Started to paint this week. I paint outside, have to wait for atmosphere to dry out. First couple of layers on the canopy, blush, you can see it. Waited two days, sanded, then shot it again today. Looks better. After all color applied, this will be wet sanded, all masking ridges will smooth in. Final clear, like new shell. Masking shown, shoot clear first, to bleed under tape, color coat, straight line. Showing aileron sectioned in. I drilled aileron's for Robart bullet hinges. I did not want to block wing TE for insert of hinge. Pulled all out, sliced for DuBro flat. These will work fine, and they will be pinned with dowels, TE and LE aileron. I have been flying more then building, few pictures attached also, SPA contest Miami this past weekend. I will finish paint like the Intruder's as time and weather allows. Hope to have fuselage done within a week if no humidity in the air and decent temperature.
Crank

Hey Crank,

Keep up the good work and you'll be flying that rocket in no time..

P.S. Keep the pics coming.

Pulled off the tape. Wet sand with #800, get the edges down. When sanding the edges out, move paper with the line, not across. After the 800, went with #2000. I will let this sit for 24 hours, as the paint edge from paint can be a little soft. Where you have masked for line, if paint is over, or you would like to make another canopy line, just remove tape, take a blade, cut paint edge in a round semi-circle, how you would like the finish line to be. Wet sand this out, and you have a clean line. You can cut the paint, lightly scrape it off, no issue's. After the canopy area wet sanded, go over fuselage where the base white will be, do some light masking and cover if you want. I will spray white finish coat in areas that will be masked to the color lines. I will mask the canopy closed. The last picture with fuselage sitting on chair, I have already cut the silver paint line in front, then sanded edge.
Back at this next week sometime, busy weekend coming up and need some flying practice next week. I have a new plane to maiden. Lot of this info could be old hat to a lot of you.

Crank

Always informative to old hands and new. Good luck with the new bird.

Robert

Had a little time in the shop this morning. Strip aileron's the norm here. DuBro flat hinge's, then pinned. Round toothpick's, drill thru from top of aileron. Put a piece of flat wood on the bottom so the drill does not tear the balsa up. I have also inserted another scrap piece of aileron below the primary piece, thereby making it almost level for the bit. Best to drill this while the adhesive for the hinges is not dry. Then insert the toothpick, saw off level with fine blade xacto. The glue used when sinking the hinges, will dry into the toothpicks. Sand smooth, use filler if needed. Any indent's, use filler. These are glassed, so some dope or primer will be used, MK or finish paint. Not sure which way yet. I had started to use the barrel hinging, there are left over holes at the line to fill. I will pin the wing TE also, same way.
Try to paint tomorrow fuselage tomorrow, except I have a house full of company.
Crank

Question for crankpin - When you put the hinges so permanently in before finishing, how do you finish around them?

Sub-question - do you also put the control surface on before finishing?

WedJ - If I paint the wing, the aileron's will be attached. After primer 1 & 2, and a lot of sanding. You can put a small dab of vaseline at the hinge points. After finish coats on wing and wet sanding, make a block sander out of piece of hardwood. About 1" X 1" X 2". Use this to get the angle between the tapered LE of the aileron and the TE of the wing. It may seem a little stiff right after all paint drys, but it will be fine, wet sand final coats. You can get a #11 in there and clean up a little. A tiny bit of thinner on a modified cotton swab can help. These strip aileron's will have their own servo's, two channel's, but not necessary.
If you MK the wing and ailerons, make the film into a V, crease it. Set in, use point of iron, detail iron or 20th Century iron is best, if it is still being manufactured. Set in, iron to finish, 250-275 degrees, or your choice. You can easily cut separation of limit lines with a single edge razor, use finger adjustment, faster cut, smoother line. Few more pictures here of hinging, stationary sander for getting the aileron's angle right for section in next to fuselage. The aileron's will be finished to like new, vs. what these pictures represent at this time. Attached wing from another plane was done with MK and ailerons attached. When MK a wing like this, it is best to paint the wingtips, match paint up. MK will adhere on the color paint line. You can wrap and seal the MK easy on the tips, just takes time, stretch down and seal.
Crank

Did the fuselage where the white only will be. Next up, wet sand with #1200, mask and shoot color. Looks like I will MK the wing. I want to get this P-6 done before my 2 meter Focus II get's here. Once that happens, everything may get set aside.

