skeeter_ca

Does anyone know of any good sites on airbrush painting rc planes. I want to know what paints to use and how to start learning all the techniques and tips.

Gringo Flyer

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I am with you on that skeeter. I am interested in learning how to glass and paint. I have no idea where to start as far as equipment and such.

Toucan

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I am wanting know about it too. Very much intrested.

funkymusic

I'm also interested. I have heard one can use automotive or house paint as well as those hobby enamels. There's ALOT about this topic I don't know. If anyone can let us know what books are out let us know.

Gray Beard

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Me too. I have the touch up gun and the air brush. So far I have only used the touch up gun for spraying clear coat and the air brush for tinting canopys and solid colors. I'm told the trick to A good air brush job is all in the masking but I think there is A lot more to it then that.

Gringo Flyer

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I found some good info here http://www.airfieldmodels.com/

I am sure there are some good post already out there on this subjuect but my searches havent been really productive.

WacoNut

Here ya go guys,
This is the best site that I know of, I have seen his work up close and it is very impressive. He won best of show at Toledo in 2004.
[link]http://www.tompierce.net/190/html/paint/weather.htm[/link]
Anthony

Jim Connell

Hi Everyone

All I needed to know in regards to painting my planes I found in a wonderful article at:

http://www.modelairplanenews.com/ma/how_to/latex1.asp

I followed the instructions from this article religiously and I believe that the end results look great without adding much weight to the plane. The only downside is that my local paint stores will only mix colours for a minimum of a quart (930 ml.) of paint and it takes very little to airbrush a plane of this size.

Hope this helps

Jim Connell
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Bud Faulkner

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Try the craft paints in any wal mart or craft store.....small bottles only a couple ounces each for a couple dollars. They are water based same as latex (probably are latex)

Bud

Gringo Flyer

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The Tom Pierce article is really good but living outside the US its would be impossible to get all of those products. For RC things we often use subtitute items. I really like the idea of using the latex house paint that is in the article you posted to Jim. In the article he says he paints right over fiberglass with latex paint. Is that pretty common? I would think a primer would be pretty important. If so what kind of primer thats readily available could you use for the fiberglass.

carlbecker

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Tom Pierce has a great site for building, glassing and painting. www.rcscalebuilder.com has alot of great info in build threads. Most of the great finishs rely on superb prep work, glassing included. If you search here I think you can find out a lot about glassing and spray painting. If you test and become familiar with your paints most can be sprayed. Auto, house, Nelson, Class Kote and WarbirdColors. Read the labels for hazards while spraying. Some of the fumes can hurt or kill you. House and glow don't mix well but house and gas are fine if the paint is cured.

You should always test paint and primer combinations before shooting a model. Almost any primer will stick to fiberglass but test first. I would suggest always using primer before painting. Its job in life is to help the paint adhere and its very good at filling small imperfections.

Painted glass can produce a beautiful finish!

Carl

skeeter_ca

Wow, Just recheck my post and found some good advise here. Will have to spend some time and read all the articles. Using Latex paints sound cool. I'll bet the clean up is alot easier.

carlbecker

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Latex for gas is very cool. Compromise is the time it takes to fully cure.... weeks. If Latex has not harden completely put a barrier (baby powder etc) between fuse and wing or they may become glued together.

I use Nelson for quick dry and relatively non toxic. Compromise it doesn't stick to everything well.

Any water clean up is GREAT.

Carl

reyn3545

I just finished recovering my biplane, and went to http://www.radiosouth.com for acrylic enamel paints to match the Monocote. These guys offer some pretty good pointers on mixing the catalysts, what type of thinners to use for the particular spraying temperature, they will sell their paints in volume as small as a pint, and for my very first airbrush job, they provided enough advise to give me VERY professional results. These guys can match Ultracote or Monocote without color samples, or can match virtually any color with a 2x2 sample. I used their primer, color and clearcoat on the fiberglass cowl and wheelpants, they turned out perfect. Just a light polishing on the color separation line was all required before the clearcoat, and the plane shines like a mirror! I'll never buy a can of spray paint again. These paints will resist any fuel, and give a rock hard glossy finish.

You probably have local automotive stores that can also do color matching, just check around. Most won't mix anything as small as a pint, but you never know. It ain't cheap... for 2 pints of yellow, 1 pint of black and 2 pints of clearcoat, it was about $100 (including the catalysts and thinners required)... but it looks like $100 also!

I would certainly recommend going with a dual action airbrush, and the small compressors are fine for this size of project.