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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: EddyR on March 24, 2014, 12:00:47 PM
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Mike has mentioned several times about his use of KBS Diamond Clear. His pictures of his models with it are dazzling. I was looking for a clear coat for my bicycling frame painting to get the powder coat look. I wanted to try it on a model with out building a new one so I took the old Viking that I had built a new body for and used it on that. I shot a very thin coat of red and used a marking pen to cover up some old blue that was on the wing. and some decals to cover up odd color that was showing through the red. The red was very flat with no clear over it. One hour later I brushed the KBS thinned 40% on it and it came out looking like a piece of glass. Wow the old dog looks good. One coat is about the same as two coats of thin clear,but it seals every pour.It get hard as a rock overnight yet seems flexible. I only did the body and planking not the entire wing. Next week we will see if it is fuel and exhaust proof. Plane weighs 41 ounces as it sits ready to fly with ST/46
Here is link to Mike's plane http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=34481.0
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Eddy this looks great and thank you very much for the compliment. The first time I ever used KBS Diamond clear I could not believe how it self levels itself and the shine you get with it. And you are right, it is hard but also flexible. I brush it on with a foam brush or a bristle brush..doesnt matter, the brush marks disappear...Glad you are happy with it...
Mike
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Hi Eddy,
Do you know how much the weight increased with this clear coat.
Thanks,
Randy Cuberly
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It weights the same as two coats of dope but looks like ten. It goes on thin. I have used the two part clear in the spray cans and it was heavy. I thinned it with lacquer thinner. I bought this to do bike frames.
Ed
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Mike,
Where do you get KBS diamond clear??
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Tom,
Here is their web site: http://www.kbs-diamondfinish.com/
Best, DennisT
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Tom,
Here is their web site: http://www.kbs-diamondfinish.com/
Best, DennisT
Hi Dennis I know you also used the two part clear coat in the spray can. This is better and goes farther.
Ed
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May give it a try on my new plane.
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If this thing is fuel proof we got ourselves a stone cold winner!!
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I'd be cautious about thinning too much, or exposing it to aggressive chemicals before it's had a decent cure time. I think I was guilty of both, and had a model go a bit sticky on me as a result. (This was a diesel model running Klotz Benol as a lubricant - I suspect that there's something aggressive in Benol, as it's affected a couple of finishes that ordinary castor wouldn't trouble.) When I took the unusual step of following the instructions, I found I could still airbrush the KBS when thinned only 15%. Applied as per the instructions, it seems impervious to just about everything. When I tried to remove it, I had to abrade it, as neat acetone had no effect. A great product IMHO - thanks Mike.
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You guys are very welcome...
Mike
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Can this stuff be used over dope?
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Can this stuff be used over dope?
Bill, I have not used it over Dope but I do not think you would have any problem doing so. I have used it over auto paint and rattle can paints with no problems at all. You might was to do a test area but it is pretty inert stuff....
Mike
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Thanks for the quick reply Mike. Maybe I will give it a try. It wouldn't be the first time I was a guinea pig. :)
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Smallest size is a pint for $35. But you can also get a 4oz pkg as part of the Headlight Restoration Kit for $20.
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I use a lot of auto base coat to get custom colors. The base coats are not permanent until the clearcoat is applied. For this reason I would think that any kind of brushing would streak the base coats.
The diamond coat looks like a big winner with other paints, however.
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Mike,
I ordered their small starter kit ($19.95, 4oz clear plus kleener pint?). This should do one ship (I also order a small Thinner to allow spraying test). It would be great if they would offer just the 4oz jar for our purpose.
Best, DennisT
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Dennis I talked to their tech support guys some time back about the thinner. Of course they are going to recommend their product and I do not blame them, but the guy also told me that in a pinch, you could use Xylene...I did thin some with Xylene just to see how it would do and it did fine.
One other thing, after you open the can, before you put the lid back on, make sure you cover the can opening with some wax paper or parchment paper because the lid will be come welded to the can. I actually poured mine into a quart glass jar and use wax paper over the opening before i screw the jar lid back on.
Mike
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I used DupliColor thinner and it worked well. KBS $50 quart +$10 shipping=$60
I had a lot of trash on the body and it showed up close so I lightly sanded it and recoated it. In one day second was as hard as first coat. I then sanded with 1200 and used compound on it. It came out like a aged rubbed out dope job. I could not sand the spray can two part clear to buff it. This clear is very sensitive to dust. I am trying lots of things on this old Viking as it is the perfect test bed. I am going flying with Don on Monday and we will see how the finish does. I could not measure any weight gain adding a second coat to the body.
Ed
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Don and I were at the Huntersville field today and I got lots of fuel and exhaust on the new clear coat. The finish is impervious to anything I have put on it. I let the exhaust sit on the body for 1.5 hours with no effect. I put a coat of clear over the old finish on the cowl of my Bearcat to test it. The old two part clear was going bad as it gets fuel on it every time I fly the plane. The KBS clear stuck to the old finish and protected it.
You can sand this stuff just like dope and rub it out. It is amazing.
Did a bike frame tonight and will see how it comes out tomorrow.
