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Im on my least favorite part of modeling, the good news is, Im trying fabrick this time and so far, its a lot easier to keep neat and straight than shrink film.

What is the standard method for priming and painting over this fabrick?
What type of paint, automotive?
Its a project I started last yr. and abandoned untill I got a new engine for it this weekend.(4* 120 w/ Saito 150)

Any good tips on installing easy glue hinges, as far as how to keep stabilizer-elevator ect. perfectly aligned ?

G.F. Reid

My Feedback: (1)

I tried to answer some of your painting questions in the other forum you posted this in. As for hinging, it's best to make your slots before you bevel the leading edge. That way you can keep them centered better.

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Thanks Mr. Reid,

I got your other message too, wasnt getting anything here, so, posted again there.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Be sure to use THIN ca on those hinges!

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

I hope you have some painting experience going into this project. I really don't think painting is any easier than monocote. It can be messy and mistakes much harder to correct. Plane will be heavier as well.

Not trying to talk you out of painting, as I myself enjoy spray painting, both automotive and modeling. Just making sure you understand what you're getting yourself into. Even then, I use monocote/ultracote for most of my RC plane covering jobs simply because it's much easier, cleaner and lighter.

Good luck.

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Painting, I can handle, pretty well, its just that I am concerned about adhesion and effects of fuel & oil on the finished surface.

A big drawback for me is, I was advised that it will take as much as two weeks curing time to use a standard spraypaint.
This means three colors could possibly take 6 weeks to finish?

I used this fabrick because of the strength it has and the huge size of the plane, I figured in a season, Id have a lot of Monocote patches just from hanger and transport, plus, I want to keep building and if you dont try all the products, youll never know what you really like best.
Im not much of a "hotdoggin" pilot, mostly like scale takeoffs and landings, so I guess the weight of the paint maybe wont hurt me so much?

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it!
Roger

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

Fully cured may take weeks for some types of paint, yes, but that doesn't mean you have to wait till one color is full cured before moving on to another color. You can generally recoat for sure after drying overnight. Also, just about any paint will cure faster when baked, which could just mean a couple of 100w lamps for model airplanes. Obviously, don't get it too close as to burn the work surface.

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For striping, I thought about cutting tape, or using ready made striping and applying it where Id want the stipes, paint over all with the base color, then removing the tape and masking the painted areas to paint the stripes ect., or would you reccomend painting the entire surface and repainting over base paint?

Thank you

Roger

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

Roger, let say you want yellow stripes over blue base color. I would shoot yellow paint over the area where the stripes would go - don't worry about masking but don't go nuts spraying all over - just spray enough to cover where the stripe will go. Now tape the stripes and paint the blue overall color. After the blue dries, remove the tape and you'll have your yellow stripes. This way, you'll only have to tape once.

As with most painting and especially on aircraft where weight is of paramount importace, spray paint ONLY to achieve hiding, no more. I see so many people lay on thick coats of paint on their planes. Not only is it unecessary, the thick coat of paint, in time, have a tendency to crack and peel. Not to mention the increase risk of runs and drips.

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Thank you Volfy!
Thats excelent advice and exactly what Ill do!

Roger