regular testors model paint

[rc10gt_bb]

Can I use that ragular testors model paint, that you get at Wal-Wart and places, on wood. Like on a pine wood derby type car? I wan't to start an airbrushing business at my school. I will be painting Co2 powered dragsters. They are made out of balsa or bass wood.

[Oyster]

To make it look really nice, you'll have to seal the wood. I've used Kondar before, then sanded it out, then shot the paint.

- Jon

[rc10gt_bb]

So I just have to seal it, and then do the regular sanding in between coats?

[MJ]

Like Oyster said, seal it. You can get a small can of sanding sealer at the local hardware store. Not sanding primer like you would use for metal, but sanding sealer that you put under varnish. It is very easy to sand but will probably be too thick for your air brush. Just paint it on thick with a brush, let it dry for a day or so and then sand most of it off. The sealer will fill all of the pours in the balsa and give you a smooth finish that will take Testers enamel very well. When you put on the enamel, make sure you start with several thin coats until you get the color even and then make your last coat thicker to get the shine but not thick enough that you drip or sag. You should not have to sand between coats unless you have an over-spray problem, in which case, you need to adjust the air pressure on your spray gun. As always, make sure you let things dry completely between coats. If this turns into a business, you might want to start using lacquers rather than enamels to cut your cut your dry times down or even water base varnish that has been tinted with aniline dye. Now if I only knew as much about RC cars as I do woodworking, I’d win some races… (RC cars - 6 months, Woodworking - 25 years)

[24601]

OK, if you want these cars to be fast, light, and strong, here is the secret. Take a tube of super glue, squirt it all over the wood, and "paint" it in with your finger. Just rub it all in all over the car. I promise this works, but you may have to practice a little so you get it smooth and even. I have been making these cars for several years. The tech teachers where I teach (and also went to school) are considered among the best in the nation. This is what the national winners of the CO2 car contest do all the time. Give it a shot, just don't tell anyone when you race.

[rc10gt_bb]

That sounds pretty cool! But there are two things wrong with that. One- glue is illegal, in my state at least. Two- wouldn't the super-glue glue your finger together? http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif

[MJ]

It’s true that CA glue will add strength to balsa and bass wood, but do not use your finger to put it on. We use thin CA to stabilize pithy or rotted wood so it can be turned on a lathe without blowing apart. You only need to drip it on. Something as light weight as balsa will wick up the CA. If it does not soak in and spread out by itself, you have put on too much. Thin CA will not give you the smooth surface you want for a glassy finish. You will still need to use sanding sealer if you want to fill the grain. The sanding sealer will also add strength, just not as much as the CA. The big thing is that sanding sealer costs less. If you use CA you will probably want to charge them more.

One other thing to clear up my last post. If you go to lacquer or a water base finish, you will need to change the type of sanding sealer to one designed for that finish, but the kind of sealer that goes under varnish will work well under enamel.

Good Luck,
MJ

[24601]

Originally posted by rc10gt_bb:
That sounds pretty cool! But there are two things wrong with that. One- glue is illegal, in my state at least. Two- wouldn't the super-glue glue your finger together? http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif

Yes, it's completely illegal in most competitions, but who will know after you paint? You have to move really fast to keep your fingers from being glued to the wood. People use this trick all the time. They used to used balsa sanding sealer (I forget what kind, but it was almost legal and made for balsa airplanes) but when someone figured this out it was superior. BTW, unless it is specifically outlawed in the rules, nothing is really illegal.

[sk0op]

hey rc10 use testers model glue......i understand about the illigal thing isnt oklahomas laws fun...heh...or you can just get someone that is 18 to buy you some glue......just a suggestion..and you didnt get it from me ....heh
Okie inginuity