mikuk

Greetings,
Am going to be painting a King Cat for a friend, he has asked me to use Klass Coat (2 part epoxy), having not used this before I have done some experiments due to it appearing to be very high in solids especially the white primer, the instructions I have say 6 paint /1 thinners but this is way too heavy, am now down to 30% thinners and still getting some orange peel, anyone used this? What paint/thinner ratio please, normal air dry/HVLP gun. All info gratefully received ,thanks. Mike

paul Lewis

Hi Mike

Haven't got any experience with the klass cote but any gloss topcoat is going to be much heavier than an equivalent basecoat and 2 pack clear system as you have to deal with coverage and finish all in one go. White / yellow / orange aren't very good at the best of times! I'd go with some Lesonal basecoat and clear.

Anyway hows my tanks coming on?

Cheers

Paul

mikuk

Paul,
Too late got the paint, tank mould looking good, first tank laid up,waiting for the aeropoxy to join it ,then onto the next one Mike

IFLYBVM2

My Feedback: (360)

Hello-I have used epoxy for years, incuding the new Klasskote. Have always used the same ratio: 1 part paint to 1 part hardener to two parts thinner-Has always worked for me. Hope this helps-Mike Oberst

mikuk

Mike, that ratio makes more sense, I'm going to give it one coat primer, possibly flat back with 1000 grit and then see how it goes with the gloss coat, one coat enough? thanks , MikeG

ramcfarland

My Feedback: (44)

I have used Klass Kote with good results HOWEVER I find the opacity to be lacking in the colors I have used thus far being Insignia Blue, Brite Red and Yellow,which all seemed very thin requiring multiple coats to get the desired coverage and I might add the paint was well mixed before ading the catalyst;since my only experience thus far is spraying it directly on a product called Flite Metal as opposed to a white primer base..that might have been the problem. I have an 80s vintage pattern ship I will try it on next applied over their White primer.

As to the mix ratio its of course 1-1 with just enough of Klass Kote thinner to make it spray.

I might add I have experienced no orange peel.

One last thing read the directions which states to mix part A and B together and let sit 20 minutes or so BEFORE attempting to reduce the product for spraying, which in my case was accocomplised with a Paache 'dual action' airbrush.

Hope this helps.

Bob.R

My Feedback: (2)

My experience is identical - 1 part paint, 1 part hardener, 2 parts thinner. Flows out very nicely.

IFLYBVM2

My Feedback: (360)

rcmcfarland-
I think painting over the Flite Metal is making it much harder for you, coverage wise, with the reflective surface making it hard to cover. I always have painted over gray or white primer, and coverage has been great on all colors.
All in all, I like Klasscoat ALMOST as much as I did the old Kand B-It's fairly easy to work with and not as toxic or smelly as the auto stuff. Thanks-Mike Oberst

CJ2002

Mike,

Harry Curzon did a whole range of tests with Klasskote last year. Seem to recall he posted his findings in the KlassKote section of RCMF...maybe have a look at that or, better still, speak to him on the flying field (I have his email and phone # if you want it).

Cheers,

Dick
England

PS...hope Ian's paying you well!!!

HarryC

My Feedback: (1)

I have had excellent experience with KK paint. For the fast white primer I found 1:1:1 primer:hardener:thinner was about right, so not as much thinner as primer, whereas for paint I found 1:1:2 was about right. If I thinned the white primer too much it became a milky wash whereas a bit thicker made a lovely filler primer which dry sanded beautifully with normal sandpaper. I was using a normal pressure touch-up gun.
I found the colour coverage to be very good, to make the stars and bars on my Skyhawk I applied the dark blue first and then white star over the dark blue, 3 thin coats of white within minutes of one another was all it needed.

Harry

mikuk

Harry, thanks for the info, am quite impressed with the samples I've done, very tough once it's had a week to cure and the primer does sand down very nicely, bit dusty so am using a P3 mask just in case.

Dick, no charge just helping out, plenty of time on my hands attm after having a disc out,old age strikes..................Mike

HarryC

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, if you get it right the white primer sands to a fine talcum powder.

CJ2002

Sorry to hear that Mike...bloody painful. Have you got all the feeling back in your arm/hand yet?

Dick

ramcfarland

My Feedback: (44)

I agree-

Chris True

My Feedback: (14)

As others have said, basically equal parts paint + catalyst and thinner. Some colors are thicker than others, I found the aluminum to need extra thinning for instance. The blue I tried was very transparent. It along with Yellow will need a base coat of white underneath. Or white Primer with 100% coverage.

Do let it cure for a full day before taping in normal temps, longer in the winter. I had some masking film's glue react with the not cured enough topcoat last year. Not really the paints fault as I was rushing to finish and the temps were low. The tenacity with which the paint sticks is quite amazing.