Ed y1
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Sounds like it is worth money with the price of dope being what it is and what they charged me for a gallon of thinner for my auto two part clear. H^^
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Mike,
My sample kit arrived. Wish they sold the 4oz can separate, it's just the right size for a single ship. Has anyone tried applying this over film? I have a ship that I'm going some refinish to and there are areas that I am removing old film and going to paint (nose area oil got under the edge). I was thinking of top coating this area and overlapping say 1/2" onto the existing film to seal the joint. Anyone try this?
Best, DennisT
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After reading this post i decided to try the KBS clearcote. Ordered it on ebay at a best offer price of $50 including shipping for a quart. Cut 60/40 as recommended and was totally amazed at how well it covered and looked. The only Xlene i could find was at Lowes , had to buy a gallon at $19.00 . So now i have enough thinner to last if i buy more of this product and i feel sure i will. I tried it on a Baby clown with coverlite covering using a foam brush,the fuse was painted with Rustoleum , time will tell but this may be my new clear cote for everything i fly, looks awesome!! Thanks for the tip Mike Griffin and Ed for the positve feedback.
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I am glad you guys like it.....put up some pictures if and when you get a chance......
Mike
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Here is a bike frame I clear coated with KBS using a brush. It is a mid 1970's Zeus. Very rare bike seldom seen. Before and after picture.
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You mean the clear will change the color???? Just joking, the first picture looks shinier.
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How long should I let Lustorkote dry before I put the KBS clear coat on?
Best, DennisT
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"two days four minutes 15 seconds". Just kidding you Dennis. I went over dope two hours after putting it on. I have never used Lustorcoat. The color does not need to be shinny. My red was very dull,flat. The shine is in the clear.
Ed
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How long should I let Lustorkote dry before I put the KBS clear coat on?
Best, DennisT
The lusterkote can says it is fuel proof after 24 hours. I would think you would be safe at that point.
Jim
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Guys,
Used the KBS clear on the nose of my YakYak bipe, straight from can with foam brush. Went on smooth on both the painted area and the MonoKote. Seems to stick to the film great, just did a cleaning with degreaser. Took two days to harden but it is a nice smooth brushless finish. Great stuff so far. Next we fly.
Best, DennisT
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This stuff (presumablly Diamond finish clear, not DF Top Coat) sounds great for what I would be doing. (No need for 21 point Nats finishing!) But it does bring to mind some other thoughts...Has anyone applied directly to balsa to create that OTS clear finish on fuse and tail feathers? How about silk and/or silkspan? Adding Carters colored India ink to thinner for transparent color finishes? Could we add zinc sterate to it to create a one coat primer?
I see you guys using various products to thin this with. Why not use their "#1 Thinner" @ $11.95 per Qt.? Postage the issue here?
Ward-O S?P
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Ward,
The KBS seems to be great stuff for a final top coat, as good as death paint. It seems the lightest finish would be to use dope for the substrate and color and the first couple coats of clear, then light sand and use the KBS over the top.
You could do a test on some scrape wood against dope, it would be interesting to see how much weight difference there is. If you spray the KBS it will likely be pretty light.
Best, DennisT
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For those who use a foam brush, how many coats are you applying?
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Steve I only apply one coat. I candle the surface in daylight and I f I miss a place I go back and touch it up. The stuff is amazing the way it self levels.
Mike
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I sanded through the KBS and nicked the lacquer color coat. What paint classification is KBS? I am guessing enamel similar to Rustoleum as they both use Xylene to thin.
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On the red Viking at the top of this thread I used one coat. After those pictures were taken I sanded the clear on the nose of the plane to get rid of some runs. The second coat went on the complete body but not the stab. It now looks the same as the picture. It sands like dope and comes back shinny like dope. I have flown it and it is still like glass. Fuel has no effect on it. I did not use it on open panels yet. Note it fills better than dope. One coat should be enough.
Ed
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Once the KBS is opened and some material used they suggest to put a piece of plastic warp under the lid to seal against and allow the can to be reopened (seems this stuff makes a pretty strong bond to the surface if allowed to). My question is once you do this what is the shelf life of the material in the can?
Best, DennisT
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All I can say is I love this stuff. The new Legacy will be Duplicolor and KBS clear too.
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Anyone try this over the auto - basecoat colors? Seems this would work as well as the "auto clear coat" that is used.
Best, DennisT
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Mike, Eddy - Thanks for your reports! Did either of you use any solvent to "prep" or clean before applying? Just curious, as their "sampler kit" includes twice as much cleaning solvent as clear coat ...
Dennis
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I just used some Windex to clean with before I applied it
Mike
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I did not clean it as well as I should have. Very small dust particles will make small sharp bumps.They can be sanded off and it will look like dope does,dull. Just recoat the bad spots and it will match perfect. It sticks to itself fine. It is a very sticky paint much better than dope. It will stick to a smooth surface. I use it on metal bikes.
Ed y1
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Has anybody tried to spray it? I'm bought some and was wondering if setting up the spray equipment was worth it as people seem to like it just brushed on.
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I sprayed KBS .... First try was not as good lacquer. It is heavy and will run easily. If you work the spray pattern and mix it should work ok.
Joe
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Here is another older model, 10 years, that I used KBS clear coat on
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Here's my old Chizler, after refinishing. The paint is satin Rustoleum - nothing like a front row finish, but good enough for my purposes. I'll attach 'before & after' shots to show the effect of the KBS.
Steve