BASIC painting question...
 

...Hi, thanks for checking my thread.

I have a New in the Box FB GTMO Panther. The pics I'd seen b4 ordering one (predominantly in the Major's amazing F9F thread) showed a glossy finish. Mine is flat, flat, FLAT. As if a perfectly clean and unflown airplane had been parked on the ramp and in the sun at Guantanimo for 10 years. Looks like crap, I think. It's be better if I weathered it but I dunno if I want to do that. I might just shoot clear gloss on it.

Here is my embarrassing question. How? What type paint? What minimum equipment? I'm an ARF cripple and haven't painted a model since I was a kid when I owned exactly one camel-hair brush and was applying Pactra Aero-Gloss dope out of a bottle! I have a couple of small air brushes (binks) that I've never used. Will that suffice? I've seen a weathering thread here somewhere, so maybe, just maybe, I'll get ambitious and do both.

I sure could use some advice. (When you're done rolling on the floor laughing, that is)

Thanks, Don.

RE: BASIC painting question...
 

Hey Don
Lots of possibilities here. It will all depend on how much you plan to do in the future as to what you may want to invest in your setup. You could start out with a small portable compressor like used on construction sites that have about 4 gal air tanks and a small electric pump. These are available at most auto parts stores or larger home centers for around $ 100.00 on up. The results are not to bad and again this is if your only doing a few planes and not going to use it that much, but better than rattle cans. You can buy jamb paint guns starting in the $30.00 range on up from northern tool or again from auto parts stores that sell paint. The best type to use and easy to work with are HVLP style guns. (High Volume Low Pressure).
If you can convince the wife that having a larger two stage compressor in the garage would be very useful than that is the way to go. Again lots of price ranges and quality options as well but for just a few hundred bucks you can have a decent set up and from there your check book is the limit on what you can invest. Also get good air hose with good quality air fittings.
As for paint you would be best to start with simple paint like model paints and work up to the automotive paints if you so choose. They will give you the best results but can get pricey if only doing a model or two. Lots of chemistry to learn and only practice will help on that, but if you can befriend a local auto body painter to help give you some pointers that would be worth its weight in gold. Just remember that those guys don't have to worry about how much paint they put on in terms of weight.
Hope this helps some

RE: BASIC painting question...
 

Helps a lot, thx.

I have access to lots of air, no prob there. I think my father still has his old sprayers that he painted cars with too.

I own two models similar to this in size [link]http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXRL11&P=7[/link] except that mine are much nicer. Is that too small for this app?

Thx again, Don.

RE: BASIC painting question...
 

I don't think I would attempt a clearcoat with one of those airbrushes.

A regular spray gun would give you a much better chance for a nice finish. You can get a spray gun at places like Harbor Freight for less than $30 that have been reported by other users to do a pretty good spray job.

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpis...=gun&Submit=Go

RE: BASIC painting question...
 

Not sure if you can get with Kevin Green or one of the other TN locals, but i would get some help and hopefully borrow gear to do this. you can then assess if you want to spend the money to do this more often. car shops can be of help but typically dont care about weight, so though good resources, unless they pay attention, they tend to go crazy with the clear.

RE: BASIC painting question...
 

Sir,

Painting is an art - tricky and hard to do. The safety equipment is important. I would take your model to a small local auto shop, meet the boss and ask them to shoot it with a coat or two of thinned clear. They clear everything these days. They always have a little extra in the gun, because they can't run short on a job. If you offer them $300 in cash, ans can wait about two weeks you will have a much better result than trying this your self.

Best regards

Greg Anixter
Scottsdale AZ

RE: BASIC painting question...
 

You can also buy some clear from Nelson at http://www.nelsonhobby.com/paint.html His clear is water based and it can be applied with a foam brush.

RE: BASIC painting question...
 

Before you spend a lot of money on paint try rubbing the airplane with 0000 steel wool, I think it will polish out out enough to look descent. I painted a jet last year with PPG flex and flat and it was too flat, steelwook did the trick. Not shiny but much more realistic.