The 'koi cowling is going ok. It took me three hours to mask off one color. Ridiculous isn't it. Actually, it took me two hours to determine a workable technique and one hour to actually do it. I ended up holding the cowling perfectly level and drawing a faint line with a pencil blocked up to the proper height. I now had a line to help guide the tape. I used 1/4 inch vinyl tape around curves and blue masking tape along straights. BTW, a Suhkoi cowling is not easy to hold or get perfectly level. Stacked magazines help here.

I have now decided that ARF's are worth the money if for no other reason that to get a painted cowling. I am truly respectful of you guys that paint entire airplanes. Especially ones with curved stripes!

I'm gunna have a drink now.

With all the problems you've been having with painting, why don't you take it to a body shop and pay someone to paint it for you? Much cheaper in the long run and alot less aggravating.

If we all took our planes to body shops, how would we learn to do it ourselves.

It sounds like you came up with a good plan, and got the job done. I bet the next one you do will take half the time, and will look twice as good.

Why build a plane at all? Just pay someone one to do it.

I kinda like being aggravated........

Well, it's all finished now. The LustreKote is a very bad product. I have never seen orange peel this bad. I sent a very irate e-mail to Hobico asking for my money back.

daven, now that I've calmed down, I'm already thinking of the next project. I think I could do twice as good in half the time. I'm not going to use LooserKote though.

Is there an alternative product that comes in a can, matches MonoKote, is very durable and sprays as nice as hardware store paint.

Orange peel happens with any paint when you spray the second coat at the wrong time.

In all seriousness, this paint comes out of the can in large droplets. I really do not see how orange peel could be avoided. I tried every timing trick I could think of. I even tried to follow the instructions to the letter. Nothing worked.

BTW, I've used Testors plastic model paint, polyurethane, automotive lacquer, hardware store enamel, and various kinds of industrial spray paint. I never had a problem with any of those products.

WD40 with the tube attached atomizes better than LustreKote! No Kidding!

next time try Chevron (Perfect paints), I just had very good luck with it. The finish is the smoothest I have ever had from a spray can.

If he had problems with the Lusterkote just wait till he trys the perfect crap(oh I meant paint). I purchased 6 cans of this perfect paint (@10.00 per can) to paint a cowl and wheel pants. It took an entire can of primer to prime one pair of pants. Low solids junk. The color coats were even worse,thin translucent color that would run if you breathed. If you don't believe me check out this thread
http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...=perfect+paint

I'm normally a patient guy but I boxed this garbage up in a hurry and sent it back. I'll never buy this junk again. Also their customer service sucks..they did not care one bit that there was a problem with their products..

Giant Scale:

Well I think you got a bad batch . I just finished my cowl and wheel pants on a 30% extra. It came out beautiful, very smooth, nice color match.
I had a problem with 21st century paint much like you had with perfect.

I used sandable primer from an auto store. 400 wet sanded the primer. Shot first full coat, 600 wet sanded that then gave final coat, very nice looking. I always set the paint can in hot tap water to heat it up, regardless of which brand.

some of this paint sits on shelves for so long it is hard to shake it up. That was the problem I had with the 21st cent.

Jemo,
I am not attacking you, just making others aware of my experience. In a previous post by ilikeplanes I described my methods for painting fiberglass. You can refer to
http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...092&forumid=63
I know how to paint but it is very frustrating to have all your prep work ruined by junk paint that doesn't dispense from the can properly..

I doubt the product is to blame for orange peels. OP occur for many reasons:

1. ambient temp too warm.
2. reducer used "too fast" (i.e. evaporates fast and meant for a cooler ambient temp)
3. gun pressure too low
4. gun fluid flow setting too lean
5. gun too far away from work when spraying

Shooting paint, like many things in this hobby, requires the right equipment, fine skills, and most important of all patience. I remember fondly the first time I tried spray painting a rear wing spoiler for my '89 VW GTI. It took me 7 tries to get it right.

Spray.. orange peels...$%*%$!...wet sanding...
Spray...runs...*@&%$!...wet sanding...
(and on and on and on....)

Eventually you'll get it right. Or you'll get disgusted, throw your spray gun away, ans swear you'd never try shootin' paint again.

Hey Man, I know you are not attacking me .
I know what you are talking about. I used the Chevron for the first time, I just finished last week. It just happened to come out as one of the best spray can paint jobs I have ever seen, maybe next time it will do for me just what it did for you.
I have seen lustercote jobs and would never buy that stuff, so I tried this and it worked. My experience with 21st century paint was the same as yours with chevron.

If there were more colors in the automotive stores (without getting it mixed) I would use it. I have used Plasti-cote (SP) for painting trim on monokote and it was great,really smooth and tight finish.