acerc

I am done taping but will wait until the morning to spray it. Not going to get in any hurry, and it's just to late in the day.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

Then may I suggest you get busy with the spray gun and the camera. Hahahha

acerc

First thing in the morning.

acerc

The first coat of red has been laid down. Two more to go. So far all the colors I have used from Stits covers superbly, usually one coat even though I do two. But this red actually takes two but I do three. Stits suggest 30 minutes between coats, so by 9pm the red will be done.

acerc

And the red is complete. In the pic the part that you see with tape remaining is where the gold and white stripe runs. And that stays until the blue is complete.

acerc

While waiting I have made a template for the fuse side thingies, pic one. Taped it in place and marked on both sides, pic 2. Now I will tape and cover this area so as to not paint it blue. After the blue I can add the fading red and then the gold. I am going to attempt to use the vinyl mask for the stripes. I am going to peel the transfer paper off the vinyl leaving it on the backing. Then paint the vinyl gold, use my masking paper as transfer paper to pull the vinyl from the backing and put on the airframe. I already pulled a small piece on the transfer paper back, pic 3, to see if it was possible. It is, but pull very slowly and dead flat against itself.

rs917

Very very impressive Robert.

You may have mentioned it elsewhere but I didn't see it — are you painting the eagle's head or will that be a decal?

acerc

Thank you. The Eagle will be a decal, don't want to airbrush it myself and cost to much from others. But, it is not lacking in appearance, the guy that did it did some nice editing of the photo. It will be the first decal to go on and that should be on Wednesday.

stevegauth30

How will you fade the colors? Airbrush? If so, please explain in detail your technique. I'm still very green with am airbrush and want to learn. I would have to agree with rs917. Very very impressive.

acerc

I will use the detail gun. I will reduce the flow of paint coming from the gun and mist from one end to the other, with each over lapping mist I will stop shorter and shorter of the area needing white. An airbrush could be used but there is more paint to be applied than I like for an airbrush. That area will get painted Wednesday and I will take pics of the progression of each layer and then the final results after unmasked. It's not really that hard to do, if you can operate a gun effectively. And I don't mean that as an insult or being conceited, it is just an art form that has to be learned, a feel of the hand combined with what the eye see's.

acerc

And thanks Steve.
Here are those vinyl stripes painted with the gold.

acerc

Painting those were pretty cool. Vinyl has a static charge when the transfer paper is pulled of and that charge kind of made the vinyl attract paint particles. I could actually see the paint being pulled to the vinyl away from the open area. Very cool...

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Robert, I would like your expert advise. As you can see from the picture attached I have a nice 4 color paint scheme to do. Would you paint the whole airplane white and the add the blue or just go far enough down to allow for over lap? Also would I do the white and blue then the Silver and red in that order or would it be easier to do the red and then apply the silver as the last color.

acerc

Taking into account that paint adds weight as well as expense, for one with such straight lines I would "not" paint it solid white. For that one I would, using fine line of 1/8", mask off and paint the white, then remove all masking and mask off for the red and blue, then finish it up with masking off for the silver. You always, I repeat always, want to paint the lightest colors first. In the aforementioned process the reason for the silver coming last is it will be going directly over white, and because after the other colors are done you have some nice lines to follow for the silver masking.
A tip on masking, remember I said light colors first so after the white is painted you will have to mask for the other colors, right. Here is the tip, don't try to run the next color tape dead on the line. Mask just a hair inside the line the darker second color will cover. And sometimes this also adds just a tab bit of shading effect to the line of the two colors and in my opinion makes it look crisper.
Give me a second and I will post a pic.

acerc

In the pic blue is the next color going over the white, pretend the white is raw Solartex. The blue line represents blue fine line tape, look closely and you will see there is a small line of red, tapeing in that manner does two things, one is it insures you do not have the preceding color show afterwards, and two like said before creates an effect that I feel enhances the joint line.

acerc

The reason I painted the Pitts solid white is because there was just to much striping to not. And I could have not painted the fuse white but that would leave the red and blue to go over the silver which would have changed the shade of both colors. There is a lot to think about other than just slapping some color on isn't there!

acerc

I am and have been working on that spot where the vinyl adhesive stayed behind. The Goo Gone is working, very slowly which is ok, but working none the less. It will probably take a couple hours to complete, at the given rate anyway. Or it could get to a certain point and voila off it comes. We'll see. I have until 8pm to work at it and then will clean it up/off and proceed to taping for the blue on the fuse.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks Robert!! I expanded the photo and saw the thin line of red below the masking. I'm not to the point I can start the paint yet but I thought it was a good time to ask the question. What brand of 1/8" tape are you using?

acerc

LOL! If your like me you'll forget it before you get to it. I am using 3M blue fine line tape, there are others that may work a smidge better but not for the difference in price. I seen on the TF thread you are covering your Cessna with glass, ever consider Solartex? Much easier and lots less work.

stevegauth30

Robert, no insult taken. I know painting is an art. I've only painted a couple so I'm no artist.tis why I ask. Thank you.

acerc

The adhesive is almost gone. With the issues it has brought to this section of the wing I believe the only way to make it look right is somewhat of a redo. I will wet sand this area to blend in and mask off the stars and bars as well as the perimeter. Then re shoot the white and then add the center star back in. That is the only way all the lines are going to be right without having lines where they should not be.

rs917

Looking forward to seeing that decal Robert.

Don't forget to throw up a few pics on the Biplane Forum if you get a chance...the RC guys over there love this kind of stuff.

acerc

Do viewers even go to where BP forum stuck my post? What kind of pics are you referring to? Just some of the finishing stages?

rs917

Most folks work off the "recent posts" tab so unless there's new content, it will eventually peter out much like any other forum. I looked and found your thread: you might want to check with one of the forum admins because it's not stickied anywhere.

No worries if it's a hassle...I just thought they'd like it.

acerc

There were a few onlookers so I posted some of the paint process.