Glassing and Painting techniques

[dhal22]

Solartex and Koverall for open areas. Water based paint with an automotive clear coat is pretty light. My 60 size pattern planes come out under 8 lbs fully painted that way. Often a lb or 2 lighter than 80's builds.

 

[Snoopy1]

Yes you are correct we were always struggling to get below 10 lbs. must say 8 is light that must be on a 2 stroke but light anyway.
I have used coveral and ended up with Stits that is my favourite right now, never tryed solertex looking up the weight stits is 1.25 oz /meter and solertex is 1 oz/meter.
This was my thought for covering open areas on a aerobatic plane. The wings and the stab and rudder will be glassed and finished as Jetpainter has demonstrated to us it is light and easy to do. Now the open structure of the fuse. Thinking of laying .74 oz cloth on a waxed plate of glass big enough to cover one side of the fuse. Then laying plastic over it the normal procedure to vacuum bag this will give us a smooth flat piece of glass cloth that can be glued to the side of the plane and then painted. What do you think.?????.?. Just thinking out loud.

 

[Snoopy1]

Ok boys got the paint both built again and will start to paint later to hope to get the primer done the plane has been finished and glassed the same as Jetpainter has described in this forum. See attached picture

 

[BikeRacer]

Snoopy, very cool! So how are you ventilating it? There are so many different ways to do it.

 

[Naughty Monkey]

Is that an old tent frame? Looks like that or an old pop up sunshade frame would work.

 

[Snoopy1]

It's a old sun shade with new legs to get it about 10 ft up to work in. If you look carefull you can just see a square box on the back it is variable speed fan with a 4 stage filter. Need the variable seed not to,suck the paint booth down. Open the garage door just to clears the fan and you are ready. It is just over 10 ft square. Plastic drop cloth all around and on the floor.

 

[dhal22]

Is the fan protected against vapors? Of course that only matters if your paint fumes are flammable.

 

[Snoopy1]

No but it is totally in closed motor.

 

[Red Raider]

I'm about ready to to start finishing my giant P-51. Going to fiberglass it with .5oz glass and West System finishing epoxy. I've used several different types of paint and paint guns, including the 2 part epoxy spray can ($21.00 a can). This time, I've decided to use rattle cans for a variety of reasons. But, not just any paint. I've researched the best performing spray paint available in the U.S. What I found was a paint called Montana Gold. Has anyone ever used it?

 

[Snoopy1]

Well boys it is painted and done it needs to dry for a couple of days. Then it will be time to complete the build and and get it in the air. One thing I did learn on this paint job is. The plane was built and sheeted with 1/16 sheeting very light contest balsa over a framework. It was flat and sanded with a long flat sanding bar before it was painted. . As you can see it is not sturdy enough to hold shape never had this before. Trying to save weight but you learn something when try to do things differently. From now it will be 3/32 and will use medium weight balsa.