Author Topic: A note on paint (Read 1851 times)

Randy Powell · « **on:** March 30, 2011, 04:18:58 PM »

For those of you that were waiting for pictures of my new ship once called the Toad, well, it won't be for awhile. I tried using a silver metallic undercoat with a gold candy topcoat to get the color I was looking for. Took only one, thin coat of silver, but the candy topcoat took several coats and resulted in two things: the thing is now too heavy and I still didn't get the color I was hoping for. So, my current plane is to sand it back down (heck, I wasn't all that thrilled with the substrate prep anyway) and while doing that find a base color I can live with. Could take some time on that part. So the whole project will still take a bit.\

Sigh... Live and learn. I've yet to try an undercoat/candy/topcoat that I was happy with.

Will Hinton · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2011, 05:18:55 PM »

Hang in there, Randy, good things are worth the time. (This from a guy who hates sandpaper!)

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2011, 06:00:46 PM »

Amateur

Matt Colan · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2011, 06:59:08 PM »

I thought you told us if you were to use any type of candy again to just shoot you when you painted your last Slider?

Randy Powell · « **Reply #4 on:** March 30, 2011, 07:24:07 PM »

Matt,

Yea, it was an attempt to tint to the color I wanted. I've actually done a couple of candy finishes that turned out OK, but the issues is usually consistency of the color (easy to get tiger stripes or light and dark areas).

On a good note, I weighed everything tonight (main airframe, pieces, hardware, etc). The overall weight was 37oz. Add in 18oz or so of drive train (engine, header, pipe, tank, prop and spinner) and I we are at 55oz right now. So, I suppose if I could keep the remainder of the paint to go on to under 3oz, I'd be in the ball park at 58oz overall. that's still 3 ounces over what I wanted but still in the ball park. I'm planning to to hit it with another coat of candy (with some, ah, additives) then once dry I'll put it together and weigh it. If it's still in the ballpark, I'll finish up with the trim and clear and call it good.

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2011, 07:35:21 PM »

37 all up is pretty good.. I think anything sub 60 should fly VERY well.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2011, 11:33:56 AM »

PJ,

Tonight, I'll shoot on the last tint coat and decide after that. What I really want to do it put it all together and see what I have then decide if the sandpaper and stripper come out. While I want a pretty plane, I more want a good flying plane.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2011, 11:17:55 PM »

Bummer. You're way more experienced than me in the paint department Randy, but if you were unsure at all what about (DUH!) test panels???

If it comes down to it at least you've got the stripping thing down with "Dad's".

...just thought, maybe it's Karmah, you know "Lowriders" started out being called "Lead Sleds" right? (OUCH)

ash · « **Reply #8 on:** April 01, 2011, 12:35:48 AM »

Candy coats are just asking for trouble on models, but they LOOK SOOOO GOOD!!!

There's such a fine line between good colour/coverage and excessive weight.
On one model I did, I used the raw dye sprayed directly over the silver. It worked and was very light, but any chips in the clear coat and fuel will just wash the dye out from under the clear.

I need to be reminded of this when my next stunt build is sanded up because I'm itching to paint it candy/metallic blue.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2011, 09:36:53 PM »

Well, good things come to those who sand, I guess. I decided to just sand the thing back down (about 1/4 done doing that). I decided that the color sucked, I wasn't all that happy with the substrate anyway and will now have a much better surface, so that's something. And surprise, surprise, I found the color in a single stage paint (color code anways) that I originally wanted to use anyway.

So it's all good/

wwwarbird · « **Reply #10 on:** April 02, 2011, 11:07:33 PM »

AAARRGH! The suspense is killing me!

Randy Powell · « **Reply #11 on:** April 03, 2011, 10:47:16 AM »

Wayne,

You'll live. I'm a bit anxious myself. I'll have to go by the auto paint place on Monday to see if they can mix my color up. I have a Ford color number now, so hopefully, they can do it.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #12 on:** April 03, 2011, 07:27:05 PM »

Just razzin' ya Randy.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #13 on:** April 03, 2011, 07:57:17 PM »

OK, it's about 40% sanded now. Yikes, my elbow is tired.

