Funnily enough I happened to be cruising and bounced onto this thread.

Just today I've managed to buy, get this: a 50/50 epoxy clear coat, thats water cleanup!

I spoke to the creator of this wonder product and he had some very interesting things to say about it.

Adhesion is as good as any epoxy, but if you're painting over things like acrylic lacquer you MUST NOT use a hydrocarbon base prep wash, as it will leave a fine film of hyrdocarbons on there which will act as a micro barrier to adhesion. You really want a surfactant to solubulize (?) any greases or dirt to leave a perfectly clean surface.

I'm going to try it on a few test pieces first, but if it works this will become my new clear coat.

Here's hoping.

The Graphics are on. They came from Calli Graphics. Super service from Callie and fast shipping at a VERY reasonable price. She beat the local guys price!

Now it is starting to come together. I think the graphics make the plane. I had it outside yesterday so any remnants of moisture could evaporate from under the graphics. I use the "old" Windex trick to apply them as they are quite large. The couple of bubbles I had disappeared. I'll let them set far a few more days to make sure and will clear coat the plane sometime this week or this coming weekend.

Ken

Well, the clear went on this weekend. It really made the colors "pop" if you know what I mean. It's been a while since I've used a gun to spray and I got it a bit heavy and not the best finish, but it is sealed up and that is my main concern. No issues with the Krylon lifting or wrinkling. I use the "Auto Body Master" brand of clear urethane clear. It was "dry" after about 45 minutes but still soft, if you know what I mean. I painted at my work place and I was tempted to load it up and take it home, but my better judgment kicked in for a change and I left it there to harden up until today. I still need to paint the top of the dash flat black and the paint will be done. I'll post some photos when the canopy and instrument panel are installed.

As far as the gun is concerned I bought a new HVLP. It came with 1.4, 1.7 and 2.0 spray heads and needles. I used the 1.4 and the paint seemed a bit light so that may have been my issue with the finish quality. The paint just didn't flow out like I wanted it to. The 1.7 may have been a better choice. Any comments from anybody out there?

Ken

Your paint may have been too thick. I've been mixing mine 55/45, solvent to paint.

Originally Posted by TomCrump

Your paint may have been too thick. I've been mixing mine 55/45, solvent to paint.

I added two ounces of reducer/thinner to 5 ounces of clear. It seemed thin enough, but with the new gun it probably wasn't. Oh well, live and learn Thanks for the heads up on the reducing Tom!

I do have to say the new gun is nice. No sputter and spitting at the end of the cup of paint. It just stops putting out material. Now I need to go buy a small touch up HVLP to replace my old suction cup gun

Ken

Play with your gun. Spray out some samples. Play with different amounts of solvent to paint ratios.

Most paints say that they can be reduced 25%. That's a 1-3 solvent to paint mixture. I've never had any luck with that. I always seem to add extra solvent.

Once, for a clear coat, I sprayed Minwax Polyurethane without reducing it. That poly was the perfect viscosity for spraying. Each paint can (will) be different.

I like to thin mine to the consistency of milk.

I had everything against me. New gun, paint I've never sprayed before and bad lighting The smart thing to do like you said was to spray a test panel.

Like I said, live and learn

Ken

EDIT; Now that I think about it..... The last two times I sprayed paint I followed the MFG's recommendations for thinning the paint. Both times I got the same finish, like the paint is to "dry". I remember in the past I had always added a bit more thinner than the MFG recommends and had a good experience. So from now on I'll "take a little paint with my thinner please"

Photos of the completed plane, except for mounting the radio gear. Descriptions to follow. It's off to work...

Ken

Nice !

Originally Posted by TomCrump

Yes, I used hardener, but the day before I sprayed a Cub, using aerosol cans of Rustoleum.

I have been assured that Rustoleum aerosol cans are good to 15%.

Using quart cans, and a spray gun, I thin the Rustoleum 55% acetone, to 45% Rustoleum. I then add the Hardener.

The hardener does the obvious. It alsop raises the gloss and adds to the chemical resistance of the paint.

+1
I've had good results using 4 parts Rustoleum, 1 part automotive enamel reducer, and 1/2 part Evercoat D.O.I. sprayed through an old Sata Minijet with a 0.8mm tip, 25 psi at the the gun.

Henry

Hello Guys,

Just to let you know what I"m up to. Just finished spraying the T-38 (Control line stunt) not scale. Used Rusto with hardner, gloss white and flat black. Mixed the paint 4:1 with hardner and thinned as neeed for the weather conditions and tip size. Paint flowed beatiful with no orange peel. After I put the white on let it sit for two (2) days and broke it open on the nose and sprayed the flat black. Again it flowed nice.

I going to spray the canopy today and the red and blue on Tuesday and Wedneday. The only thing I don't like about Rusto is the wait time and sanding between colors. Slow, Slow Slow. After I finish this one I'll be going back to Auto Air for the speed. If your painting only one or two colors Rusto is the way to go.

Anyhow back to the shop.

Rick

Update: canopy painted, I'll airbrush with light blue to make it look like glass and inside the spade I airbrush a ghost cowboy. Again I used rusto gloss black and alumium with hardner and acetone for quick drying. The alumium sprayed really nice thru a .08 tip. thinned about 25%.

More to come. Oops! forgot the attachments.

Rick

attachments

I tried a little experiment on the cowl under the spinner. I had to do a bit of sanding after buying an aluminum spinner. I was out of red spray bomb paint. I took the cowl with me to Hobby Lobby (the craft store) and picked out the cheapest craft paint they had that matched close enough. I think it was 99 cents for a 4 oz bottle of acrylic something or other. I hand brushed where needed and a day later hand brushed on the automotive urethane. It's still looking good and there was no reaction between the two paints. I may have found my new painting method.

Ken

Update: Got the airbrush out, I'm not a pro, and played with Rusto in it. I used the hardner and really thinned the paint for the airbrush. I sprayed the black first, let it sit 45 minutes then taped it off for the squares. Next came the silver and let it dry overnite. I used 1/4 dots for the screws. After laying down the dots. Walmart product, office supplies I airbrushed around the dots. Let that dry and removed the dots 45 minutes later. I then airbrushed the screw slots.

Tomorrow I'll do the rips and tares. It will be interesting to see if it's fuel proof. If not I'll clear the whole plane.

Rick