Painting Iron on Covering

[piker]

I want to paint Ultrakote with watered down, Home Depot, semi-gloss, latex paint.  Does anyone here have experience with that or similar?

I need to know what works and what doesn't work.

I'm trying to simulate painted metal for the nose section of my SE5a.  I'm assuming they didn't spray paint in 1917, so I'm NOT trying to recreate a pristine painted finish.  In fact, I want to avoid a perfect look 

Thanks.

Robert

[Michael]

Is the Ultrakote a smooth finish or a fabric texture finish?

[piker]

Smooth, like Monokote.

I want a painted metal look, but I don't want to have to seal the wood and glass and all that nonsense, so I thought I'd get a smooth surface with Ultrakote/Monokote then paint to get away from the plastic look.  I want it to look kinda shinny, but not high gloss like the plastic covering.  I'm considering brushing it on, but my go to airbrush if that doesn't look right

That's my greatest challenge and a new experience for me.  How to make a model look realistic.  I think you have to build and cover as perfect as possible (so you don't just get a poorly built model look) but then dirty the thing up to make it look less perfect and more full size like.  This is a new area of modelling for me so I have to learn some techniques.

I have an excellent book on this subject that I'll need to review.  For example, there's a technique that sounds scary to me where you take your completely finshed and detailed model and spray a very light gray coat over the whole thing, including windshields, to create the look of distance because of light refraction / clarity dissipation or some such thing.  I'll review my book and explain better.  I doubt I'll do that, but it's tricks like that that turn an RC airplane into a scale model. 

[Gregor77]

Why don't you use aluminum panels?  Most of the 1/4 guys use it?

[Michael]

OK.

Number one concern is that should the covering wrinkle, it is impossible to re-shrink it once it is painted.

There are some aluminum or metallic grey or dark silver films-coverings, so that is a simple option.

What really works well, if you are going to paint, is hand-brushed Testors enamel silver gloss paint; it's almost impossible to brush it on perfectly and I think that will give you the finish you want.

Try covering a scrap piece and test painting to see if it's suitable.

[Papa]

you could also try some of the modelling foils. Then you could have realistic panel seams and dings and dents. If you apply irregular bits of glue stick before you paint then you can lift them off after and have bare metal showing through. Glue stick is water soluble so it just washes off. Less is better than more but you can concentrate them on the front of the cowl to simulate stone chips etc. A light coat of diluted grey will give an aged faded look. leave a few of the glue stick blobs until last that way the metal will be shiny and look new. Put the glue on with a fine pointed bamboo skewer.

You would need to experiment to get the right look.

Jack.

[piker]

Thanks for your feedback guys.  This is awesome   

Just to clarify, this is for the forward section of the SE5a that kind of represents the cowl.  As I'm now at the covering stage I thought it would be a good idea to see what parts are painted aluminum and what parts are painted canvas on the full size.  Most people would just cover the whole fuselage with the covering, but I think the fabric weave over the nose area would look wrong.  The forward part is aluminum sheet around the engine and just behind the engine is an exposed, painted, fuel tank.  I don't need a raw metal look, but rather the exact same colour as the fabric, but with a smoother finish.

I'm aware of the problem with wrinkled covering under the paint, and that would be a concern.  However, since it's all sheet, I was hoping I could create a very stable film covering that stays most flat.  I hope

The SE5a fuselage is mostly built up with thin plywood in this area to represent the aluminum surface.  I don't really want to get into adding another layer of aluminum sheet just to then paint over it.  It would be a cool and very nice technique, but more than I want to get into for this plane.  Same with aluminum foil.  I believe more surface preparation would be required.  However, I can see it having the advantage of stabilizing the wood while avoiding the wrinkling concern.  And since I don't want a perfect, polished aluminum surface anyway, maybe this would be the way to go.  As you say, Jack, it would offer the possibility of some weathering effects.  I think I'll experiment with that.

Great feedback guys.

Thanks again.

[Skyking]

Hi Robert,

I frequently paint Iron on coverings and have never had any probs. I find that it actually seems to prevent wrinkles from developing later.
If you are unsure maybe try it on a scrap peice first.

Be well,

Ken

[piker]

Thanks Ken,

I spray painted the Monokote covered wings and tail surfaces on my Macchi M33, and it worked well.  Although that plane hasn't seen a lot of action yet, it has developed the odd little wrinkle that I was able to shrink out with my iron through the paint.  I was quite surprised that the paint could take the heat.  Still, it's risky.

I tried brushing some latex paint onto a patch of aluminum tape applied to balsa last night, and it didn't work.  Nothing but horrible streaks.  I still need to try thinning the paint for brushing, but I'll likely just try the airbrush first.  Then the question will be if the latex paint will stick to the aluminum.  I'll let ya know.

Robert

[wollins]

Hi Robert,

I frequently paint Iron on coverings and have never had any probs. I find that it actually seems to prevent wrinkles from developing later.
If you are unsure maybe try it on a scrap peice first.

Be well,

Ken

Hey Ken, do you scuff first?  All the planes that I've painted I've scuffed but the scuffing leaves the scuffed finish even after the paint which "sometimes" I don't want.  If I know that the paint can adher without scuffing that would not only save a lot of time ... but also leave that nice smooth original finish.  Of course I'm sure it depends on the paint used as well... I've been using the rattle can Krylon "plastic" paints and Rustoleums to good effect. What paint do you use?

Colin 

P.S. Rob, I've only ever used house hold latex on fiberglass planes so can't speak to its adherrance (spelling?) qualities on heat shrink covering.   

[Gregor77]

I like the fact that Robert indicates that he doesn't want to get into that much detail on the plane... What ever look at the time it took to get this far... I say do it... the extra few hrs means nothing for a one of a kind piece of art!

[piker]

Colin,  I've painted onto Monokote without scuffing and the paint (Krylon) holds fine.  After all, isn't Krylon made for painting on plastic?

Greg, you're right.  Don't worry, I won't cut too many corners.  I want it to look right.

The problem I have with projects like this is, as you go along and naturally learn more about the "real" plane and all it's details the more you learn about the details of the model that are not correct or detailed very well.  So at some point you have to add enough detail to make it convincing, and to your satisfaction, then move on.  I could easily obsess about every detail and never get the plane done   

[piker]

I haven't done anymore trials to find my preferred methos yet, but I have a question as I think more about it.  I plan to try some painting this weekend.

Question for those who have airbrushed home depot, latex paint...  With what do you thin the paint, and at what kind of ratio?

Thanks!

[wollins]

That's exactly what I used on the little P-40 and also the Typhoon ... I used Windex until it was the consistency of "milk". (more like 2% milk than full. ) Can't remember but I think it was half and half. There was a lot of experimentation though on pieces of paper etc until I got it to flow how I wanted it.  I guess with every airbrush it might be different so you'll just have to play around with it I think.

Colin

[piker]

Cool.  I know the preferred method is to wash the airbrush with windex so I was wondering about using it for thinning.  Thanks.

I'm tempted to try tonight, but I want to wrap up (pun intended  ) the covering first.