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Blades, Night Flying and Painting > Painting How To?

loewermx
Veteran
Location: Alexandria, La

I did some searching and maybe I am looking over it but I am looking for a step by step on painting fiberglass canopies. I thought I saw a thread on here a while back but could not find it.

Team Cajun Helicopters
Team CCRCC Heli Club

07-05-2008 05:22 PM

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Bill Ludwig
Veteran
Location: Tucson, AZ

Here's a method that has worked well for me...

- Sand the center seam with a block and 120 grit paper.

- Wet sand the entire canopy with 220 grit paper to remove all gloss.

- Fill the center seam with a lightweight fiberglass filler like Evercoat (available at most auto paint stores). When cured, block sand the seam with 220 paper wet.

- Spray on a couple of medium coats of automotive primer. Let it dry.

- Spray on a light 'guide coat' of black lacquer. Don't worry about getting good coverage.

- Sand all of the guide coat off with 320 wet. You will easily see your low spots using this method.

- Repeat the priming, guide coat, sanding process, if necessary, until there are no more low spots.

- Apply your first color coat - a light coat first just to get the surface sticky, then follow with two medium coats.

- Mask and spray all color coats, following the paint manufacturer's drying times.

- Apply any graphics.

- Clear coat with automotive clear using two medium coats. Do NOT use the clear coat that comes in spray cans. It will yellow and is NOT fuel proof!

07-05-2008 08:04 PM

loewermx
Veteran
Location: Alexandria, La

Thanks Bill. I may be crazy but I want to try and paint some canopies. I used to paint a lot of RC cars back in the day but I know its totally different.

If you don't mind me asking, what equipment do you use? (spray gun, airbrush, compressor, ect...)

Team Cajun Helicopters
Team CCRCC Heli Club

07-05-2008 08:14 PM

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Bill Ludwig
Veteran
Location: Tucson, AZ

I wish I had a dime for every time I get asked that question!

I don't recommend anyone painting less than several hundred canopies a year, getting a setup like mine. It's just not necessary. I have a $1500 compressor/drier, a half dozen Sata spray guns, and a couple of Iwata airbrushes.

I'd recommend a $300 compressor, and some Sata look-alike spray guns. They are about $50 instead of $400 for the Sata. Definitely get a good airbrush like the Iwata if you're sure you need an airbrush at all. I mostly just use mine for shadowing. Get a cheap one and you'll end up tossing it and getting the Iwata anyway.

Hope that helps.

- Bill

07-05-2008 08:27 PM

loewermx
Veteran
Location: Alexandria, La

Thanks, that will get me started. I have a regular shop compressor (campbell/hausfield) would that work? I already have a Paashe VL airbrush.

Team Cajun Helicopters
Team CCRCC Heli Club

07-05-2008 08:32 PM

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Heli 770
Elite Veteran
Location: Lemon Grove, Ca. USA.

loewermx
I think you,er looking for Arizona Canopy. They had a good step by step, on bottle and glass canopys.
Good Luck!

07-05-2008 09:19 PM

Farrell
Senior Heliman
Location: Orange, CA

I use a regular air compressor as well (Craftsman 26 Gallon) and love it. Just be sure to get a good water trap and regulator. Both are critical. Water in your paint will give you dots where the paint wont adhere to. As for the regulator, make sure it can go down to 5 - 10 psi so you can do some controlled detail work. Some of the cheap reg's I have come across won't hold the commanded pressure very well at the lower PSI settings.

-Farrell

07-05-2008 09:22 PM

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EKIM
Veteran
Location: Long Island New York

This is the best sata knock off gun I've used so far. I use it for everything

http://www.spraygunworld.com/produc.../CATMiniJet.htm

*******Mike********

07-06-2008 09:00 PM

Bill Ludwig
Veteran
Location: Tucson, AZ

Finex Pro 1000 Series Mini Gun is another good one -- very nice pattern, HVLP, made by Sharpe. You can get one on Ebay for about $100.

- Bill

07-06-2008 10:36 PM

AceHelis
rrAdvertiser
Location: Georgetown, Texas

Just more help

Here is a step by step with photos that I did on another site. Hope it helps.
http://www.thetrexforums.com/?topic=3881.0

Did he crash? Dang I missed it!

07-06-2008 11:21 PM

chuckjones
New Heliman
Location: Highland Lakes, NJ - USA

Hey there Acehelis, thanks for the link, I linked my blog to it as well if you don't mind. Been tinkering around with this for a while now - especially with types of paint and a compatible clear coat. Much to learn from you, thanks.

loewermx, I listed my tools and other stuff on there as well. I don't use a gun, different airbrushes with different tips.

07-08-2008 12:37 AM

Magic Hook
Senior Heliman
Location: Naples, Florida USA

Are the touch up or regular pain guns under a hundred bucks worth using to learn?

