May be a dumb question, but please bear with a newbie.
Can one paint over Monocoat? What paint should be used, normal fuel-proof dope?
Thanks

Dope or LustereKote spray works good. Make sure it dries for a couple days before exposing it to glow fuel exhaust.

Scuff the monokote with fine or very fine steel wool to "give it some tooth".

I use an ETCH primer befroe painting otherwise the paint does not stick well.

My tin brand is Prymol [ Flair products I think ??? ]

Lately I've been using Krylon Fusion as it's made expressly for plastics...then (as it's not fuel proof), top coating with with an automotive epoxy clear. Time will tell if it is a durable system. I like the spray nozzle and the way the product levels.

Some years ago a friend and I decided to experiment with an old beater he had been flying for years in order to determine which paint was best suited for aplication over MonoKote. It being a shoulder wing plane, we shot some color panels on the top of the wing immediately behind the engine. If memory serves we shot a patch of Krylon, formula U, Rustoleum and another brand which I can't remeber. After a summer of flying and much abuse, the paint that stuck the best was ....... TA DAH, Rustoleum! The rest was either blistered or peeling off. Krylon was the first to bite the dust as it isn't actually fuelproof.

Can't say that any of the products were a really great finish without some sort of protective clear coat.

Back when R/S or later Chevron Perfect paints were available, they worked fantastically over monokote. I did a Modeltech trainer 40 in a Japanese scheme sort of like Kobeyashi's Ki-61 Tony - chrome monokote with all other markings but the splotch pattern done in monokote cut to fit and ironed on but the splotches (or mottles if you prefer) were Chevron Perfect Japanese Army Green spray paint. That model still exists today and is owned by a good friend of mine. That paint was excellent as it stood up to 25% raw nitro fuel and the exhaust from 15% nitro Never tried 25% in my engine, that was around for the little .049 Black Widow I had). I only wish that paint were still available today, at least for stand-off scale stuff.

If you can find Dupli-color brand automotive touch up paint, that appears to be totally fuel proof when cured. Apparently, it's a form of automotive lacquer based paint. Make sure you scuff the surface as previously mentioned and wipe clean with denatured alcohol to remove all traces of finger oils prior to spraying. You should have no problems.

The other one I would try over monokote would be the Warbird Colors acrylics. I haven't tried them yet but I am sure they would work well. KlassKote epoxy would also probably work but these last two brands are a bit expensive and I prefer using them over fiberglass.

The best I have found is 21st Century paint by Black Baron

http://www.coverite.com/accys/covr0101.html

1st Century Paint is available in just two colors?

Try some adhesion promoter(plastic primer)after a thorough de-greasing with prepsol or sim and a light scuff with a grey automotive scotchbrite pad.

I've always wondered, after painting over MonoKote, how does the painted MonoKote react if reheating is necessary? Either covering attached to sheeted, or open rib bays. Anyone have this experience?

Thanks.

I've often wondered that too.

We all know monkeykote wrinkles in the sun and you have to hit it with a heat gun to tighten it up.

Will it wrinkle with paint attached to it?

If it does wrinkle, will the paint flake off?

If it does wrinkle, can you simply heat it up and re-shrink it? Will that ruin the paint?

Last time I checked, paint ain't flexible. How on earth do you keep it stuck to monkeykote after exposure to hot sunlight?

[sm=confused.gif]

In respect to 2k paint systems you can buy an additive called flex-aid,i'm sure there are others too.To test,spray a couple of coats onto an unprepared plastic surface eg;the back side of a cutting board,icecream container,plastic bottles etc and let it cure properly(1 to 7 days depending on temp)then scrape an edge up and start peeling.Comes off in large sections with little effort.You will be able to tear or cut strips of it easily so save some for a month or two and you will notice a slight hardening tho not significant,it will retain an amazing degree of flexibility,fold some in half flat between your fingers,i don't think you'll be doing that while it's attached to your model..

Next add some flex-aid at the recommended 10% by volume(mixed)and repeat

It will take an amazing amount of carefully applied heat for short periods and will temporarily soften.Be careful with yellows in particular as they tend to go slightly red when heat is applied.Hope this helps

I'm hoping to hear from someone that has applied paint of any type and was then faced with re-shrinking covering and paint. How'd that turn out? Does the applied paint shrink sufficiently with the covering and is the result satisfactory?

You have.The point i was making is that polyurethanes are very user friendly re flexibility,they become softer with heat from any source,from natural sunlight to my favourite paint stripping gun.If you are health concious get some other mug to spray it on for you,and please don't use steel wool of any kind to add a profile or key to the substrate.It leaves tiny steel hairs that most people won't feel or see till you spray something shiney on it and look at the reflected light off the panel.For surface sanding/scouring buy a medium grit grey scourer(they are colour coded)from 3m or whoever.If you can't get them a rule of thumb is if you can stand dragging one over the inside skin of your forearm it's fine enough.Common sense and good luck.

Agree about steel wool! For a fine scuffing I've found that a new gray 3M pad can be too coarse. Better to use a new pad in the shower, scrub a few pots, to dull the sharp edges of the pad.

The main reason I've never painted over any iron on covering is that the lasting qualities of a good paint job is only as good as the stabillity of the substrate. The thought of the covering lifting under a great paint job makes me cringe.

I'll bet you a box of beer on the substrate (covering) being applied as carefully as the primer and top coat!