Lets try to paint a Q40
 

As I have an airplane to paint before the Basin race in two weeks I thought that I would post a thread here so maybe we could all learn something and have a little fun while we are at it.

If anyone sees something that they do different or better by all means post it up so I can steal it.

Here is the victim it is an AR6 out of my molds with some recycled parts from one that died a horrible death in Phoenix last month.

D.E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Here is the plan, today primer, tomorrow paint white and sunday all of the colors panel lines and clear.

These first two pictures are of me doing something that a great builder and friend Jim Shinohara showed me back in the old F1 days. We make a mix of baby powder and lacquer thinner to a paste and rub all over the wing. Anyone that has ever built a conventional wing ( balsa sheeted foam ) knows what a pain it is if you have any pin holes in the glass. You rub the paste all over let it dry for a few minutes and wipe it off with a paper towel like wiping off wax. The paste remains in the weave and pinholes and only requires a little bit of primer to cover.

Always remember primer is very heavy!

I realise that alot of you buy airplanes already painted white so this does not apply but sundays paint part will.

D.E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

If you are going to paint airplanes make yourself a stand it saves alot of hassel for the few minutes it takes to make. I have seen them from wood to steel, here is mine .

The fuselage mounts with the motor mount and the wing uses the wing bolt holes.

P.S. The baby powder paste also works on moulded wings as this one is.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

The first picture is of the primer that I use. It is PCL poly prime it is fairly inexpensive and works great. I mix it as directed and then add about 5 to 10% of lacquer thinner to thin it a bit.

The second picture is of the gun I will use on this project it is from Harbor Freight and only cost 17 dollars this morning. I have recommended these for years and they work great. Yes I used to paint cars and street rods and I have all of the 500 to 600 dollar paint guns but these things do a great job for what we do with them.

The third picture is of what they call a watter ball. It traps all of the moisture from the compressors that we in our garages. You can get them at the auto paint store.

The last picture shows about how much primer I mix for a racer it is about 4 oz.

D.E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Here the first picture is of the fuse taped off as I dont like getting paint or primer inside the airplane or engine area.

second picture is of the repaired tail ready to prime.

The third picture is of the wing after prime and guide coat. Guide coat is flat black spray paint lightly misted over the fresh primer. It helps you to see defects while sanding.

The last two pictures are of the airplane hanging in the sun drying next to what I should be working on, My wifes 69 RS Camaro.

Tomorrow we sand and paint white.
D.E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

DE,
Looks like its coming along nicely after the repairs. My polecat is in the same condition almost, just primed with the PCL primer and sanded with 400 grit ready for paint this weekend hopefully.

http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...quet/photo.jpg

Jacob

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Looks good Jacob are you going to the basin race with it? Hopefully this one will be ready for Travis Flynn to fly there.

Post progress pictures as you paint it.
D.English

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Looks great!

Where do you get the PCL primer?

I've been using a white KlassKote primer. It works fine but typically you have to order it. It is not stocked locally.

Keep up the good work.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

How many drops of cataylst do you use for 4 oz? I've always used acetone to thin the PCL primer. Looks good!!

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Hey Guys,

Sahartman, PCL primer is available at most auto paint stores.

Kommander, I have found that the catalyst does not need to be that precise as you know the tube you get with the primer is meant for the whole can so if you use 1/4 of a can of primer you use 1/4 the amount of hardner. I tend to over catalyse because I usually need to buy more hardner. Acetone works well as a thinner also.
Actually it is probbably a better thinner just a little more expensive.

Dave E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

D.E.,

I am not headed to the basin this up coming contest. Im planning on the one at the end of June, that way I can have my equipment all together and have some time to practice.

I sprayed some paint tonight, fairly successfully. Here are a few pics I grabbed with my phone. I have two more colors to go.

All masked off
http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...uet/photo9.jpg

http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...et/photo23.jpg

Yellow!
http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...et/photo34.jpg

http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...et/photo10.jpg

http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...et/photo24.jpg

Thats all for tonight. Hopefully I can get the other colors on soon!

Jacob

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Well this morning I sanded most of the primer off and painted white. Have a look.

First picture shows why to use guide coat. It would be real easy to miss small defects like this. You just sand until all the black is gone.

