Yes you can fix it. First shoot some clear dope on it. Then sand just the edges with 600 grit. Use low tack sign mask to cover letters and then airbrush ( feather it it) Then remove mask and re-clear. I have had to do it a million times.

If the white blushes no bigie.

Wait till no humidity or spry indoors where the air is.

One comment. We've all had this many times. I agree with Robert. Shoot clear on the area and let it completely dry. Don't worry too much about blush at this stage. You can usually use retarder and thinner to get the blush out later if it persists. Be sure you tape off the lettering with some low stick tape before sanding the area so if you go through the clear, you don't take the lettering off. You want to make sure the ridges created by the peel up are as level as you can get them.  Once that is done, tape off the lettering and shoot some more white on the area, remove the tape and shoot another coat of clear. Then you can lightly sand it and you're ready for clear or panel lines or whatever.

Another note. Sometimes this happens along a narrow, vinyl tape line. I had this happen on a plane awhile back due to some paint incompatability problems. Left several short narrow peel ups that went all the way to the silkspan, removing everything. Left quite a furrow. Too much for clear to level. I ended up taping off the area and filling the holes left by the missing paint and filler with some auto glazing compound. Sanded that, reshot the paint in the area as described and it's undetectable now. There is a great temptation to just use a brush to touch up areas, especially very small ones. Sometimes you can get away with this, but usually not and certainly not with metallic or pearlized paint. Resist the urge. Trust me on this. Use an airbrush.

Fixing this sort of stuff is often more art than science. There are some basic methods as Robert has noted, but sometimes you just have to get creative.

Thanks Sparky and Randy--I will follow these directions.

Marv-- I was out flying all day today and more is planned for tomorrow. However I will shoot clear in the morning and post pics and will follow up with step by step pics.
Right now I have a dehumidifier running on high in my basement shop. I'll let it run all night. In the morning I'll mix some clear. The mix will be 50% clear 40% thinner and 10% retarder (all Brodak). After I airbrush the area I'll post a pic.

I'll check here in the morning to see if Sparky or Randy have anything to add or change on my proposed mix. If they say do different I'll modify the recipe and let you know.

Also I've posted this pic of the whole plane elsewhere but I'll put it here too.

Frank,

Only thing I would add is the mix depends on the conditions. Certainly don't use more than 10% retarder. It can melt the colors underneath if you get too heavy with it. I usually use a mix something like what you suggest. I have trouble telling people what mix to use because I use dope from the aircraft supply places and it's considerably thicker than what you get in a hobby shop or from Brodak. The stuff comes out of the can like molasses. I usually only use about 30% dope and the rest thinner with about 5% of that retarder, but as I say, I use some pretty thick dope. Just thin it 'till it sprays easily from your gun (or airbrush). Your mix sounds fine.

Lets up know how it comes out.

Marv,

I'm in the middle of an article for Stunt News with my finishing system. I think Robert has done some stuff too. He uses a somewhat different methodology than I do but obviously gets very good results. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

Hi Frank:

Good stuff from everyone on this problem.  Did you warm up the mask prior to pulling it?  I use a hair dryer and it really helps.  Also, even with low-tack mask, Before sticking it down, I swipe the adhesive side over a bluejean pant leg.  It helps to break the tack a little more.  I also always outline the bask area as close to the edge as about 1/8" with the paper-based low tack delicate finish tape.  so, as far as practical, only 1/8 " of the mask is actually touching the painted surface.

These things have really helped to minimize this type of problem for me in the last couple years.

Curt

SO.......................I've airbrushed a coat of clear this morning and another coat of clear yesterday. I sanded the area lightly with 600 grit wet/dry paper.
 

The picture shows the affected area that I have masked off. I left plenty of white area so that I can airbrush the white without actually getting to the masking tape so as to avoid getting any sharp edges. The idea here is to feather the white onto the surface as Sparky related in an earlier post.

I'm going to use Brodak clear Unless you can tell me  (and I'm sure you can) a better way to go.

So.............I've sprayed the white onto it and unmasked it. There is still a ways to go.
I'm thinking that I should leave it alone till tomorrow. Then sand lightly and put some clear on top of it. After that we see what it looks like and go from thetre.

The blue is going to need a little work  too.

I think at some point I need to sit myself down and give me a good long talking to about keeping things simple.

O.K. .......I want to touch up the blue just a bit and then I'll go straight to clear.
Thanks for the help. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.


                                                   
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