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Electric Stunt => Gettin all AMP'ed up! => Topic started by: Mike Scholtes on September 20, 2009, 11:52:47 PM
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Since we are free of the need for fuel-proof finishes, it appears there is a whole world of paints that are available to us. What aside from traditional dopes would be a good, glossy, reasonably light finish material? (I am thinking of something other than MonoKote/Rustoleum type finishes.) Acrylic lacquer car finishes? Water based paint with some kind of clear? And since the clear coat (if used) does not itself need to be fuel proof, what kinds of clear top coat would be good for us? I am thinking in terms of sprayed-on finishes applied using techniques we are familiar with and equipment we mostly already have.
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do you really want your new stunter to not have a fuel proof finish? How many glow guys do you fly with? are you sure that the "help" you have launching and retreaving your plane will not have fuel residue on their hands that will smudge your finish? what about that coating of exhaust???
saying that - auto paints are very good - acrylic laquer are what I have been using - dupli color have a really good range of colours - or you can go to an auto shop and they'll mix any colour you like...
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Taking it a layer at a time:
I do know know that I have heare of a better based coat system (bare wood through filler) than dope - nitrate or butyrate. smelly stuff that has to be applied onder perfect conditions.
Water based color coats look like a great option - lots of folks are already using that - paint int he sun, in the rain in the - watever. indoors or out
Top coate/clear coat. Back to the smelly stuff - likely the space suit stuff. I don't think it has to be raw fuel proof and oil proof (from greasy fingers) is pretty easy.
I dummo, 'cote finisheds look like a pretty good option!
I agree with Wynn that if you are flying with the IC guys or at a cointest, you WILL get at least some oily exhaust from the other guys...
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Another way to finish a E-Plane is any kind of Iron plastic covering (Mono coat) will be fuel proof to IC flyers and will last on ECL no fuel getting under seams and it is a vary light finish.
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I am about to reopen an old can of worms.
What about water based paint then cover it with two part clear coat which is fuel proof. I saw Windy doing this on this Spitfire fuselage. He applied it with an airbrush the sand and buffed.
To clarify Windy is using Brodack paint and two part paint clear coat on the fuse i was not talking about the color coats but what he does with the clear coats.
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Dorin:
You are on target, the water based systems apparently do not have a water based clear coat that we can use. The two part clears like you are talking about are the answer, if you have a spacesuit! I understand they are also very heavy (hence application via airbrush) but that is something we can larn to eal with.
The problem is the toxicity. To paraphrase an old Bill Cosby routine; imagine standing at the pearly gates, St Peter asks "How'd you die?" and I say, "I was painting my toy airplane and accidently inhaled some fumes". The reply: "YOU got to HELL!" I have usd enough bad practices with dope finishes, and got away with it ( I think) the other stuff is just TOO NASTY! I am not willing to go into harms way just to paint a stunter.
Electrics place less stress on the finish than do IC. I think the film coverings offer the best combination of user friendliness, light weight, and protection. I want to aim for the level of covering that usually wins the "Best Monocote" award at places like the Toledo show.
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First I must say that I am not a great finisher. My planes look OK but not really high quality (I am just too impatient with the finishing steps). That being said I have had excellent results from the Nelson water based paints. They are advertised as good for up to 50% nitro but this is not a problem with electrics. I have used 35% nitro on some of my planes and it stands up well to that.
They do have a finishing clear coat that provides a very nice, bright finish. The good thing is it's all water based, dries quickly and goes on nicely. With care and good technique I would think it would produce an excellent finish.
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Bob,
Which water based clear are you using?
I'm trying to get away from the urethane stuff. My base colors are water based so why not the clear? Did you ever try to polish, or buff it?
Thanks, Arch
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I have been using the Nelson clear. It is available in gloss and flat I believe.
No I have never tried to buff it out so I don't know how that would work. As I said, I use it on carrier planes and super high gloss is not a necessity, just durability.
Bob