thumper_008

Hi everyone,,, just picked up a secondhand model with a glass fuselage that has been painted with Topflite Lustrecoat.
I want to sand smooth/refair the glass fuse where there has been some major repairwork and change the color scheme.

What is Lustrecoat? Is it an enamel, urethane, acrylic or what?

Can it be chemically paintstripped down to the glass and then painted again in another style of paint or am I stuck with using Lustrecoat on my new color scheme due to chemical similarity? If I am stuck with the Lustrecoat should I sand back the existing paint and use it as a primer for the new colors?Or should I reprime over the old colors?
If I can change to a new style of paint what can I use over the old Lustrecoat?
I would really appreciate some decent advice as I dont want to screw up the repaint.
Thanks for your help.
Thumper

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

lustre coat is a pretty tough paint if you use a stripper on it you might end up with more damage than you started with you should be able to sand and prep for your new color scheme without any problems I dont know of any paints that wouldn't go over it after a good scuffing with 220 or 320 grit paper just dull the finish so your next coats stick its quite hard. I think its a lacquer type spray at least that what I smell when I used it I am a painting contractor for work so I use allot of different materials .I cant think of anything that would give you any problems going over it .here's a tip for ya try a little sample on the underside of the wing or some place you can sand away any problem and check for a reaction no reaction no problem just make sure you sand the surface well so you give the next coats somthing to grab if you are using a latex( water based) then no problems for sure, laquer do a little test,just to make sure. not sure what you guys have in OZ couldn't be much different than here in the U.S.

KidVermin

My Feedback: (3)

I'm sure not a fan of L'cote. It will flash easily if painting during the summer and for a paint offered to match their MonoKote films; of all the colors, black is the only one that comes close.
As bigtim mentioned, test on the underside somewhere. It is safest to put an enamel (acrylic or epoxy) over a sanded smooth light gray primer. Read the enamel can carefully, some require any second coat to be done within an hour or else you have to wait at least 72 hrs. I have waited that long and still got orange peel. Apply an even light tack coat and then go back over with a little heavier coat to give the final color gloss. It's tricky with enamel to get the wet gloss look without runs.

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

LustreCote is an acrylic lacquer. I would be wary of spraying an enamel over it, even sanded down almost to the base. Latex is completely compatible with it though, can go over it or under it. Bets way to know for sure is get a scrap of similar material and experiment with what you want to do and see if it works.

I have used LusterCote over enamel, but the enamel (Krylon) was well cured, and I misted several very light coats of LusterCote and let each one dry, then sprayed a heavier coat. I have also used LusterCote over latex to fuel-proof it, then used latex over sanded LusterCote where I had to make a repair, then clearcoated again.

I saw in a store the other day that Krylon now has a spray latex paint, most basic colors and a few shades in between, haven't tried it yet.

thumper_008

Hi Fella's,,,, thank you all for your input, I now know a little more and think I can work out a way to go so thanks.
I wont be attacking this problem for a little while so if anyone wants to add comments please feel free to add them here.
Regards
Thumper