painting ozcover

Covered the wings of my Vector with Ozcover. Went on real well. I didn't cover the wingtips and plan on using silkspan or carbon veil to finish those and the fuselage. Anyone have any tips from experience putting paint over Ozcover? All tips appreciated.

Wipe the Oz Cover down with acetone and then lightly go over the surface with 000 steel wool. As you spray the layers of dope will soften and tend to pull up if you remove the masking tape too soon. Once it has gassed off the dope will adhere. Be careful removing the masking tape.

LAST EDITED ON Oct-01-03 AT 08:25 AM (CDT)
 
My Gladiator is now 3 years old and the dope finish while grossly faded is still sound and well adhered. The acetone wipe a scuff are required but I do it a little differently. I wipe and scuff it BEFORE I cover, this keeps the scuff more or less uniform and the edges don't get the "stringys". The stuff is tuff and will become stringy when abraded.

I use Dupicolor gray sandable primer as a base. When I first started I made a test piece and primed it with the Duplicolor. I thought it would flake of but even scrapping with a new razor blade wouldn't chip it. it scrapped off right down into the Oz Cover, excellent adhesion.

I did have one small area that was not ironed on well that showed up the first time I had it out in the sun, but a damp cloth and careful ironing fixed it and its never popped up again. So make sure you go over it well with a heat gun and hot mitt so it is completely stuck to the structure.

I love the stuff but have heard others not so affectionate about it. It does take allot of care, but you can save weight with it since you don't have to seal and fill it, and it looks great finished.

In truth the undiscovered covering for the painter seems to be clear Monokote. I've used this stuff extensively. Surface prep is remove gloss,prime lightly and paint. I have several planes that are years old and the paint has not flaked or peeled off. Try it it works.

Dennis,

I've tried the Monokote and paint method, one thing I will garantee, Monokote does not have the adhesive strength of Oz Cover, nor can it be restuck so many times. Oz cover also comes in three weights so you can really tailor your finish to the model.

Dennis,

As a frequent user of MonoKote, but also one who would really like to paint a model with the same materials and techniques being touted by Godzilla and Randy, can you be more specific?

We don't need a detailed set of instructions--or maybe we do; your call--but hints designed to keep us from making really stupid mistakes would be most welcome.

In advance, thanks.

>Dennis,
>
>As a frequent user of MonoKote, but also one who would
>really like to paint a model with the same materials and
>techniques being touted by Godzilla and Randy, can you be
>more specific?
>
>We don't need a detailed set of instructions--or maybe we
>do; your call--but hints designed to keep us from making
>really stupid mistakes would be most welcome.
>
>In advance, thanks.
>
>Dan Rutherford

Dan, I'd like to write this long detailed highly technical important sounding manuscript on how to finish a model covered in clear Monokote but it isn't going to happen. Reason is it's too simple.
Start with the framework and get a coat of balsarite down, make sure its the stuff for film. When you cover get it well adhered to the edges and make sure that you pull the stuff reasonably tight. Do not rely on shrinking to do all your work. That guarentees you wrinkles in the future. Then make sure that you use an Iron and not a heat gun and make sure that you get every bit of that stuff adhered to the framework and rubbed down with an old T shirt or equivalent
Next make sure that you scuff every square inch of the surface with a 3M very fine pad. The whole surface should look 'frosty' when your done. I guess you could use 000 steel wool, but don't use sandpaper.
Years ago I used K&B Epoxy paint. It made life really simple. Today I use Chevron or Ultracoat.both are enamels. I always spray a very lite coat of primer on really no more then a light dusting for additional 'tooth'
You really can use any type paint that you want. For our purposes I've found both Chevron or ultracoat clear to be adaquate for fuel proofing.
Now if you don't think that you'll get into the first row at the nats your probably right, but you won't be in the last if you do it right. I've had RC ships done this way and still hanging around for 10 years or so and still look presentable at the field.
I don't compete so I really have better thing to do with my time then spend it doping and rubbing,doping and sanding,doping and buffing,doping and, well you get the picture
I also do not have a great spray area so this is the best compromise that I have to finish a plane. Dennis

mcm: My recently departed GeeBee Sportster was covered with Ozcover on the fuselage and tail surfaces and clear Monokote on the wings. I simply scuffed the surfaces with 600 grit sandpaper and sprayed on the color. Dope is totally unnecessary for this type of application. I used Dupont (any brand will do) auto paint and painted the entire plane in one day.

On my next one I will be doing the same thing again, except I will probably use some auto primer from a rattle can on the seams to fill them in a little more. Otherwise, no changes. Primer is really not necessary, and dope is just too lengthy of a process when it really isn't necessary. The plane had about 300 flights on it at the time of it's demise, and the paint job was holding up just fine.

LAST EDITED ON Oct-06-03 AT 08:15 PM (CDT)
 
Steve,

Have you ever tried covering the entire airframe with Monocote in what ever base color you want and then painting on the trim colors on the fuse, wing and tail? I use a lot of Monocote but I have never tried painting over an iron on film. I always just assumed that the paint would peel or rub off of the iron on covering after a while or that the covering would loosen and sag under the weight of the paint. Also where can Oz cover be purchased? I have never heard of the stuff.

Thanks

Rick: On several of my profile planes I have covered the flying surfaces with Monokote and paintd the fuse. I have taken the color past the fillets and onto the wing and stab on them with no problem. On my B-25 foam wing plane I covered the wing with grey Monokote and painted the top olive green and left the bottom grey. Worked just fine.

We got our Ozcover from a friend who had gotten it from Tony at Saturn Hobbies in Ozstralia. FAI Model Supply may carry it also; there's usually an ad in Flying Models magazine.

Re Ozcover from Tony Cincotta - Saturn Hobbies

Here you go .. http://www.saturnhobbies.net

While it is a matt surface hence ready for paint, it also features an adhesive that is truly remarkable. Will melt again with the heat of a contact iron (not blowgun) for replacement, and has superior shrink-ability to Monokote, etc. yet the seams never open up under any conditions. Totally undisturbed in place as there is no "fuel creep" under edges.

Sorry, I cannot help with a supplier in the States though. Email Tony and he could advise you.

I use Oz-Lite, lighter than Micafilm, no need for Balsa-Rite, paintable, super strong, great adhesive, shrinks great, just can't melt the stuff. Won't sag in sunlight and not affected by hot or cold weather. It's frosty opaque until heated, then turns clear. The original instructions call for wiping with acetone to remove release agent but supposedly newer lots don't need this step but better safe than sorry. I used Rusto-stuff rattle-can paint without primer on my diesel 'Streak and 2 years of flying have not shown any damage or degradation to finish. Highly resistant to hangar rash. It will break but only on a full-power dive into asphalt (as done on another plane I had). This is great stuff! Just don't try to sand it. Cover tips and curved surfaces with silkspan or learn to live with any imperfections but the releasable adhesive lets you keep working it until most puckers are gone. Rather similar to Poly-Span in application but doesn't need any further finishing, not even painting if you prefer the clear look. For sport flying, highly recommended.

Rollin Keszler