Painting a glow plane
04-18-2013, 10:52 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Painting a glow plane
I have read and read and read but have yet found a definitive answer to waht paints other than say Klass Kote are glow fuel proof. I am in the process of covering my Chipmunk with fabric and have been using dope, but that seems to be taking forever and having to put on so many coats just to get a decent coverage seems like it will make the plane heavy.
If I were to get KK Clear, will it work over automotive rattle can paint like Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel? I tried a test piece and dope just eats it right up. Glow fuel seemed to make it tacky within a minute of putting a drop on and wiping it off after 30 seconds. Is there a rattle can or other paint that can be sprayed on that is glow fuel proof?
I have tried a few different paints including water based poly and none seem to hold up. I would like to get away from the stink of Dope or other paints if I could.
If I were to get KK Clear, will it work over automotive rattle can paint like Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel? I tried a test piece and dope just eats it right up. Glow fuel seemed to make it tacky within a minute of putting a drop on and wiping it off after 30 seconds. Is there a rattle can or other paint that can be sprayed on that is glow fuel proof?
I have tried a few different paints including water based poly and none seem to hold up. I would like to get away from the stink of Dope or other paints if I could.
04-18-2013, 11:12 AM
#2
My Feedback: (-1)
RE: Painting a glow plane
Lusterkote is fuel proof. Not the best paint I have worked with. The trick is to let it set up for about 10 days after painting. The term used to be HOT FUEL PROOF and not just fuel proof. That just meant the paint didn't peel with the hot exhaust spray. I gave using the clear KK over Latex house paint a try and it works great. Still not cheap but the latex can be mixed and matched for most colors plus it's cheap and easy to work with. Doesn't add a bunch of useless weight either and it's an easy clean up with just water. My only problem is my lack of painting skills. I just can't get a good mask and I have no artistic talent!
04-18-2013, 11:33 AM
#4
Moderator
RE: Painting a glow plane
I've heard some say that about Rusoleum, and others say it's not (both claimed to have tested it). Since you've already started with dope, you really should go ahead and finish with it. Thinning the dope will help it rewet the layer underneath better and flow out better. I assume you're using butyrate for the final finish?
04-18-2013, 11:40 AM
#5
RE: Painting a glow plane
ORIGINAL: acdii
I have read and read and read but have yet found a definitive answer to waht paints other than say Klass Kote are glow fuel proof. I am in the process of covering my Chipmunk with fabric and have been using dope, but that seems to be taking forever and having to put on so many coats just to get a decent coverage seems like it will make the plane heavy.
If I were to get KK Clear, will it work over automotive rattle can paint like Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel? I tried a test piece and dope just eats it right up. Glow fuel seemed to make it tacky within a minute of putting a drop on and wiping it off after 30 seconds. Is there a rattle can or other paint that can be sprayed on that is glow fuel proof?
I have tried a few different paints including water based poly and none seem to hold up. I would like to get away from the stink of Dope or other paints if I could.
I have read and read and read but have yet found a definitive answer to waht paints other than say Klass Kote are glow fuel proof. I am in the process of covering my Chipmunk with fabric and have been using dope, but that seems to be taking forever and having to put on so many coats just to get a decent coverage seems like it will make the plane heavy.
If I were to get KK Clear, will it work over automotive rattle can paint like Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel? I tried a test piece and dope just eats it right up. Glow fuel seemed to make it tacky within a minute of putting a drop on and wiping it off after 30 seconds. Is there a rattle can or other paint that can be sprayed on that is glow fuel proof?
I have tried a few different paints including water based poly and none seem to hold up. I would like to get away from the stink of Dope or other paints if I could.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10..._2/key_/tm.htm
start reading around post 36
04-19-2013, 04:08 AM
#7
My Feedback: (6)
RE: Painting a glow plane
Like Gray Beard, I have used KK over latex house paint with good results. Nelson's has also worked well. Whatever you use, even with a "fuel proof" paint it's a good idea not to let exhaust residue sit on the plane for a long time. Think of paint as being "fuel resistant" at best.
04-19-2013, 08:17 AM
#8
Thread Starter
RE: Painting a glow plane
Thanks guys! I heard about Rustoleum too. What I want to do is the design, then a clear finish. From what I have seen so far with the dope, it will cost as much or more to dope it than to get a pint of KK Clear. I was thinking maybe do the whole paint in KK, but thats more than I spent on the entire kit so far. Looking for the easiest to obtain paint for this, and keep the cost down too. So I will get the latex and KK Clear for this. Any suggestions on the latex? Just what ever is on sale?
It will be funny to go paint shopping for an RC plane.
But first I need to get the water out of my basement, it flooded yesterday, and unfortunately the box for the chipmunk was on the floor and got 2" of water in it, so hoping the parts that were still in it will be ok when they dry out. The flaps and ailerons were still in there along with the cowl, canopy and hardware.
04-19-2013, 08:27 AM
#9
My Feedback: (6)
RE: Painting a glow plane
Roy Vailly (actual name unspellable, at least by me) has a couple of good articles on his web site about painting with latex. He has specific paint recommendations. I used Benjamin Moore exterior, which was good, though they have a different name for what Roy called "Floetrol." A satin finish, which then got toned down just a bit by the clear (scale navy plane, so a dullish satin was fine). I followed his advice to the letter and had few problems. The one hitch, for me, was that it takes a fair amount of trying out settings to spray latex with an HVLP system, but it can be done. (Klass Kote, by contrast, is the easiest paint to spray I've ever used. But it is expensive.)
04-19-2013, 09:02 AM
#10
My Feedback: (-1)
RE: Painting a glow plane
I just buy the latex at Lowe's and thin with water. I have also tried using auto window washer to thin. Either or, water worked just fine. I use the cheap HVLP or touch up guns from Harbor Freight and haven't had any problems getting it to flow well as long as it was thinned correctly.
04-23-2013, 06:14 PM
#12
Thread Starter
RE: Painting a glow plane
Well picked up KK Clear, so have a pint between the A&B parts + reducer. Wonder how it works over Rustoleum. I found the colors that I want to use in that paint, and they were on sale.
