-Color white primer # DAP1689 white primer which doesn't need to be sanded and dries quickly, if sanding is needed for some reason wet sand it lightly with a micro-fine Scotch pad and wash with cleaner solvent then paint. One of the benefits of primer is it will show the true color of paint better with less paint.

Dupli-Colors are automotive grade paint and expand and retract with sheet metal and other products that do the same thing, they do not crack, I can't speak for the others which are many. I paint with automotive urethane paints and my finishes are as resistant to chemicals as the paint on your car, other rattle can paints can't make that claim and need to be clear coated. As with most paints a compatible test should be done on a test board.

Leroy

TomCrump

I respectfully disagree.

raptureboy

Too what?

TomCrump

Parts of the previous post.

raptureboy

Which parts? Don't leave us in a state of limbo man.

TomCrump

I posted my view on primer in post 5. Post 11 contradicts my advice.

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

I have used Latex with a clear coat with great success. The only primers I use is on the cowls or plastic parts. Home Depot has the sample latex and they will mix it to any color you want. I use an air brush to spray it on. You do need to wait about a week for the paint to dry if you are putting other colors on top of the base colors. Good Luck, Dave

Eindecker_pilot

I built the Eindecker 90 (see my Avatar) and painted it with the Rustoleum Hammerred metal spray paint. I think it came out great. Is it scale no, but close enough for fun scale & super easy. I recall using LustreKote clear on top of it after it had cured to protect it from the glow fuel. This was about 15 years ago and it's held up very well. For my iron crosses, I used rustoleum spray paint for the white blocks & black crosses.

The hammered metal spray paint has not cracked or flaked off in over 15 years of flying. The black & white sections out on the wing have held up pretty well too, although since they are on the wing fabric which has areas of fabric stretched between the ribs; this sees a lot more vibration & movement so the paint has some fine cracking in it, but it hasn't flaked off or peeled. From 10 ft you can't tell it's aged any.

Nowadays if I'm just doing plain colors, I use exterior latex house paint on top of the Solratex fabric. It is more flexible and easier to manage (application, clean up, etc.).
good luck,
Greg

Roby

Been using Solartex with latex paint for many years with great success.
I do use a primer from Benjamin Moore called fresh start. (gives greatly
improved adhesion) Then I spray my color followed by a clear poly top coat.
My planes see lots of air time and latex doesn't last forever . Usually after
5 seasons or so I end up recovering or repainting.
Only warning I have is try to avoid using the color yellow. Yellow is very
transparent and must be applied over white.
Which means adding more paint layers.

More paint = more weight.

Regards,
Roby

Roby

Forgot to mention . When thinning latex, use distilled water.

Roby

TomCrump

Tap water is used whem the manufacturer makes latex paint. Why would anything else be required to thin it ?

Hydro Junkie

The minerals in tap water vary from city to city. Distilled water has most of the minerals removed during the distilling process so it won't affect the properties of the paint like, for example, water with a high iron content might

digital_trucker

This stuff...

http://www.nelsonhobby.com/hobby_paint.php

RDJeff

My Feedback: (11)

So I'm having a bit of trouble painting my Dynaflite Super Decathlon. I covered it with yellow Solartex, and am putting on blue designs using Nelson's paint. When I experimented with painting another plane a few years ago, I found that the paint would bleed under the masking tape, so didn't use it. On this plane I got smart and followed advice I'd seen somewhere that said to put down a coat of clear first. The result on the horizontal stabilizer was painful to see. The Nelson's bled under the tape again. I was able to clean it up mostly, using acetone and Q-Tips. A lot of work!

Next, I tried the wing, only this time I put down the clear, followed by the tape, then clear on the tape edges. Guess what, it bled under again!

What am I doing wrong? I'm thinning the Nelson's with tap water in about a 4-1 ratio, maybe I should use it straight up. Any help would be appreciated!

RDJeff

My Feedback: (11)

Pictures.