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Building Tips and technical articles. => Paint and finishing => Topic started by: Curare on September 24, 2013, 09:58:42 PM
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Hey guys, well, I seem to have accidentally built another aircraft. I started cutting some cores, and then to get used to the process, sheeted them and fitted a bellcrank.
I've cut out a plank fuselage and some tailfeathers, and it should all turn into a reasonable pukey profile stunter.
Now I don't want to spent a lot of time on finishing, as I'm still a newb, and my aircraft rarely last past their 50th flight.
So, suggestions! Dope? Polycrylic? Spit? Please don't say film as I have a weak constitution and may puke!
Also, it's electric, so fuelproofing is a non issue?
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'coat. There, I didn't say
film that word.
I'd hesitate to use polycrylic on wing sheeting, but if you want to be the world leader in this, give it a try.
How about Saran Wrap?
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hahaha, honestly, I'm tempted just to leave it bare balsa for the first few flights. If it gets good, I may finish it properly.
This all came about as a friend is coming over to borrow my spray gear to prime some car parts. I suddenly got all hot under the collar to lay some primer on this dog.
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When Zpoxy first came out I use to finish buy applying a coat and wiping it off then dope. I will be going back to that it yields a light finish if you get it all off.
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If you don't really care about the looks, just shoot the bare wood with Rustoleum. It will keep contaminates off the balsa, hardens it to an extent and then just go fly. I've done similar in the past.
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If it actually IS a "Pukey" profile, then do as Randy says. The Rustoleum will protect the wood from the elements, seal it up, and last a good long while.
BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM
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Thanks for the input guys, I have to admit, the idea of a furry paintjob urks me more than bare wood.
Considering I've missed the boat (by a long way now) to get anything on the plane by the weekend, I may end up doing a dope and silkspan finish and have a little fun with it.
I'm still gunning to get a test flight by sunday, but it'll be a bare wood test flight I think, and if I do miss the weekend I'll put a couple of coats on it.
Now, as an aside, being a profile, what's best? Cover with silkspan and THEN assemble? or Assemble and then cover? I know which is easier to cover, but in terms of strength, is it better to assemble then cover? Does having dope and silkspan over the joints affect anything?
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When Zpoxy first came out I use to finish buy applying a coat and wiping it off then dope. I will be going back to that it yields a light finish if you get it all off.
Sparky,
Do you cover the fuse with any silkspan or carbon after the Zpoxy? Would West Systems work?
James
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Z-Poxy ,prime then paint Lots of sanding in between.
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You can prime balsa with Kilz spray ... it is high build and fills grain ... the more you sand off the lighter it will be. Good stuff. Will accept any top coat I have tried.
Joe
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I broke down and bought some 'kote.
I feel dirty :S
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Quick and dirty finishing is enough clear dope or poly-crylic to seal wood. Put on a color and hope the wood grain has been reasonably filled with the clear. Poly-crylic fills well. Let the color cure well and then go flying. If you are learning and worried about crashing, don't worry about those high zoot finishes until you get several planes under your belt. My opinion. I've seen too many guys spend too much time on finishing in stead of flying. Do take time to build light and straight. H^^
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Doc's right! I've had many of my beginners prime the wood surfaces with flat wall paint. Sand. Spray with rattle can. You don't want a twenty pointer when you are learning. You'll be too busy protecting your 'masterpiece' to learn any thing!
Ward-O y1
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Very true, been there, done that.
The last two ships were just covered in laminating film, which I got given from a copy shop.
I want to do something 'slightly' different this time.
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I like some of the ideas, but have a thought. When my boys and I had first started learning, we went through so many planes! You can imagine me and two boys learning that up is down and down is up, then outsides. We would slap them together and stick some Monokote on it. But we didn't learn to build and finish that well. I believe want is being said, but think it's a good idea to learn to fly better every time and finish better every plane.
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My flying partner and humble self were building and flying at a furious pace. We had planes in the living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens in both our cottages.
Our wives were also building, finishing, and flying.
Planes unpainted (clear doped, some sanding sealered, in the midst of sanding, filling, sanding again) were hanging in the 'wings'...we were at a standstill!
Doug brought home some 4 oz bottles of CyA, fast drying. An old nylon stocking, folded several times was used to rub the CyA into the balsa, a 4" square patch at a time. Whole sheeted wings, fuse, everything balsa. Then sanded, with 400 then 600.
Primer next, 2 coats, sanded each one. Then 'new' Aero Gloss, then rub out the next day, white compound.
Fast as it dried, no waiting 2, 3 days. It looked like hand rubbed lacquer.