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Author Topic: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?  (Read 956 times)

Offline Dennis Toth

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Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« on: May 15, 2020, 03:08:19 PM »
I'm a little late to the basecoat/clearcoat party but I ran across Bob Hunts article in the March 2012 of Model Aviation in which he describes the basecoat/clearcoat(2 part) used on the Crossfire Extreme. It peaked my interest so I read through it. He lists the brand used as DuPont ChromaBase and indicates that you could get it in half print containers. This seems to be about the right size for most models and in a reasonable price range as long as you like to use different colors on each ship (not all white). Bob indicates that applying the color needs only about 30 minutes to dry then you can mask on top of it without tape pulling up the base, seems it is a one part produce. From what I have read it seems the basecoat although well adhered to the substrate is not resistant to even ISO alcohol. So one must be careful when doing the final wipe down. Sounds very good, many full size aircraft are using this type of paint system to keep weight down and have a very durable surface.

That said, what other brands of basecoat are out there that are similar to the DuPont basecoat, just in case local auto paint supply shops don't carry DuPont?

Best,   DennisT
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Offline Walter Hicks

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2020, 11:47:34 AM »
Go to an Auto Paint Store. I used Omni base coat for a long time they would only sell it in pints, then discovered a new auto paint store that will sell the same type of paint in any amount I want I usually get 8 ounces as the base coat is cut 50/50 with reducer which need to match the current season , fast, medium and slow reducer. Omni is a cheaper than Chromabase. The Clear coat varies in price depending if you get the really good stuff that has more Urethane and is much harder and has more shine. Read up on the forum some great information on base coat , clear coat. I like to use
the two part auto primer also as it does not shrink much. The Auto paint really is not all that expensive as it covers really well and you do not need to spray very many coats on to get your color. The clear needs to be thinned much more that the directions say as we don't want to add weight.
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Offline Shorts,David

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2020, 01:21:46 PM »
Could I get more description of this process? Beginning with raw wood? I'm still finishing my second polyspan dope finish and almost ready to curse the whole process. It's working this time-the first practice was very rough, but labor+cost=probably not worth it. Of course when I'm done, maybe I'll change my mind.
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Offline Jerry Rauch

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2020, 06:35:46 PM »
Yes. using automotive basecoat/clearcoat does give you almost unlimited colors in metallics, candies, pearls, etc., just make SURE you price all the materials you will need before you buy anything, you will be shocked at pricing
Example Dupont Chromabase basecoat GM silver metallic $110.00 a pint
                         Chromabase basecoat Black 99K            $115.00 a quart
                         Chromabase basecoat Torch red             $288.00 a quart
                         Nason 2K primer with activator               $ 58.00 a quart  no pints available
              Dupont 7900S Clear  with activator                    $300.00 a gallon

These are prices from a year ago, so most likely even higher now 
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Offline Walter Hicks

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2020, 12:26:48 AM »
I guess the Dupont is expensive !!!! I pay about $47 for a pint of Omni Basecoat, Which lasts forever unless you are painting the whole plane with the one color. Still that Pint is cut 50/50 with reducer so it makes two pints. I will have to check to see what I paid for the clear and catalyst.For sure not that much. I use Omni clear ,  Production clear it is called . But again it is thinned much more than for cars so goes a long way. You do not put on much Clear coat as it is self leveling and can be put on thin. Two coats at the most if you want a super finish.
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Offline John Leidle

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2020, 06:32:06 PM »
   I believe the Urethane Basecoat , Clearcoat will be hard to get before long kinda like the Lacquer products have gotten  might want to stock up.   
        John L.
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Offline Dennis Toth

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2020, 07:44:23 PM »
Holy Cow, dope is sounding pretty good at $17 a pint with at 50/50 is a quart. Top coat with 2K MAX at around $15. So how much weight are we saving with the basecoat over dope? What am I missing?

