Hi Mike,
Since you're recommending painting equipment (and I haven't bought any new equipment since the '70s when I purchased a 5 hp 20 gallon compressor <overkill>, a DeVilbiss automotive touch-up gun - the Binks gun with the 1 quart cannister<I got free> was too much, and a Paasche airbrush) what do you recommend for a gun (for base color/primer) and compressor? How well do the HVLP guns work?
TIA,
Will

What you can get by with and what makes your life EASY are usually 2 different things.

The Devilbiss gun is nice, that should be fine right there. If you want sweetness in a HVLP form, check out a Sata minijet or an Iwata LPH80. Those are the 2 best paint guns for our application that I have found, there are probably others.

Compressor: no such thing as overkill. Install a quality filter/dryer for insurance. You don't want moisture in the line.

Ideally you want about a .8-1.0mm tip/nozzle. Any more really puts out too much paint, any less and you'll really have to thin it and be patient.

The Paasche is fine for trim, just make sure it's clean, lubed and in good working order.

A note about colors: some colors lay down better than others. White SUCKS. It is the hardest to get a good coat for me. So, use the white for setting up and testing. if you can lay that down nice, the other colors will be a walk in the park.

-Mike

I have a thread started on finishing with carbon veil. Straight forward stuff; you'll find it somewhere in RCU, probably in finishing and construction forum. Material went around compound curves surprising well with a little TLC. You want to use the 0.2 oz variety not the 0.5 oz. It stiffens structures very nicely. I've used most methods out there and this is at least as good as the best I've used, HOWEVER, you need experience to do it light. Use the techique I describe and produce a light, paint ready surface.

Glass and epoxy paint or thinned epoxy is a bit easier to apply overall. Less expensive than carbon veil, a bit heavier and not as stiff but works fine. We built all our stuff with glass and epoxy paint 20 years ago when 60's were king. The caveat with glass is the weave bleed through after a couple months when done very light, but it's a minor concern.

The major caveat with any light finish is the lack of resistance to hanger rash. I store my panels in the original husks which have been lined with felt cloth. Literally build a box around the husks which serves as carrier to the field. One set of panels is 6 years old and still looks like new. That set of panels was done is silkspan and dope

MattK

Update :

I saw today at Model Airplane store ( not so close to my home, but .. its possible to buy from them - a microglass ( 25 Gram ).
There is any diffrence between microglass and fiberglass ?
Just wanted to be sure by now ..


Thanks.