Author Topic: Front-Row Finish Tips from the Jive Combat Team (Read 10715 times)

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #50 on:** May 22, 2012, 11:46:57 AM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on May 22, 2012, 11:41:31 AM

That's a big canopy. Wow.

You could go with a sort of Jackson Pollack thing. Use the same white, add just a few drops of black to darken the tone a step and paint on the trim. Do it again for then next trim color. I've thought of doing that sort of really subtle finish before, but then decided that I just wasn't a subtle sort of guy.

really,, your not? and here all this time I thought you were a quiet, shy retiring,, subtle kinda guy,,

oh wait,, never mind

Howard Rush · « **Reply #51 on:** May 22, 2012, 01:38:52 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on May 22, 2012, 11:41:31 AM

That's a big canopy. Wow.

The molded top shell seen from the top changes at the flap TE from a constant width to a taper. To minimize the strain on the wood, I had the front of the shell rise up. This makes it look kinda like a 747. It's unnecessary. Wet balsa is more pliable than I thought.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #52 on:** May 22, 2012, 01:46:13 PM »

Quote from: PJ Rowland on May 22, 2012, 12:15:14 AM

How do you find pitch and stability of that model with the new design elements of no flaps and Stab?

Maybe tilt the motor? Landings would be an issue, though.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #53 on:** May 22, 2012, 01:48:27 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on May 22, 2012, 11:41:31 AM

You could go with a sort of Jackson Pollack thing. Use the same white, add just a few drops of black to darken the tone a step and paint on the trim. Do it again for then next trim color. I've thought of doing that sort of really subtle finish before, but then decided that I just wasn't a subtle sort of guy.

You mean "Mr. Drip Painting"?

I was trying to think of how to do that on a plane without weighing it down or taking forever -- I couldn't get there from here.

Getting a "random splashes of paint" look without the weight of -- well -- random splashes of paint, would be a cool thing.

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #54 on:** May 22, 2012, 02:25:26 PM »

Quote from: Tim Wescott on May 22, 2012, 01:48:27 PM

You mean "Mr. Drip Painting"?

I was trying to think of how to do that on a plane without weighing it down or taking forever -- I couldn't get there from here.

Getting a "random splashes of paint" look without the weight of -- well -- random splashes of paint, would be a cool thing.

for the record,, Urethane auto base coat colors are very opaque,, and the coverage to weight ratio is actually very good compared to other pigment systems,, IOW,, it would not weigh that much,, certainly less than any other pigment system for the same coverage,, speaking of coverage,, you would be covering very little of the surface relative to painted trim systems,, the kicker would be in getting the clear on thick enough to level out without adding extra weight,,
but then Howard is a checks and blocks guy,, dont think we will see him with a "drip" style paint scheme,,

Randy Powell · « **Reply #55 on:** May 22, 2012, 02:28:40 PM »

I seem to remember Jerry Eichten's "Picasso" plane. Using a paint soaked T-shirt as a brush. It was, ah, interesting.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #56 on:** May 22, 2012, 02:34:43 PM »

Actually the true Jackson Pollock paintings pretty much cover the whole canvas with multiple layers of dripped-on paint. And to my (obviously incompetent* eye) they look ugly.

I had thought that his paintings were something like a mostly white canvas with a drip or two here and there -- they're not, not by a long shot.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Clothes

Randy Powell · « **Reply #57 on:** May 23, 2012, 08:03:25 PM »

Tim,

You really have to see it in person. Makes a bit difference.

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #58 on:** May 24, 2012, 09:51:42 PM »

Quote from: Avaiojet on May 08, 2012, 11:25:14 AM

Good one, Charles! Easily your best post to date!!!

Steve

Howard Rush · « **Reply #59 on:** May 24, 2012, 11:13:21 PM »

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 4. Don't drop your 1/16" high-zoot Randy Powell Finesse tape on the garage floor. The cat hair and overspray dust do not* allow a crisp trim line.

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 5. When you get your fancy paint masks and go to cut out the individual graphics with an X-Acto knife, do not put the other mask under the one you are cutting.

*edited to correct sign

Derek Barry · « **Reply #60 on:** May 25, 2012, 04:34:46 AM »

GST (Georgia Stunt Team) Tip #1: Try to finish the plane before the second week in July.

Derek

P.S. Glad to hear that you are making progress even if it is now 3 steps forward and 2 steps back.

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #61 on:** May 25, 2012, 04:56:38 AM »

The following JCT and GST Camps should follow my tips...

PJ Stunt finishing tip # 2 Try to finish the plane within 12 months of starting it.......

