Is anyone priming the EPP before painting or just painting and then sealing with MinWax. On another note I could not get painters tape to stick to my EPP even after whiping with Rubbing Alcohol to prep the EPP for the tape. I have decided that my EPP is not blue tape tolerant. I thought about putting down a primer of some sort and thought I would run it by the thread to see if anyone else has tried a primer.

Adreher -
On the MinWax sealer there are several different types and I am unclear on the one you are refering to. Is this the right product Minwax® Polycrylic® Protective Finish?

Originally Posted by Big Fran

Here are the first flat foamies I have ever airbrushed. After watching Adam's Airbrushing a Firefly video I had to give it a try. He just makes it look so easy. The Yak I did last week. The FireFly I just did today.

Adam I need to thank you. Before watching your video my planes would have looked like a little kid painted them. Now I'm very happy with how they look.

Thanks for all the help I got from your video.

Fran

Fran very nice paint Job!

Originally Posted by jhorton

Is anyone priming the EPP before painting or just painting and then sealing with MinWax. On another note I could not get painters tape to stick to my EPP even after whiping with Rubbing Alcohol to prep the EPP for the tape. I have decided that my EPP is not blue tape tolerant. I thought about putting down a primer of some sort and thought I would run it by the thread to see if anyone else has tried a primer.

Adreher -
On the MinWax sealer there are several different types and I am unclear on the one you are refering to. Is this the right product Minwax® Polycrylic® Protective Finish?

That is the MinWax I use, just make sure it's the waterbased stuff you it will work great. I have never tried using it as a primer, could work though. I know others have used spray adhesive as a primer and it seemed to help. Ya, blue tape doesn't really like epp. Purple works for me, you just need a little more adhesion than the blue.

I used the 3M blue painters tape, it stuck well to the EPP. I used both water and solvent based colors without a problem. It sticks tight, but also peels easy enough without tearing the foam. I was actually impressed by how well it works, I used scotch tape before and it was nowhere near as good.
My only problem with it is that it does smell very strong, smell of the unhealthy kind.
I wonder why it does not work on your EPP. I would guess its either a different brand of tape, or maybe there are some differences in EPP sheets.

The sales guy in home depot told me that the difference between the 3M blue tape and the cheaper tapes is that the blue can last outdoors for while without drying, disintegrating or leaving glue residue after you peel it.

Great, thanks for the quick response. Ill try some purple tomorrow.


Pre Adreher Paint


Post Adreher Paint

you guys know where i can get a small compressor from thats not too expensive as i am a begginer?

Originally Posted by hawkguy

you guys know where i can get a small compressor from thats not too expensive as i am a begginer?

do you guys have craigslist in England?
i tell a lot of people in the US to look on there and they always find a good deal.
make shure you see it cycle and it works like its supposed to before you hand the person the money.
you need a compressor with a tank not one of those "so called airbrush compressors" that dont have a tank.

oioioi!!!

yeh we do have it in the uk just done a search on google, oh rite with tank il check it out

Originally Posted by hawkguy

you guys know where i can get a small compressor from thats not too expensive as i am a begginer?

Back when I was a kid and had no money I used an old truck tire. You fill it with air and get a fitting to hook it to the airbrush hose. I remember using my dads bike pump hose.

Fran

seen this on ebay but not sure if its any good

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AIRBRUSH-COMPR...item45f046b011

Do waterbased decals stick to Depron? Solite doesn't stick well without a coat of PVA first. I'm building a Beechcraft Starship, which is mostly white. I can print the decals from jpegs which I already have. If I can make them stick.

Thanks for your help guys.

Nick

Originally Posted by hawkguy

seen this on ebay but not sure if its any good

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AIRBRUSH-COMPR...item45f046b011

that looks like a pretty good deal. that compressor will probly run a lot due to the small tank but imm shure it will work just fine.
the brushes look good too. thats the kind of brush you need, an internal mix-dual action.

