Water Base Paints for Models

Have not used any yet. Has anyone tried these? Obviously they would have to be clear coated to be somewhat fuel proof and to shine. I would be interested to know what the weight savings, if any, would be and how easy or difficult they would be to use masking tape or fineline tape for trim schemes. Also, where one would get them. Thanks, RJ

Bob,
Jerry Nelson sells water based urethane paints for models. I believe they are produced by System III. There is a cross linker that you add to the paint to make it fuel proof. They are shiney, but take some practice to make work without runs. He also sells clear for a really shiney top coat. I have some if you want to try a sample.
Steve

I can't claim to be any expert but I have been using water based paints for a while now - everything from Flecto Varathane Diamond Finish to Auto Air Colors, in all cases top coated with Nelson Hobbies water based urethane clear. I'm quite happy with them. Flecto has a pretty limited color palette but you can get almost anything you want in Auto Air Colors since they are intended for the custom car painting industry as well as graphic arts. You can find Flecto at hardware and paint stores and Auto Air at art supply stores. Nelson clear is available at Nelson Hobbies http://www.nelsonhobby.com/

I'll post pictures of a couple of my projects later this week when I have a little more time. In the past my spray equipment was pretty crude so the quality of the finish is not the greatest but I have since puchased a spray gun that is considerably more high-zoot than what I had previously so I'm expecting an improvement in appearance on my next project.

They do take some different handling techniques than more traditional finishes but I've encountered no real problems with masking over them for multi-colored paint schemes. In my book the ease of mixing, handling and clean up make these products well worth learning how to use.

Best, Hoovie

Life is simple. Eat. Sleep. Fly

Jim Tichey has been using these paints for the last several planes, give him a call.

Bob,

As stated, Jim Tichy has been using them for a while. He went to an all weekend special automotive painting class to learn how to use them. His Walker Mustang trim colors are the automotive paints. If you have seen his Mustang--as good as anything Granderson can manage. He beat Granderson for the Concours at the lst Golden State.

He is tutoring Phil Granderson, yes, 20 pt Phil Granderson, in how to use them. Phil is grumbling something about color selection and compatibility issues. Give either Phil a call or Jim.

E-mail me if you need either of their numbers.

I used the Jerry Nelson products on my pink carrier ship, including the cross linked clear coat. I was never able to achieve a finish that I'd be happy with on a competitive stunt ship. I followed the instructions and tried a variey of buffing techniques w/o great success.

It has stood up from a durability stand point. Nice to shoot paint in the house.

I'd like to learn what Jim Tichy is doing with this stuff, his standrds and results are impressive.

Jim Hoffman

I used the Jerry Nelson products on my pink carrier ship, including the cross linked clear coat. I was never able to achieve a finish that I'd be happy with on a competitive stunt ship. I followed the instructions and tried a variey of buffing techniques w/o great success.

It has stood up from a durability stand point. Nice to shoot paint in the house.

I'd like to learn what Jim Tichy is doing with this stuff, his standrds and results are impressive.

Jim Hoffman

I have tried water base latex house paint. I used the high gloss latex on the fuselage and tail section. It works fine. I have over 100 flights on this airplane and the paint is doing ok.

Greetings,

I painted this one with various "artist acrylics". Blue and white were generic craft store brand and the red was Liquitex.

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I originally clear coated it with oil based Varathane spray can urethane, then found that it wouldn't stand up to fuel. I cleaned it, then brushed on Pactra RC5801 Clear Fuel Sealer. This is intended for use over acrylics used inside polycarbonate RC car bodies. I let it cure for a couple of weeks (they say 5 to 7 days). Dropped some 20% fuel on it and let it set for a while, then wiped it off leaving no marks in the clear. Good stuff.

Just finished this one using the same materials, except the white is spray can Rustoleum. I didn't try the Varathane .

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The graphics on both planes were done on typing paper on an inkjet. I used Liquitex matte medium to attach them, then the Pactra fuel proofer. Not contest quality painting but works for me.

Later,
Greg in PA
http://www.oddservations.com

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Dawg,

Did you see Mike Haverly's Freedom 45 down at VSC? It was done with Auto Air Colors water based urethane. You might ask him.

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Some days it seems like a coin toss between George Orwell and Monty Python...

When I was building a 1/3 scale R/C plane I used Vista external water based house paint. It was very fuel proof and UV resistent. I need special colors and the Vista paint people were able to mix exactly what I needed and the clean up was super. Of course weight was not an issue so I would recommend some care there.
Andy Borgogna

Funny you should mention house paint, Andy. At work, I often custom-mix colors in acrylic latex exterior house paint for RC Giant Scale guys. Literally thousands of color/hue choices. Of course they're using gasoline-burners, thus fuel-proofing isn't a problem.

Mike Keville
Tucson, AZ
AMA 14220

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Attachment #1, (jpg file)

Mike Ostella seems to have a TON of knowledge about water based paints...
See Ya

Peabody

www.gscb.us / www.richpeabody.com

RJ (Alfadawg) - - - do you happen to remember the Cosmic Wind that
Dan Banjock flew in Foxberg Racing at Brodak's last year?
Beautiful airplane with wheel pants and cheek cowls! It was done with
all Nelson water based paints and the "cross-linker".
I know he was happy with the product but there *was* a bit of a
"learning curve" to get the finish right.
If memory serves, I don't think he used clear over the brilliant
red and white finish.
FWIW
Dennis T.

Yeah, Dennis, that Cosmic Wind looks good, bright and shinny still, after three years or so. Ken Cooke talks about applying the paint with a foam brush. Amazing. But like everything else radically new with a potentially useful upside (electric planes, cellphones, rc((?!!!!)), cable television, FUR-N cars) I say no, no, no, no.

Mikey
The plane I was refering to was a 1/3 scale Pietenpol Air Camper that had a ST. 3000 running glow fuel. The Vista exteran Latex paint is very fuel proof. Before I used it I tested it with pure Nitromethane and let it stand on a sample overnight. The next morning there was zero damage to the paint. Don't know what they put in that stuff but nothing seems to phase it.
Andy
P.S. Thanks for the pictures.

I've used the Nelson products on several planes now. I myself had problems with runs on a few models until I discovered what I was doing wrong. The consistency of this paint is critical. Typically I don't thin it correctly at first. The instructions claim a lot of pigment thus meaning less material less weight. I found it likes several coats as many as 4 to get a decent paint job. I then follow with 2-3 clear coats. I generally have to sand the last coats with 400. The material sands well color and clear. I use this paint on most of my 1/2 planes. It holds up well using the crosslinker. I hang the plane and paint one side at a time and let gravity do the rest. When painting the entire plane runs are surely to form. The paint usually doesn't form a paint line when I do this. Usually by the second coat I have the material thinned properly. This paint unlike other paints benefits from high humidity as well. Painting outside can surely speed up the dry time and level the paint out nicely. Dan used the entire system which was using the Epoxy water based primer. This really makes the red stand out and works great as a blocker coat especially for dark grain spots. Jerry Nelson was telling me the Zinzer 1.2.3 water based primer has proven good results. I haven't weighed these planes to see there exact weights. I use it on sport planes they have terrific Monokote matching abilities. As noted above it has terrific durability. Ken Cook