Best,    DennisT
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Offline Walter Hicks

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2020, 12:53:05 PM »
What you are missing is a matter of personal preference. Auto paints cover very well thus you use very little product who spraying. Auto paints (Basecoat Clearcoat ) shrink very little when 2K auto primer is used. You can spray auto paints in humidity. When used correctly they are very close in weight to a dope finish. When you spray on Urethane clear your plane is going to look good for a long time it does not yellow or continue shrinking.
Auto paints are readily available in almost any color you wish. There is a learning curve when using base coat clear coat paints as you only spray the
basecoat to get color coverage and no more. The Basecoat is not glossy when sprayed. It is not fuel proof. When the Urethane clear coat is applied then it become glossy. You have a lot more fuel proof finish than dope. Especially with the higher end clear coats( the ones with a large amount of Urethane)
It is my understanding that the lower end Auto clear does not have as much Urethane and has more Acrylic and thus not as fuel proof.On the other hand the high end clears dry very hard and difficult to buff etc. I am by no means an expert on this subject , Try the Moon Brothers, Bob Hunt, Phil Granderson, Jim Aaron ,Richard Oliver for the Experts. I use Richard Oliver method of Auto Paint from Balsa on up. You use spot repair 2 part Auto clear for the base with either .5 oz glass cloth or just fill with Zinc Stearate ,then 2k Auto primer , then Basecoat, clear coat. No or very ,very little shrinking using this method and not any heavier as you sand most of it off. Richard says he does not use much or any primer on his planes.I have lately started with 20 minute finishing epoxy applied then wiped off as much as possible let dry 24 hours and sand soothe this seals the wood .

Spraying Auto clear is very , very different than spraying clear dope. The auto clear is self leveling and very little needs to be applied .It is thinned much more than the directions say, and thus can be applied very thin if done properly without runs. One or two coats is all that is needed. The first one is a tack coat, then you spray to cover being very careful to not put too much on .I have been using a much higher end clear coat lately (Nason) and it is very good to spray and very glossy.This is only my opinion and I gave the reasons why I like this product . There are many ways to finish a plane .
Take your pick.
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Offline Jerry Rauch

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #8 on: May 29, 2020, 07:48:34 AM »
Current pricing on Dupont clear 7900S is 314.00 a gallon, and the activator is 101.00 a quart. That's 414.00 a gallon! pretty pricey...
Keep in mind there are less expensive basecoats than Dupont, but it is said in the industry that if you want a specific color from looking at a car, the less expensive basecoats may, or may not match. I have seen this to be true firsthand, but not every time, kind of hit or miss.  something else that Dupont (now Axalta) offers is what they call Valueshades. When they mix up a specific factory color basecoat, they have another chart that tells them what color primer to use to achieve the correct factory color match. I do know that yellows, reds and some silvers MUST have the correct color or shade of primer to get the right color match.
Something to consider when when trying to pick color for a plane.
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Offline Avaiojet

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #9 on: May 29, 2020, 08:33:03 AM »
Is it said a picture is worth a 1000 words.

Color aerosol cans, 3.95.

2K auto clear in an aerosol can, 19.00 to 24.00.

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Offline Jerry Rauch

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #10 on: May 29, 2020, 03:59:46 PM »
I have tried the Krylon paint in spray cans, found them to work well, BUT lets say you have a part that for whatever reason is automotive basecoat clearcoat and you sand or even wet sand to level out and establish a good surface to adhere to. If there is any spot that you go through the clear, even slightly, when you spray the Krylon color it will attack the exposed original basecoat and cause wrinkling there. The only way this won't happen is if the original basecoat was catalized. I do know the regular Dupont chromabase is only reduced with what their reducer is called, Basemaker. Now the even more expensive Dupont chromapremier base is catalized, no basemaker reduction is used. If you used the chromapremiere and catalist, if you sand thru that basecoat anything you put over it will not wrinkle. even more expensive. Something to think about, especially if you need to repair.
If the whole plane is painted with Krylon exclusively, maybe won't have a problem, but you are still spraying with spray cans, not much mil thickness there.
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Online Dan McEntee

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Re: Basecoat color paint brands and package size?
« Reply #11 on: May 29, 2020, 08:27:52 PM »
      Crash repairs are NO problem with airplanes that aren't ever flown.  You can paint them with anything you want, make them all white with black lines and fill in with crayola crayons if you want.. Weight isn't an issue if they don't fly.
  Type at you later,
  Dan  McEntee
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