Glassing and Painting techniques

[Dooinit]

With raw plastics, you should wash with hot soapy water. Then scuff with a white or grey scotch brite pad lightly. Then use a wax and grease remover and finally, use an alcohol based cleaner. The alcohol acts as an anti-static as well as cleans.

 

[Terryscustom]

Terry, did you do anything like scuff or sand the canopy before cleaning?

Absolutely not....it will look foggy when done unless you go limo dark like I did on my edge. The clear bites onto the PETG very well. I've done a dozen or more and never had a single issue.

 

[Dooinit]

Absolutely not....it will look foggy when done. The clear bites onto the PETG very well.

Oh terry I don't agree. Sorry.

 

[tylerzx9r]

Thanks Terry, I was also wondering that because of the type of plastic. I have done this same thing with some automotive lenses, and without scuffing, it would peel a short time down the road. However, on some interior areas, I couldn't even scrape it off. Very interesting how different plastics react to different items.

 

[Terryscustom]

What I understand is that the PETG is much much softer than most other "plastics" so the paint bites better. I did some samples a couple years ago when I started the tinting and after a week or two I had to bend it nearly in half before the clear started to chip. I do put a 1/8" silver pinstripe around the edge of the tint on the ARF ones to protect the edges.
I know the wind pushed me over and cartwheeled my Extra and even after landing like this there still isn't any signs of a problem. This plane made it to 4 huckfests and 5 other weekend long events in the sun in 2014 and the tint held up better than the rest of the canopy in the sun.

 

[Fibertech]

I can rest assure you that paint will stick to PETG. Not knowing any better when I first started making canopy plugs I used paint to paint the plug. After pulling the canopy most all the painted surface stuck to the canopy and the plug was crap. Like anything before painting the surface PETG needs to be oil free for best adhesion.

 

[tylerzx9r]

That is a perfect picture! Not what we want to happen, but the plane looks unharmed!

 

[Capt.Roll]

Looks like the rudder took a hit on the counter balance. Not the way we want to see a top of the line ARF sitting on the deck.

Terry, those three painted canopies look sweet! The finish looks glass smooth and I like how you can vary the level of tint based on the number of coats.

 

[Terryscustom]

Looks like the rudder took a hit on the counter balance. Not the way we want to see a top of the line ARF sitting on the deck.

It was flying again in about 30 minutes and flew the rest of the weekend! Can't go to a huckfest without epoxy, CA and clear tape!!!

 

[lakerider8]

I also love the look of a tinted canopy. I usually tint the inside surface though. It's a bit harder to do that way,but the same process that Terry does his. I will second Terry's comment on not applying too much tint. Remember that when looking into the plane it will appear twice as dark because you are looking through two tinted surfaces.