Base Coat / Clear Coat with Dave Jones (DSP Builders)

[Dsp Dave]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Jim Woodward
	Dave - great thread! I've been giving it a thorough read as I plan to be painting by next weekend hopefully on my 42% Velox. Taping the design scares me a bit right now. Does the 3M Green tape come on a roll, or is there one that comes on a backing? I ask this because I would need to create a shape that is about 14" across and 5" deep so that I can draw and cut out the semi-circle stuff. Thanks, Jim W.

When I need to do what you are doing I tape the whole thing with 3m green tape then draw out my design and cut it out with a razor blade then paint it.

[Dangerous Dan]

Dave you have a website?

[Dsp Dave]

I used to but it got to be too much of a headache so I shut it down. I really don't do any work for anyone anymore I just do my own stuff and Andrew Jesky's airplanes. Wayne caught me at a good time and I didn't have much going on at the time so I agreed to do his plane and I have done a couple of planes for Larry A. in the last couple of months but other than that I am just trying to have fun flying and enjoying the hobby and really getting into this electric stuff right now. I really think electric is going to be the next level of RC and I am having a blast playing with this stuff right now. Everytime I see a new airplane come out I want to buy it and make it electric! The most fun I have had with an airplane is I took a $10 6foot foam freeflight glider from WalMart and put a electric motor on it and elevators and rudder and it flys really good and is so relaxing and fun to fly. I have all the Extreme Flight stuff right now and I am getting ready to do the EF 50cc Yak electric which should be fun. I am also flying the Fliton AJ extra330 which is a really nice flying plane. For the first time in years I am really enjoying the hobby again! I don't mind answering questions on any of this stuff though so feel free to ask away on any projects you might have going on and I will try to answer them the best I can. Well I am off to the flying field.

[Jim Woodward]

Good for you Dave! Three cheers for having fun at it again and relaxing...

[EXTREME FLIGHT]

Dave, glad to hear you are once again enjoying the hobby. I left for 2 years several years ago and it allowed me to come back wiith renewed interest and passion.
Welcome back!
Chris

[Windecker]

Thanks Dave, glad to hear your having fun.
Will

	Quote: Originally Posted by Dsp Dave
	I normally wipe it with a dry cloth first then go over it with a damp cloth of wax and grease remover DX330 then tack it off and shoot primer.

[CRG]

Here's my results using the techniques Dave outlined in his tutorial here. Everything went fairly well and I used all the same products Dave mentions. In the past I've only ever used single stage paint, so Dave's article came at a good time as this project needed a base/clear finish.

I learned a few things. Pinholes are a pain in the butt. Masking abstract shapes takes a long time. The whole prep process in general takes time. First time I've used the K36 primer and it's really nice stuff, I shot it with and without reducer depending on where it was going.

One side of the fuselage scheme was eyeballed using a picture for reference, then I made paper templates to match it on the other side. Using a mechanical pencil I drew on the basecoat very lightly then taped, the pencil marks came off the base with a regular soft eraser.

Pictures show white base over K36, shapes masked and then shot with a charcoal gray base. The fuselage aft of the blue tape line will get yellow. Then I can clear it and put it all back together for the customer.

Craig.

[Dsp Dave]

Looks good Craig make sure you post pics when it's done.

[CRG]

Yellow....

[CRG]

Clear...

[CRG]

I assume my paint store is about in line with most places on pricing, but I got a little bit of a shock when stocking up for this job.

I bought;
yellow, white and gray base
clear and catalyst
primer and catalyst
DX330 cleaner
reducer
tape
gloves

Grand total.... $632. Yikes.

[Dsp Dave]

Thats about right! It's funny when I tell people what I charge for a paint job they will always say " Man I know a guy that only charges $300 to do a paint job" and I always tell them you better get him to do it then because I can't even buy the materials for $300.
BTW your paint job looks great!

[CRG]

Thanks Dave, and thanks for publishing your process and answering my questions. Painting is a lot of work but the result is very satisfying, and I know I'll get better as I continue to do more.

Craig.

	Quote: Originally Posted by Dsp Dave
	Thats about right! It's funny when I tell people what I charge for a paint job they will always say " Man I know a guy that only charges $300 to do a paint job" and I always tell them you better get him to do it then because I can't even buy the materials for $300. BTW your paint job looks great!

[Windecker]

Dave,
Thanks again for the tips. I used the pinhole filler for the first time last week, just like you said it made the Carden glass work sort of a one step, prime to paint project. The BVM stuff filled 99.9% on the first application.
Hope to get the time to put colors on next week.
Thanks again,
Will B.

[Dsp Dave]

Thanks Will
Yea I know that pinhole filler is a life saver I wish someone would of told me about it 50 paint jobs ago!