Ink Lines

I normally don't care for panel lines and such. I'm completing a stunter that might look OK with a few simple ink lines, such as simulated ailerons, etc.

I have read somewhere about "Sharpie" pens from the office supply.

Does anyone have a part number for Sharpie that I should look for?

Also, is it safe to spray clear butyrate over these ink lines?

Not wanting to wreck the paint job, and not being in a mood to experiment, maybe some good advice is in order.

Thanks,,

LAST EDITED ON Jul-05-04 AT 02:53 PM (CDT)
 
I use 00 or a 1, You must use the ink to write on film or it will smear. Yes dope is ok. If you make a mistake you can take it off with rubbing alcohol. But be careful!

Sparky. I interpet your advice to mean "India Ink" on Monokote. The Sharpie will be over Brodak dope, so it seems that you are saying that's OK and that clear Brodak will not smear the Sharpie. ??

LAST EDITED ON Jul-05-04 AT 03:07 PM (CDT)
 
I was mistaken. You use a rapidiograph pen 00 or 1 over a dope finish covered with clear. Is this what you are saying? I have no experience with monocoat finishes. Look at my SV22

>Sparky. I interpet your advice to mean "India Ink" on
>Monokote. The Sharpie will be over Brodak dope, so it seems
>that you are saying that's OK and that clear Brodak will not
>smear the Sharpie. ??
>
>Floyd

Ron B.
F4Fguy

Floyd:

The Sharpie referred to is the "Ultra Fine Point".Don't even attempt to use the "Fine Point",it has a conical point with a sharp point,but will give you a line 50-60 thou. wide and with no control of width.The "Ultra Fine" has a tip that's about 30 thou. and straight so line width is constant.
Better yet is a draftsman's pen for film(drafting film,not monocote).Figma Micron,or Pentel,to name two.they come in discrete line widths of from .20mm to 1.00mm.Mistakes can be corrected with isopropyl alchohol,or mineral spirits(before "fixing of course).

Any of the above can be doped over with a caveat,they all need to be "fixed"with two or three light dusting coats and allowed to dry before any heavy coats.This is true for any dope,nitrate butyrate,acrylic or whatever.

I'll ramble on without addressing your question. I use acrylic laquer car paint. Model airplane fuel dissolves it, as does isopropanol. I always used waterproof drafting ink, and I had to scrape off inking mistakes. I recently tried water-soluble ink, so I could wipe off errors. It works a treat, and doesn't dissolve with the clearcoat.

>I'll ramble on without addressing your question. I use
>acrylic laquer car paint. Model airplane fuel dissolves it,
>as does isopropanol. I always used waterproof drafting ink,
>and I had to scrape off inking mistakes. I recently tried
>water-soluble ink, so I could wipe off errors. It works a
>treat, and doesn't dissolve with the clearcoat.

Ron B.
F4Fguy

Howard:

You can still use the "good" dense black fast dry india ink.Use 0000 steel wool and a draftsman's eraser shield to erase miscues.

Ok one last time the correct stuff is a Rapidograph pen #00 or #1. With Rapidraw india ink. Watterproof fast drying for film. Part #3084-F

Well, I have some Rapidograph pens with various sizes of nibs. I can use India Ink, but I was led to believe that
Sharpie" pens would be OK and a lot less trouble than India ink.

So, rather than experiment, I guess I will use the inking pens and India ink.

To cancel the confusion, I'm putting the lines over Brodak butyrate colored, and I might do a couple of clear coats, but it looks so good now that clear coats might not help. I prefer a rubbed-out finish.
Floyd

Doc,

The Sharpies are in fact called Ultra Fine Point. I'm looking at one now. They work OK, but mistakes are a paint to get off. Just be sure to go light on the first couple of coats of clear. Don't lay it on too thick till you get a light coat or two on.

>Ok one last time the correct stuff is a Rapidograph pen #00
>or #1. With Rapidraw india ink. Watterproof fast drying for
>film. Part #3084-F

Ron B.
F4Fguy

Rapidograph is fine and india ink is dandy,but the Figma or Pentel pens are cheap(relatively),the india ink is already in them ,and you can throw them away instead of tediously cleaning them when you're finished.These are definitely not just cheapie chugger markers,they're precision instruments.They're used for technical drawings the same as a rapidograph.

Has anyone tried these pens? My local drafting shop carries "Itoya" pens in varies sizes.
Ink aready in them. For writing on clear film.
I have .1, .3 & .5 pens.

>Has anyone tried these pens? My local drafting shop carries
>"Itoya" pens in varies sizes.
>Ink aready in them. For writing on clear film.
>I have .1, .3 & .5 pens.

Ron B.
F4Fguy

Yes,they work fine,as will any of the other drafting pens for mylar.The ink is as permanent as any other drafting ink.The big thing to watch out for is too much hand pressure,which will cause an indentation. O.K. as long as you don't make a miscue,but not good if you overrun an intersection.

Dr. Spark,
Here's a link to some past info. on "Tarting Up".

http://www.clstunt.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=read_count&om=3274&forum=DCForumID1

Hi, Floyd - I used a sharpie on my Nobler and clearcoated it with Randoph's clear, without a run or blur.
However, after a year the ink faded to nearly unreadable. Possibly you can find a clearcoat with more UV blocker?
Bob Z

Bob is correct here. Sharpie pens are easy to use and look great for about a year. Afterward The ink will fade to a point that you cannot see ink lines on the top of the plane. I have four year old planes that were lined with waterproof India Ink that still look as sharp as day one. One other note of importance, put a couple of strips of masking tape on your straight edge and templates about an 1/8 inch from the edge. This will keep the ink from wicking under the straight edge and or template. Good luck!!!!!

A coupe years ago, the entire Model Aviation C/L Stunt column was devoted to inking. I can't remember who the columinst was (Curt Contrata?), but it was an excellent article. Gary