Originally Posted by nickchud

Do waterbased decals stick to Depron? Solite doesn't stick well without a coat of PVA first. I'm building a Beechcraft Starship, which is mostly white. I can print the decals from jpegs which I already have. If I can make them stick.

Thanks for your help guys.

Nick

what i use to do is print them on computer paper and just use an old school glue stick from target or staples. i have one of those mini f-22's like everybody has and its about a year old with proly 75 high speed flights on it and the airforce graphicks i made like that still look good.

Originally Posted by louu

that looks like a pretty good deal. that compressor will probly run a lot due to the small tank but imm shure it will work just fine.
the brushes look good too. thats the kind of brush you need, an internal mix-dual action.




what i use to do is print them on computer paper and just use an old school glue stick from target or staples. i have one of those mini f-22's like everybody has and its about a year old with proly 75 high speed flights on it and the airforce graphicks i made like that still look good.

I have seen that if I print (best setting) with my HP photprinter on photo paper I get eye-popping graphics but they are definately not waterproof

I wonder if there would be a way to do that and maybe spray the paper decal with something like minwax clear poly (waterbased or other) and make it reasonably water resistant or proof.

One could only imagine the possibilities if you can just get the paper to glue down flat. Also if the paper is large, it would add weight considerably maybe a very thin paper used ? and card stock and some real glue used if strength is needed....or maybe hot glue could be squeegeed out on the depron surface with a monocote iron and then the paper "ironed" on to the very thin low temp glue skin...or maybe there is a stretchable "sort of paper" that comes in sheet for that can be run through a printer and printed like paper....and would lay down better and could be stretched slightly..

yeah.... I'm rattling....but maybe there are some possibilities here

I have had a LOT of sucess skinning depron or pink builders foam with low temp hot glue using a monokote iron.

This waterslide decal paper is what I've got in mind. You're right that bubblejet printer ink is not waterproof. They're instructions include the use of spray-on waterproof coating to protect it..... long before you get anywhere near the foam. They say the decals will stick to plastics, but I bet I'll need some kind of primer on the surface of the foam before I try to stick them. First test will be with PVA.

You're right to suggest "stretchable sheets". I think I can get something like clingwrap to try.

low temp hot glue using a monokote iron.

How does that work?

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by nickchud

This waterslide decal paper is what I've got in mind. You're right that bubblejet printer ink is not waterproof. They're instructions include the use of spray-on waterproof coating to protect it..... long before you get anywhere near the foam. They say the decals will stick to plastics, but I bet I'll need some kind of primer on the surface of the foam before I try to stick them. First test will be with PVA.

You're right to suggest "stretchable sheets". I think I can get something like clingwrap to try.

How does that work?

Thanks again.

I hope to do a vid on it... but in short....

you can use any $4-$8 low temp glue gun and squirt some glue on the surface of the foam and take any monokote iron (only uncovered irons--the teflon type surface is best) and while the glue is hot, smear it around and it begins applying like paint. Of course you will only be able to keep limited areas soft with heat. The trick is the iron has to be just below the melting point of the foam.(50% point on my iron) . With only a little practice , you can "skin" the foam with the glue and it will come out nice an shiny with no visible "brushmarks".Lets say your working on the fuselage...With no paper covering, this makes the foam very bendable (sort of like EPP) and not easy to snap into. It also put a hyde on the surface against any nicks or punture wounds.

and is paintable and surprisingly light..


with paper covering, you now have a super high strength film on the surfaces (top and bottom ) of the foam and now have a sort of superlight plywood. (ie posterboard)

go one step further... on a 6mm sheet of depron (already sanded to airfoil shape) with reflexed , eliptical wingtips sort of like the old hobby hawk glider...or easy star.. and you can even heat the depron and flatly bend the tip upward "milking" it along carefully with more applied heat on the outside of the radius bend. (you can also use a roller and pressure on the inside of the radius made of 1/2" pvc conduit)

The skin then "holds" the foam in this rigid shape and is actually stronger than any part of the wing plank..

This opens up zillions of possibilies for Depron...and I have a few "invertions" I am working on....and when I get a bit more time, we may see them come out.