Howard Rush · « **Reply #62 on:** May 27, 2012, 02:58:29 AM »

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 6. If you live in the Northwest US, do not paint your airplane on Memorial Day weekend. For one thing, you will miss the excellent Northwest Regionals. For another, the air is full of cottonwood tree fuzz. The ground looks like it has been snowing.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #63 on:** May 27, 2012, 12:28:56 PM »

Northwest Finishing Tip # 5

Don't paint the plane when the humidity is over 95%. It's just a bad idea.

Will Hinton · « **Reply #64 on:** May 27, 2012, 02:50:32 PM »

Northwest Ohio finishing tip #1 - just send the thing to Roger Wildman and then lie about the BOM quals.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #65 on:** May 28, 2012, 06:05:26 PM »

I am in the process of removing the bandages and seeing what I painted. This has elicited more tips:

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 3A. Don't get complacent about the hair dryer. Even the most innocuous looking piece of tape can pull the paint off down to bare wood.

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 7. Before you remove the masks from a part you think you have sprayed, check to see if the color was changed as intended. There's a corollary:

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 8. If you are painting a blue stripe, for example, on a white wing, put masking tape or something on the parts you want to remain white.

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #66 on:** May 28, 2012, 06:16:48 PM »

Hey Howard, are you having fun yet?

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #67 on:** May 28, 2012, 06:55:41 PM »

Georgia Stunt Camp - Front Row Finishing tip # 4 : When painting your spinner make sure and count that the cut out slots and number of blades are the same.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #68 on:** May 28, 2012, 07:56:22 PM »

Northwest Finishing Tip #11

When covering a plane, make sure you actually have enough paint before you wet the silkspan. (that was fun today)

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #69 on:** May 28, 2012, 08:13:07 PM »

As someone who is in the process of finishing as we speak non of these tips are filling me with confidence it will be front row......

Derek Barry · « **Reply #70 on:** May 29, 2012, 05:35:24 AM »

Quote from: PJ Rowland on May 28, 2012, 06:55:41 PM

Georgia Stunt Camp - Front Row Finishing tip # 4 : When painting your spinner make sure and count that the cut out slots and number of blades are the same.

GST tip #5: When your wheel pants match your prop there is no need to add extra weight painting them...

Derek

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #71 on:** May 29, 2012, 09:37:48 AM »

LOL great tip by GST

LOL

You forgot to mention GST tip #3...

GST tip #3: When mistakes are made - cover them up with flat carbon matt parts

Derek Barry · « **Reply #72 on:** May 30, 2012, 06:08:21 AM »

Quote from: PJ Rowland on May 29, 2012, 09:37:48 AM

LOL great tip by GST

LOL
You forgot to mention GST tip #3...

GST tip #3: When mistakes are made - cover them up with flat carbon matt parts

Or more clear then buff it out! Maybe that is why it weighs so much...

Derek

john e. holliday · « **Reply #73 on:** May 30, 2012, 10:25:20 AM »

Why not simplify the whole mess and do it DOC's way. One solid color for the whole airplane. Graphics are cut from Monokote. Final coat is automotive clear. Let sit for a week and go fly.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #74 on:** May 31, 2012, 01:08:00 AM »

Quote from: john e. holliday on May 30, 2012, 10:25:20 AM

Why not simplify the whole mess and do it DOC's way. One solid color for the whole airplane. Graphics are cut from Monokote.

That's what I'm striving for, but note the last dozen pictures here, https://plus.google.com/photos/117730697743699659802/albums/5747756662091454033?banner=pwa , to see what's expected of us on the West Coast.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #75 on:** May 31, 2012, 04:29:34 PM »

Howard,

Be innovative. Don't just follow the crowd.

ash · « **Reply #76 on:** May 31, 2012, 05:24:17 PM »

Wow, that's an inspiring collection of beautifully finished models.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #77 on:** June 01, 2012, 02:20:57 AM »

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 9. If you buy a color laser printer just to print decals for your stunt plane, check to see if that particular model printer will actually print decals. For example, the HP CP1025nw printer's toner won't stick to decal paper.

Derek Barry · « **Reply #78 on:** June 01, 2012, 05:13:19 AM »

Quote from: Howard Rush on June 01, 2012, 02:20:57 AM

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 9. If you buy a color laser printer just to print decals for your stunt plane, check to see if that particular model printer will actually print decals. For example, the HP CP1025nw printer's toner won't stick to decal paper.

Ouch!

Derek

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #79 on:** June 01, 2012, 06:37:40 AM »

Howard,
Did you use LASER decal paper?

Randy Powell · « **Reply #80 on:** June 01, 2012, 10:37:48 AM »

Tom makes a good point. The Inkjet decal paper is different from the Laser decal paper.

