InboundLZ

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Another thread touches on this but I wanted more specific information....

I have a BARF, Navy Hi-Viz....I am wanting to dress her a bit with panel lines, placards, rivets, and so on....

ProMark makes dry transfers that make this an easy task to accomplish, right up to shooting a clear coat over everything once completed. Here is where my fears come into play....

I have already decided that I will use a professional painter for the clear. My questions are about what I have to do to the surface prior to the clear coat.

Can someone give me a step by step on what happens when in this process?

Do I have to scuff the clear that is already on the Bandit?

Any insight would be great!

Thanks!

k12rc

maybe LGM Graphix will chime in he paints

InboundLZ

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I was kinda hoping he would!

SinCityJets

Dave,

You may want to change the name of the thread to "Paint" experts instead of "Pint" experts. Otherwise you are going to get a bunch of drunks in here that may or may not be able to paint

Chad

InboundLZ

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I was drinking when I posted, my bad...

LGM Graphix

My Feedback: (22)

Dave,
This is a tricky one really. The BARF is painted in the mold is it not? If it is, there may not be a clear coat on it, I don't know the process that BVM uses for painting their ARF's. Try sanding an inconspicuous area on the jet with some 800 grit paper, if you see any color on the paper, there is no clear coat.
If that is the case, then you are going to have a tough time getting a perfect finish since you'll actually be scuffing the color coat.

To prep the entire surface though, the safest method is going to be to simply use a grey scotchbrite pad to dull the entire surface.

So what you want to do is:

1. Wash the airplane with hot water and tide laundry detergent (the powdered variety, not liquid). Tide will cut the mold release, finger oils etc and does not have an oily residue or perfume's that will contaminate the surface.

2. Wipe the model down with a degreasing agent like PPG's DX320.

3. Start rubbing down the model with a grey scotchbrite pad. The beauty of these pads is they will not cut into the paint like sandpaper will. You run a much lower risk of sanding through colors, markings etc. Rub it down until it is a flat finish overall, you don't want to see shiny spots anymore.

4. Wash the model down repeating steps 1 and 2. When you dry the model incidently, use a clean lint free paper towel, or a clean microfiber (better option)

5. Make sure the DX320 is completely dry and evaporated, then apply your promark decals. If possible, wear latex gloves during this process to keep skin oils off of the model, and be sure to work on a clean dry surface.

6. Once done applying your markings, wipe the model with the DX320 again. Again, try a test piece first to make sure the DX320 does not affect the dry transfers.

7. Wipe the model with a clean tack cloth and apply your clear coat. Apply one light dust coat first to seal everything, let that flash off completely, then you can apply a flow coat of clear.


Note: when you apply the DX320, you want to use one clean cloth to wipe the model down, and a 2nd clean dry cloth to wipe it off again. Don't let it just sit there until it all evaporates.

Note 2: Make sure to use a dust coat of clear for your first coat, this will reduce the risk or product incompatibility with either the factory finish or the dry transfer markings.

InboundLZ

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Gosh, it sounds so easy!

Seriously though...thank you for the detailed write-up. I am very confident with everything except shooting the clear. That spooks the crap out of me. I am still leaning to the professional painter to complete the clear coat, unless you have some magic you want to share.....

SoppyJoe

My Feedback: (59)

An experienced painter once told me..."Once your dust coat flashes, overlap your strokes just enough to keep a wet edge and reduce your clear down 200%" Haven't had any problems since.

Kelly Rohrbach

My Feedback: (1)

Hey Dave
How is it going!!!!!

First of all you do not need to clear over Pro-mark decals unless you want it to be glossy?
They are fuel proof, what is not fuel proof is the glue that is used to stick them down. All the F100's I have done and the Tam F18 do not have clear over them and with out any problems. I will not be clearing the F4's either as its just not needed and why add in the extra weight
Sometime ago I found an old T-33 tank that I had stuck an old old pro-mark decal over and tried several different chemicals, fuels and such to test their durability and the only way it started to come loose at all was if it was fully saturated in fuel, not likely to happen on our jets. The other reason is for repair, it is so easy to just replace one if you need to after an off road excursion.
Say hi to the Jakester.

Almost forgot, you do want to wipe down the model with ppg acryl-clean so as to remove any oils from the molds or the natural oils/wax that paints give off as they cure.

C185Pilot

My Feedback: (25)

Geeze Dave...you were just talking about paint...I was hoping that we would get some great pint advice from our Brit friends...I would be happy to contribute based on my fondness for liquid bread.