Crank

Let the fuselage dry in a heated room up to today. Wet sanded everywhere. Start to mask. There has to be a straight line, do some measuring with a metal edge, mark as you go. Trial run the tape, and you can do this 10 or 15 times until it lines up. You have to maintain the flow on the first taping, nose to tail. The top will be red back to the fin, and it is completely red. I have to run lines at the base of the fin, as there will be a cutoff for the first block of white. Behind this white on the stab, will be the second color application of Insignia Blue. Bring tape up to the canopy line. I ran this a few times, to make sure the color at front of canopy did not meet at nose ring area. Keep moving the tape on and off, until you are satisfied with the design you want. One photo here shows me dabbing the tape roll with tape. This is acting like a tack cloth, I am getting any dust, etc., off of the tape edge's which will be the tape line at color separation's. In front of fin about 4", top of fuselage, a flat block had been applied, then a right angle up to it, measure down to have even tape measurement both sides. Last picture's, nose area figured out, from canopy to front. It has to be aligned here, equal both sides. I have another project going, may not be back to this until Sunday or next week. Lot of practice coming up, and I am only a Novice SPA flyer. Look to complete this next week, and finish the wing also.
Crank

Tape and paint. Seal tape down, dust edge's with clear. Little cool out today, very fine orange peel, not a problem. Let this dry for a few days, then paint for bottom Insignia Blue, top stab blue diagnol of the red block. Get this completed, MK the wing, get equipment in. Pushrods, throttle and nose gear cables already fitted up. The red looks a little light, caused by the overhead lights, and the flash. It will show red, very red. This is my typical paint design, very easy. Blue half on bottom, then the graphic's will fit on the white.
Crank

Great looking work. Sorry if I missed it, but, what kind of paint is it?

cool!!!!


gary

Astro - Rattle cans. Top Flite LustreKoat. I have used Martin Senour Acrylic Enamel in the past, with compressor and gun. This get's the job done at this time. I will monokote the wings. Attached is another project, same paint. Works well, you can wet sand it after drys, shoot with clear.
Vince

Hey Gary - See you at Apopka. If I get this done, will bring it for BPA. I am flying SPA Novice with the Intruder's.
Is yourPhoenix 8 done yet ?
Vince

tony c. painted it sat and i am gearing it out etc.etc. pics on the tangerine thread..


gary

Topside finished. Taped the stab, did the blue. All tape off to get a good look. I may have put the top half red a little high, will bring the blue up, make room for the numbers, letters on side of fuselage. We had good weather today in south Florida, little cold, must have gotten up to about 74, but plenty of sunshine. Several pictures here, repeats, but at different angles. I have to get some electrical work done here at the ranch, I will get to the bottom soon as I can. I would like to get some Cub Yellow in the mix, any suggestions ?
11-18-08. Need a color line here. I may add a green 1/2" line right under the top color red, length of fuselage. I have used green with red in the past, looks good, (Italian Flag color?), OK with me. Have to break up the RWB somehow, but make it look good. This means that some green will have to be on the wing somewhere, wing will be painted.
Crank

Very excellent!!

Got some time today, rain coming, get this sanded. #800 used, took all edge's off, did top and run bottom again. I will use a rubber block on final wet sand, whole plane. Then shoot some clear, enough to give it a sheen, not layered on heavy. Next up, tape bottom for Insignia Blue, run a yellow or green stripe right under the top red, and may stripe it above the bottom blue. Whatever I do, I will preserve the honor of this sacred bird.
Crank

It is looking real good. Is this the same paint job as D.B?

Ed K

Hi Ed - Almost. I built Phoenix' with DB in his basement, in those days, I copied most of his design. My Intruder's are about the same. His was only 2 color on the fuselage, and a little different theme. At a contest once in those days, I was flying class B and he was C Expert. I came down out of a split S the same time he did, it was a 4 point roll, I think we did one for B and C. I got his score for the 4 point, we were very close together and same altitude. I was an average flyer then, and still average.
Vince

Cranpin, very nice!, just have one question, What color will be on the bottom of the wing? Pete

Bottom should be about like this. Lot easier on the bottom side. Lot of taping, etc. I'm sure you guy's have been thru this many time's. Thank's for the nice comments.

Vince

Bottom's up. Mask, draw line where cut needed on tape. Cut thru 2 or 3 layers in the corners. I use a ball point, it rolls smooth on the tape. The residue ink from the pen is sticking to the tape, it will come off when alcohol is applied. Dust clear on the color lines, let dry few minutes, follow with color. Easy on the edges, do not let it flow, but keep consistency. Let this dry 8 hours, pull tape off. Best pull tape over itself. After dry, wet sand. I still am thinking of color separation stripes, 1/2", may just go with the red at the blue and blue at the red.
Crank

Took the tape off. Couldn't wait. I can dream about the stripes after pizza and beer tonight, etc. The white looks a little wide at the tail, reason, fuselage not as deep in that area. I have to stripe it, make adjustment for everything to flow correctly. I will go with a 1/2" horizontal up againist the red, same with the blue. Break up all that white. Numbers, etc. will be on side of fuselage. I am thinking of putting a "Don Lowe's Phoenix VI" in 1/2" letter's on side of fuselage somewhere. All ready for Spring-Aire Retracts. The Rossi with the gold head will be installed. The OS61 SF mounting lugs are the same as this Rossi.
Crank

Lookin' good!