JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

What is the best method of applying latex paint to a primered surface?

gene6029

Jollypopper, I have done both , spraying & brushing. Both come out well, but i prefer spraying. It can be done with the cheapest air gun you can buy & the clean up is simple. I bought the least expensive gun i could at Harbor Freight & use one of those aircompressors with the pancake tank attached. You'll need a regulator & a place to spray. Brushing takes too much time in my opinion & seem to end up with more paint than is necessary. I have also used a Badger gun w equally good results. The small jars have to be filled often though. I'd recommend spraying....Gene

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

Gene, I appreciate your response and I think spraying is the answer. I tried brushing it on with a sponge brush and it looks awful. So the question becomes should the paint be thinned or sprayed right out of the can. If thinned, to what consistency? Thanks
Max

Live Wire

Make sure you use A little Floetrol in the paint or it will look [:'(] I spray with a comercial gun. Turns out great.
Larry k

Campy

My Feedback: (1)

I thin my latex as follows:

I add 1 1/2 caps of Flotrol per quart of UNDILUTED paint.

The paint I thin with water to a milk consistancy.

FWIW - I have had my best results at 25 - 30 psi.

Hope this helps.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

Sounds good. What is Flotrol and where do I get it?

yel914

Floetrol is available at Lowes or Home Depot. It conditions the latex so that it levels out better before drying.

Roby

If you want to learn the in's and outs of how to spray latex don't use a plane
to develope your skills.

Get a decent size piece of glass and do all your learning on that. Even after the paint dries
it's easy to remove so you can go at it again. After you develope your technique ,then
spray your plane.


Regards,
Roby

dant-RCU

My Feedback: (3)

http://www.houstonhobbies.com/tips/p...ying-latex.pdf

Dan

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks, guys. Got it. Will go to Lowes today and get some Floetrol, windshield washer fluid, and a graduated mixing cup. Should be all set then. Appreciate the help.

dasintex

My Feedback: (10)

Why Windshield Washer Fluid to thin the paint? I have seen this mentioned in other threads and I plan on painting my plane with Latex, but I don't know the reason why people use Windshield Washer Fluid to thin the Latex Paint instead of Plain Water?

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

dasintex, click on the link that dant-RCU provided just two posts before yours in this thread. On about the third page it goes pretty deeply into why windshield washer fluid is used. The rest of the tutorial is very good also. I'm doing my first job with Koverall and I am at the painting stage. The plane is in primer now and looks great. Tomorrow, I get some Floetrol and windshield washer fluid and see how badly my spray painting talents have eroded. I used to paint cars, but I have never sprayed latex. However, that tutorial makes sense and I believe I can do a good job at it.

saramos

Just my personal experience, but I tried both washer fluid and floetrol. I ended up using a mix of floetrol and water. I don't recall the ratios. Also, I used an Aztec airbrush for the entire job. I was very pleased with the outcome.

Scott

gene6029

Nice job on the Spit, scott! Did you freehand the camo, or put down some sort of mask to spray around?....Gene

saramos

A bit of both. Most of the camo lines were free hand, but I used photos of that particular plane as a guide. The split between the camo and underside was masked.

stevenmax50

My Feedback: (1)

What was your Koverll technique? Did you apply it with Stix-it or something else? And did you use minwax to seal? The methods used on the earlier link sounded great and Ithink Iwould like to try that. Iam just wondering how you preped the Koverall to get to the point of primer.

bps

My Feedback: (3)

I used Koveral applied with Modge Podge glue/sealer/filler from Michael's Craft Stores. I did no use any primer and filled the weave with a diluted MP with Floetrol and water all applied with a 1" foam brush. I did not use washer fluid. The first coats of paint were white and applied via a HVLP spray gun. All of the blue was applied using the 1" foam brushes. If the paint is thinned and Floetrol is used the brush marks will disappear as the paint dries. It takes many coats of thinned paint to look good, I am guessing 4 coats of the blue were brushed on. Since it is a water base paint much of it will evaporate as it dries.

Roby

Just a quick comment on the washer fluid. Try to avoid it if possible.
I've found that I get better adhesion without it. I do all my thinning
with distilled water. It seems to work better.

Regards,
Roby

TomCrump

Windshield washer fluid contains alcohol, and other chemicals that may not be in the latex house paint. Adding these chemicals, may, or may not, adversely affect the paint.

As a former paint maker, I woul;d not suggest the use of washer fluid in latex.

Campy

My Feedback: (1)

Some people do use windshield washer fluid to thin the latex. They say the alcohol (or
what ever is used to keep it from freezing) makes the paint flow better.

That said..........What I have found is that the windshield washer fluid is typically colored.
This "coloring" does tint light colored paints. It is barely noticeable in dark colors.

Because of the "tinting" of light colors I stay with water.

mikes68charger

My Feedback: (34)

Is there a latex primer that we can use that can sand?

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Not really, Once it is completely cured it's somewhat sandable,, but that would take weeks

I use ceiling paint for a based coat, but I have all the prep done first, I'll use sandable auto primer, once I have a smooth finish,, then go into the latex products

TomCrump

Since you start out with automotive products, have you considered using them throughout the painting process ?

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

No reason to,, the latex goes over the lacquer just fine and the whole idea is to used a product that doesn't cost a fortune.