07-13-2008 09:04 PM

Bill Ludwig
Veteran
Location: Tucson, AZ

Yes, the guns under $100 are perfect for learning on. You, more than likely, wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between those, and the high-end guns until you gain more experience.

- Bill

07-13-2008 09:08 PM

AngGrafx
Heliman
Location: Harvard, IL

If you have a Harbor Freight tool store nearby check this gun out:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ct...temnumber=46719

I have several of these - they spray well for the price and great for learning about spraying and cleaning a gun. And if you trash it, you are only out $35.

Angelo

07-13-2008 11:11 PM

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Farrell
Senior Heliman
Location: Orange, CA

Yup, I use that gun from Harbor Freight too. Works very nice. Only problem I have is that the o-ring gets messed up fairly easily (probably my fault) so I need to find out what size it is and buy a bag of them.

Anyone used that HF gun, and a high end gun? Is the over-spray identical? I get a lot of mist in the air when shooting the clear. Maybe it's just my technique that needs refining...

On a side note, the next time I shoot clear, I'm going to try to "tune" the gun, and see if that's my problem.

Scroll to post 5 at: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/ora...lear-59218.html

-Farrell

07-13-2008 11:27 PM

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AngGrafx
Heliman
Location: Harvard, IL

I havent tried the HF gun against a high-end gun, but have tried it against a non-HVLP touch-up gun. There is a decent difference in the "cloud" of material. Less of a cloud with HVLP.

Quote
Scroll to post 5 at: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/ora...lear-59218.html

That is a good post and mimics how I set up my guns. I had gotten my setup info from the book "Advanced Custom Paint Techniques" by Jon Kosmoski (House of Kolor founder). Jon specifies a 6 inch distance from sprayed object for full-size gun and a 4 inch distance for touch-up guns. Spray a test pattern at that distance, adjust gun, and paint...

Angelo

07-14-2008 03:02 AM

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loewermx
Veteran
Location: Alexandria, La

How much paint is usually used in painting a canopy? 2oz? 4oz? 6oz? ect...

Team Cajun Helicopters
Team CCRCC Heli Club

07-14-2008 01:12 PM

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JuanRodriguez
Elite Veteran
Location: Rochester, New York

loewermx ,

Lots of good suggestions so far but I'm surprised that no one has cautioned you about the dangers of spray painting...... Specially when you're talking about the two part automotive clear that will ultimately give you the "wet look" most of us strive for......I guess I'll be the "stick in the mud".....

Spraying this 2 part urethane clear WILL cause irreversible damage to your lungs if you're not properly protected by a suitable respirator. Take a look at the link below......This is what I use...... An "inexpensive" positive air system designed with the hobbyist in mind price wise....I'm sure that Bill and Ace can give you similar advice.....

http://www.tcpglobal.com/spraygunde...itemno=AXS+HB01

Just last week I shot Omni clear on the fiberglass cowl and plastic canopy on my Extra 300 using that respirator..... while spraying, you get absolutely NO fume odor in the mask because it's pushing fresh air into the mask at all times....

If you don't want to spend the dough then the other alternative is to do the colors (again, with the proper cartridge type respirator) and take the canopy to an automotive collision shop and ask them to clear it for you in conjunction with one of their auto jobs..... they may not charge much for the service since they're already set up for it.....

Anyway, that's my take on it.....take it or leave it but at least you've been "warned"......

07-14-2008 08:34 PM

Dragonzsled
New Heliman
Location: West Palm Beach, Fl. USA

I also use the HVLP from Harbor Freight. It does as well as a higher end gun that I have Angelo. I use it mostly for large coverage area's then use airbrush for shading or detail work. The Iwata's are great gun's from what I have seen and read, but I haven't had the chance to use one yet. I also use an HVLP Turbine sprayer, primarily for clear coat.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ct...temnumber=44677

This sprayer has twice the airflow of a conventional HVLP gun and works well, with very little overspray. It's a lot cheaper than the high end turbine spray set up's and is great for the hobbyist.

Chuck

I'm Dyslexic, I fly inverted all the time!

10-31-2008 04:05 AM

heli_madken
Senior Heliman
Location: Liverpool, England

Sorry for taking the thread in a slightly different direction but I have a question about masking.

When I am laying on another colour I use 3M fineline first to give me the edges then normal masking tape and paper to cover the rest of the masked areas.

What I keep getting even if I leave the first coat for a couple of days is marks in the first coat when I remove the masking tape and a sticky residue, what am I doing wrong? is it the wide masking tape I am using, what brand should I use? I have tried different makes

The marks go away when I clear but I would love to find out why I get them. By the way I am only using automotive acrylic rattle cans.

10-31-2008 09:07 AM

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