Mike

LGM Graphix

My Feedback: (22)

Sure:

1. Carefully wrap the airplane in a cushioning material, bubble wrap will be fine.

2. Place gently into a large box

3. Add packing material to the inside of the box

4. Take to Greyhound, and tell them you need to send it to Canada

5. Include a check in the box

6. Give me a couple of weeks

7. Go back to greyhound and pick up your package

8. Carefully unwrap your freshly painted Bandit

9. Enjoy!!!


LOL, sorry, don't know any real magic to spraying clear other than I never reduce the clear as much as guys here say to. You are losing adhesion as well as UV protection and overall toughness of the clear when reduced that much, not to mention you have increased the solvent content a huge amount which will increase your risk of wrinkling the underlying finish. By the time I'm finished spraying, wet sanding and polishing, I'd almost bet my paint is as light or lighter than those jobs sprayed with clear reduced that far.

yeahbaby

My Feedback: (21)

good advice Dave. shipping via greyhound costs very little. i shipped a boomerang xl from Fort Worth to San Diego for around $100.00

you won't be dissapointed with anything Jeremy does to your jet. who knows maybe you'll get some wicked smaaarrttt skullz hidden in the clear coat

i think everyone will agree that dude has Maaaaaad skillz[sm=thumbup.gif]

timrob

My advice (and I must add that I am by no means a professional painter like Jeremy (LGM) is that if you are unsure about painting clears, get some similar scrap surfaces (maybe an old jet that you can use) and practice, practice, practice. Make sure you can shoot a dust coat for the first coat as Jeremy stated. And make sure you can shoot a good wet coat without it running. The hardest thing when first starting out is getting the paint/clear mixed right (I make sure I use the manufacturers recommendations), and get the right mix of air and pressure out of the gun. Here is where practice come in.

It really isn't that difficult. If I can do it, you can too.

Tim

InboundLZ

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Eyeballed my Bandit last night, I would bet it has clear coat....not sure what I am going to do when it comes to clear but I know I am not shooting it....

RCISFUN

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Not sure if your interested; however, if you want to see some cool water slide decal applications and weathering take a look at Maj. Woody's thread

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_70...page_19/tm.htm

furloughed ual

My Feedback: (31)

Dave, be careful if u take it to an auto painter....weight means nothing to those guys...I have seen several models with paint that looks about an inch deep...it usually is....just make sure it is put on light......

I'm glad Jeremy gave a good tutorial on what it takes to "properly" paint a jet.....certainly not a quick one step process like most guys seem to think it is.....

Ryan

timrob

Jeremy,

What is it about tide that makes it a good laundry detergent? I have googled tide in Australia (I don't know this brand, but as I don't do the washing in my family, thus don't shop for it, I don't know if it is actually available in Australia), and can't find it, so would like to know what to look for in a substitute. I think you may have said in the past it has to be oiless (or 100% oil free)?

Tim

AKB

My Feedback: (6)

Hey Jeremy
Maybe this means nothing but there is a caution note on the PPG site about using DX 320 on plastics and fiberglass about static discharge and causing flash fires. There is another product DX 394 that they don't mention in this caution. You haven't had any adverse problems with the DX 320 I would think if you are suggesting it, but maybe you weren't aware of it. Just something I saw on there website, in there product info. Have you used the DX 394 before would you suggest it instead. I'm just in the process of finishing a small repair on one of the Elan booms, so this thread interested me.

Alan

LGM Graphix

My Feedback: (22)

Hi Alan,
I've never had an issue with the DX320 or DX330 on plastics or fiberglass, didn't even know there was a warning. I've never used the DX394 but I'm sure it's the same. I can't say I've ever had my parts loaded up with a static charge either though. Perhaps if it was a drier climate out here it might be an issue, but I've wiped down entire corvette's with DX320 and never had an issue.

Tim,
The reason I use the Tide powder laundry detergent is exactly what you said, it has no oils or perfumes in it that will leave a residue on your parts. The liquid "Pretty smelling" detergents have a perfumed oil in them that will leave a scum on the surface resulting in poor adhesion and problems applying the paint.
I'm sure there are other detergents out there that will work the same. I know that Ivory hand soap (the unscented bar soap) is the same, you could use that in a bucket of water with similar results. The Ivory is the only hand soap I'll use to wash my hands as it doesn't leave any oils behind either which I could transfer to the surface of what I'm painting.

Jeremy

timrob

Thanks Jeremy. I will have to go to that aisle at the supermarket that I never venture in, the laundry detergents aisle.

Tim.