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #81 on:** June 01, 2012, 11:13:13 AM »

I have a Minolta 3100 color laser and it will print just fine on ink jet decal paper. Discovered this when I needed a couple decals and all I had left was ink jet paper. When I first read what Howard said above I was going to suggest he try ink jet paper in his laser, couldn't hurt and just might work.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #82 on:** June 01, 2012, 11:53:49 AM »

Quote from: Tom Niebuhr on June 01, 2012, 06:37:40 AM

Howard,
Did you use LASER decal paper?

I, too, assumed I was dumb enough to use the wrong paper. I got the official JCT Bel decal paper. It says "laser" on the bag, but I suspected they might have sent me ink jet paper by mistake. I tried it in an ink jet printer. It really, really doesn't work in an ink jet printer.

ash · « **Reply #83 on:** June 01, 2012, 06:57:47 PM »

You have to print on the front, not the backing.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #84 on:** June 01, 2012, 07:14:35 PM »

Howard,

I get mine from MicroMark and have little problem printing with an inkjet printer.

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #85 on:** June 01, 2012, 07:27:41 PM »

PJ Stunt Finishing tip # 17 : When your working with wings and you hear a crack, find out what broke - its not always just the wood setteling........

Howard Rush · « **Reply #86 on:** June 01, 2012, 08:51:18 PM »

Quote from: ash on June 01, 2012, 06:57:47 PM

You have to print on the front, not the backing.

Maybe in the Southern Hemisphere.

Derek Barry · « **Reply #87 on:** June 07, 2012, 06:31:32 AM »

JCT trimming tip #1. Boogers make excellent nose weight.

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #88 on:** June 07, 2012, 11:48:04 PM »

GST ( Georgia Stunt team ) engine setup tip # 2 : 3 Blade props dont fit on 4 Blade spinners.

Matt Colan · « **Reply #89 on:** June 08, 2012, 08:29:09 AM »

Quote from: Derek Barry on June 07, 2012, 06:31:32 AM

JCT trimming tip #1. Boogers make excellent nose weight.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #90 on:** June 09, 2012, 12:59:19 AM »

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 10. Windex leaves a blue residue on a white base coat that shows up through the clear coat. It's still better for cleaning your airplane than lacquer thinner.

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #91 on:** June 09, 2012, 01:58:19 AM »

It shouldnt...

Howard Rush · « **Reply #92 on:** June 09, 2012, 01:20:59 PM »

Quote from: PJ Rowland on June 09, 2012, 01:58:19 AM

It shouldnt...

It doesn't if you wipe it all off. If you spray a wing and get the inevitable trickles to the other side, you really ought to wipe them off.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #93 on:** June 09, 2012, 01:44:30 PM »

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 11. If you sand a cat hair in the clear coat and go through the white base coat into the gray blocking coat, then toot some white onto the gray to fix the problem, be sure to switch the airbrush back to clear before spraying your decal edges.

Disclaimer: I didn't actually spray white over the decals on the airplane, but I came really close. Other Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tips herein are based on actual recent experience.

In other news, I now have two sets of fancy artist colored pens, neither of which works to touch up little anomalies in colored acrylic lacquer. One really has to break down, remask the part, and toot it with the airbrush, with the aforementioned danger that that entails. The art supply store is, however, close to the all-you-can-eat Indian lunch buffet.

I'll have you know that I now have the requisite hexagons on my airplane.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #94 on:** June 09, 2012, 05:34:43 PM »

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 12. Be careful when opening the garage door a little to let fumes out after spraying your airplane. A robin, Turdus migratorius (its actual scientific name), could come into the garage, become disoriented by fumes, and soil your freshly painted airplane (see illustration). I am considering having Spencer fitted with a respirator so he can stand guard. At least it wasn't a bat.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #95 on:** June 09, 2012, 05:58:45 PM »

yea, had it been a bat it would have flew into the plane and roll down the entire length of the wing. Get to cleaning.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #96 on:** June 09, 2012, 06:27:54 PM »

Jive Combat Team Front Row Finish Tip 13. When a bird has been flying wildly around your garage for awhile, feathers and other bird material drift down from the ceiling for hours thereafter and will fall into the next coat of clear.

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #97 on:** June 09, 2012, 10:43:03 PM »

PJ Front Row Finishing Tip : Dont clear where bats ,cats ,mice or geese may enter.

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #98 on:** June 10, 2012, 10:52:42 AM »

Howard,, are you having better luck this time getting the paint to stick to your trousers?

Randy Powell · « **Reply #99 on:** June 10, 2012, 12:18:05 PM »

But Howard, you live in Bellevue. How would varmint dare enter your garage? May upscale animals but not common birds ... or bats.