Painting balsa wood fuse and tail feathers WITHOUT adding a TON!

John Gallagher · Jul 20, 2001, 08:52 PM

Hi Chris,
I used an acrylic paint from a craft store. The brand name was Delta Ceramcoat, although different companies make the same thing. It's a ceramics paint but works on balsa. It dries dull so I added a coat of Flecto Varathane Elite Diamond Finish water based polyurathane. Your right to worry about warping. You just have to coat both sides before it dries. Shouldn't be a problem on tail feathers.

Posts some pictures when your MHLG is finished. I've been thinking of building one.

John

Chris Rust · Jul 21, 2001, 12:54 AM

I am about ready to fly my new MHLG the BUG, but would really like to paint the fuse and tail feathers, as I fly in a park next to a lake, and their is always fog/due on he grass. I'd like to paint them yellow. I read some place about using a 10:1 mix of poly and color for sealing/painting. I'd really like to know more before I DO IT! Like, which brand of polyurethane is best, and lightest, and applying it. Thanks alot...Chris

Also....Tail feathers are just 1/16" sheet balsa...Aren't they going to warp like CRAZY when I paint/seal them?

SchiessCo · Jul 21, 2001, 10:29 AM

Chris - Here's a link for the best way to do it: http://djaerotech.com/dj_askjd/dj_qu.../lightfin.html

Yellow works especially well. I use Varathane and Tamiya water based paint,

Pete

Andy W · Jul 21, 2001, 03:35 PM

The Parma colors are very light when airbrushed on.. Yellow would work better if you dust some white on first.
..a

Jacques Flambeau · Jul 23, 2001, 02:31 PM

SOP for painting tailfeathers on a light HLG is water-based polylurethane. Clear, with no pigment, is lightest. The thin balsa will indeed tend to warp-- wipe it on, wipe it off real quick, do both sides and the warpage will even out.

If you are nervous about how the paint will apply, make up a simple test piece out of similar-grained balsa and experiment with it before committing to your finished pieces.

The DJ Aerotech site reference is good.

--Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill Harris (edited 07-23-2001).]

Jul 21, 2001, 12:54 AM	#2
Chris Rust Registered User Joined Mar 2000 406 Posts	Painting balsa wood fuse and tail feathers WITHOUT adding a TON! I am about ready to fly my new MHLG the BUG, but would really like to paint the fuse and tail feathers, as I fly in a park next to a lake, and their is always fog/due on he grass. I'd like to paint them yellow. I read some place about using a 10:1 mix of poly and color for sealing/painting. I'd really like to know more before I DO IT! Like, which brand of polyurethane is best, and lightest, and applying it. Thanks alot...Chris Also....Tail feathers are just 1/16" sheet balsa...Aren't they going to warp like CRAZY when I paint/seal them?

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Jul 20, 2001, 08:52 PM	#1
John Gallagher Registered User Lindenwold, NJ, USA Joined Dec 2000 2,927 Posts	Hi Chris, I used an acrylic paint from a craft store. The brand name was Delta Ceramcoat, although different companies make the same thing. It's a ceramics paint but works on balsa. It dries dull so I added a coat of Flecto Varathane Elite Diamond Finish water based polyurathane. Your right to worry about warping. You just have to coat both sides before it dries. Shouldn't be a problem on tail feathers. Posts some pictures when your MHLG is finished. I've been thinking of building one. John

Jul 21, 2001, 10:29 AM	#3
SchiessCo Uber Alles Again North Hills Joined Nov 1999 6,044 Posts	Chris - Here's a link for the best way to do it: http://djaerotech.com/dj_askjd/dj_qu.../lightfin.html Yellow works especially well. I use Varathane and Tamiya water based paint, Pete

Jul 21, 2001, 03:35 PM	#4
Andy W RIP Ric Marietta, GA Joined Jun 1999 43,272 Posts	The Parma colors are very light when airbrushed on.. Yellow would work better if you dust some white on first. ..a

Jul 23, 2001, 02:31 PM	#5
Jacques Flambeau Resistive User Backwoods Alabama Joined May 2000 3,847 Posts	SOP for painting tailfeathers on a light HLG is water-based polylurethane. Clear, with no pigment, is lightest. The thin balsa will indeed tend to warp-- wipe it on, wipe it off real quick, do both sides and the warpage will even out. If you are nervous about how the paint will apply, make up a simple test piece out of similar-grained balsa and experiment with it before committing to your finished pieces. The DJ Aerotech site reference is good. --Bill [This message has been edited by Bill Harris (edited 07-23-2001).]