I've decided to try some Klass Kote epoxy paint for some bagged wings. I'll be applying the paint to the mylars prior to bagging. I have ordered some #100 white epoxy, some #405 gloss catalyst and some reducer. Here are my questions;
Buy more reducer - you will need it;-)
1) I would like some recommendations on spray equipment to use for applying the paint to the mylars. I have zero experience with anything other than rattle cans so specifics on what to use, where to get it and how to use it will not offend me.
Cheapo HVLP gun from Home Depot or the like. Cut the paint about 50% (i.e. 1 part paint, 1 part catalyst, 1 part thinner) and tweak the gun for a good pattern. You can also use a 4 oz. touch-up gun (about $20 - $25), but the results aren't as consistent as the HVLP gun. HVLP stands for high volume, low pressure. It produces a "wetter" spray similar to that produced by rattle cans, but much more uniform. This is in contrast to the standard spray guns which produce a giant paint cloud, some of which ends up on the workpiece.
A couple of light, dusting coats allowed to tack off before laying it on thick are a good idea. Silicone based waxes are not your friend, as they will encourage the paint coalesce into a small sphere in the center of the mylar, instead of wetting out the surface.
The amount of reducer you use sets the paint's ability to flow out. Not enough and the paint will pebble up and not flow out smoothly (not a huge problem for inside-out painting on mylar). Too much will cause fisheyes to appear if the waxed surface is contaminated. Like with silicone. Or sometimes just wax.
2) Is it OK to just spray the white paint with catalyst on the mylar and then go directly to bagging the wings or would it be better to spray primer after the paint and then bag the wings? Would there be any advantage to using the primer at all, perhaps better adhesion to the wing layup.
The epoxy in the layup seems to stick really well to the epoxy paint. It takes about a week for the epoxy paint to really finish curing, so the bond is probably best during this time.
3) How long should I wait after painting the mylars before bagging the wing? I assume that this is a chemical cure situation, not an air dry type of paint so it could be bagged as soon as the paint is dry enough that the mylars could be handled. Perhaps there would even be better adhesion of the paint to the wing layup if the wings were bagged sooner rather than waiting for a full cure of the paint. I assume that the paint will continue to cure normally even after the wing is bagged. Am I right about all this?
I'd wait 24 hours after spraying before doing the layup. You really want the solvents out before putting the resin on, as the paint solvents seem to make the epoxy cure a little rubbery.
Phil
RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off. Email sent from web based email such as Hotmail and AOL are generally NOT in text format
RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off. Email sent from web based email such as Hotmail and AOL are generally NOT in text format