Edit

By the way, one of the reasons I decided to just sand it back down was the color. Somehow, candy fungus green just wasn't what I was going for. This turns out to be a good decision. Apart from what is clearly going to be a much better (smoother, flatter) substrate, I've already lost about 3oz (6 coats of paint will do that to you). Figure to lose most of 7oz by the time I'm ready for a one coat base color. That should only add an ounce. Sheesh!

Randy Powell · « **Reply #14 on:** April 08, 2011, 09:44:29 AM »

And sanding and sanding and sanding. About 2/3 done now. Hope to pick up the new paint today and shoot it on Sunday.

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #15 on:** April 08, 2011, 12:07:49 PM »

Thats good news Randy, so, ,lets see, base color sunday,, trim monday night, clear wed,, Hey you still have time to get it done before Portland,,

Randy Powell · « **Reply #16 on:** April 08, 2011, 02:21:51 PM »

Mark,

I'll be lucky to have it done and flown by the Regionals. Maybe.

The bad news is, I need to come up with a whole new paint scheme. Can't use what I was planning since it turns out you were right, the base color I wanted is Tri-Color only (Hmmm, Mark was right - go figure). That's OK, there's a lot of paint under the bench and I already have an idea....

Randy Powell · « **Reply #17 on:** April 09, 2011, 09:59:55 PM »

Well, the main airframe is finally sanded. Gee, I only need to do the control surfaces, wheel pants, cowling then resand the whole mess with 320 lightly then wet sand it with 400 then I can shoot some heavily thinned clear and then, yea, I will finally get to shoot the base color on. Joy.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #18 on:** April 10, 2011, 09:05:55 PM »

Well, it's just about ready for paint again. And my shoulder and elbow are done for awhile so it's just as well I'm done.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #19 on:** April 10, 2011, 09:34:58 PM »

Test panel, test panel, test panel...

Randy Powell · « **Reply #20 on:** April 11, 2011, 09:56:38 AM »

Wayne,

I did that before, but it didn't quite come out the way I thought it would. I have an idea and I plan to shoot the undercoat on the plane and the test panel at the same time. Reason is, if the overcoat on the test panel looks like, ah, well, crap, I'll just go with the undercoat as the base color. Since it's largely white, it should be fine either way with the paint scheme I am planning.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #21 on:** May 02, 2011, 03:43:56 PM »

Just thought I'd wrap this up with a couple of thoughts.

Finish is always a balance between weight and appearance. I can do a very light finish, but it will only be marginal on appearance. I can do a killer looking plane, but odds are, it will be a tank. It's a knack getting a finish that is light and looks great. Some are great at it, some not so much. Finding that balance is a skill that takes time learning.

One piece of advice: if you think the paint you are putting is going to be too heavy, it probably is. It's always better to sand than to live with a great finish on a marginal plane. Second thing is, if something is bugging you, fix it. You will be happier in the end. Looking at the plane on the flightline months later, all you will be able to see is the mistake even if others don't see it. Much as I decided that all I would be able to see on this new plane was the marginal cockpit detail and that fog on the inside of the canopy. It wasn't much, but I would see it every time I flew the thing. So I cut the canopy off, re-did the finish under the canopy and put on a new canopy. While not the level of some I've seen, it's OK in a minimalist sort of way. Kinda classy. And I won't be berating myself this summer on a marginal job. Besides, the canopy tint is better this time.

Point is, you have to decide what you can live with and what you want. As most of you have seen on these pages, some guys can put out spectacular finishes - real pieces of art, but sometimes they pay a price for that in weight. Top fliers I know do very nice finishes, but they are seldom (sometimes, but seldom) front row. They are certainly serviceable and in many cases really nice jobs, but the focus in on a good flying plane that is also good looking, not the other way around. I'm always happier with a plane that flies really well even if the finish is not top shelf.

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #22 on:** May 07, 2011, 12:35:02 AM »

Thats why I like Randy - that advice is so spot on its not funny.

A trade off between weight and performance

WHY? Its takes a certain amount of " filler " read filler as anything that is ontop of the wood surface, dope, primer, paint, clear anything you like, it takes a certain amount to get it flawless.

Between 6 - 11 oz can be had for a finish.

6 would be light but there isnt enough material to make the prepped surface perfect
7 - 8 is mid range
9 is about minimum for a 17-18 point finish provided all steps are done properly
10 - 11 you afford yourself the options for 18 - 20 point potentional.