Second picture is of the wing and how much primer is sanded off. Primer is very heavy and should only be left where needed. I paint the whole airplane with a white single stage urethane ( which is alot lighter than primer. )

Third picture is of the fuse ready to blast.

Dave E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

The first picture is of tacking off the airplane this was done after a thourough cleaning.

Second picture is of the paint that I use for the base, on this airplane it will not have any white showing but I still put a semi transparent coat of white on it to help the other colors cover better. The paint is a Dupont product and is at least 1/2 the cost of the upper grades it works great. I bought 1 quart and have done 7 airplanes with it so far.

The third and fourth pictures are after painting white. In the morning I will sand lightly with some 600 grit wet and put four colors panel line and clear.

Dave E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Dave,
That looks very nice! Your garage looks like a nicer facility to paint in than the spare bedroom in my apartment! I got a little more work done this morning. I wet sanded the paint edges with a little 600 grit then started taping off the yellow right at the edge with fine line tape then some masking paper and lots of blue tape to cover everything else.

Fine line on
http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o.../photo44-1.jpg

http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...et/photo25.jpg

Ready for next color
http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o.../photo11-1.jpg

Jacob

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Hello,

I spent a little time this morning and lightly sanded the white with some 600 grit wet and then painted the orange base coat. I use Base coat / Clear coat for all of the colors as you can tape off your next color 10 minutes after you finish spraying a color. This makes the whole project go pretty fast.

Here it is in orange.

I use 3M blue fine line to mask paint edges. It is a little more flexable than the green.

Dave E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

I like to lightly bolt the wing on to lay out stripes it helps to get a good balance of color on fuse and wing.

Here I use the wing fillet to start the angle on the stripeI also paint the fillet the same color as the wing stripe this helps tie the fuse and wing together.

I usually paint the two primary colors first and then lay out my numbers and smaller stripes to proportion all together.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Here it is with all the colors on next will be a few panel lines and clear but first LUNCH.

Dave E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Beautiful job so far!

You've got me orange with envy! [>:]

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Thanks Sahartman,

Well I finished lunch and decided to finish the airplane.

First I went over the stripes with a little 1000 grit to nock down the edges a little. After that I put down a few panel lines, this is really quite easy and in my opinion makes a big difference.

First pic is of the Sharpee extra fine point pen I use you just put a little tape down to follow and go to it.. One of the best I ever saw do this back in the old F1 days was Mike Helsel his airplanes were only two colors red and creme with loads of panel lines they were awesome.

Here I use a stick for a spacer to simulate ribs in the aileron

This whole process for the wing and fuse took about 15 minutes.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Next was to clear,

First pic is of the clear I use, It is a cheap urethane that is water thin and dries very fast. It is great for models given there life expectancy but I dont think I would use it on a 100 thousand dollar street rod.

Then here it is all cleared, next is to polish it a little and then let Travis crash it at the basin...... Oh well I know the guy with the molds!

Dave E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Looks great Dave! Hopefully I'll get to race mine again before I leave for Iraq. Travis is going to be deadly with one, good thing it's just a loaner!

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Hello Gary,

When are you going to Iraq? I hope you can go to a race before you leave also, we need to get this thing down to around a low 57 or high 56 soon.

I am going to take my gorrilla motor to the basin and open a can of whoop ass on those boys.... If I can only knock off about 8 seconds!

Wish you could make it.
Dave E.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Right now I'm scheduled for a "June-ish" deployment. I was hoping to make either the Basin or the Ft. Lauderdale races in April, but it's not looking good for either one.

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

Dave,
Very nice! I am really liking the curved leaded edges of the colors on the fuse. I threw some more paint on mine, nothing too fancy. Im sure Super T will give your AR6 a great showing!

Gary,
It would be cool to see you before you are out of here for a while. I hope everything has been well for you.

On to the crappy low light photos:

Taping off
http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...0Uploads/1.jpg

After 20 min of tearing off all the masking like its Christmas!

http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...0Uploads/3.jpg
http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...0Uploads/2.jpg
http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/o...0Uploads/4.jpg

Just needs some clear then its ready for action!

Jacob

RE: Lets try to paint a Q40
 

By Base coat / clearcote you mean 2 stage paint???