How To Get Rid Of That Basketball/Alligator Texture?

[Aros]

We ALL know that look. Our foam aircraft might be in the Sun a bit too long and the next thing you know that nice smooth foam texture looks like the texture of a basketball. The cells rise in heat and can make your model look like crap in a hurry.

I've been painting my Freewing F-16C 70mm V2 the Arctic Camo livery today. It's been going great up until the moment I thought it would be smart to take it out of my garage (40 degrees or so) tonight and next to my fireplace just to expedite the paint drying so I can move on to the next phase. Apparently I didn't consider having it a few feet away (electric fireplace) would cause portions of the wing closest to it to bubble up within minutes. Clearly, my mistake. So now I have a portion of the starboard wing that looks like the texture of a basketball. So my question is:

Does anyone have a really good method to reduce the basketball/alligator skin effect to foam that has been exposed to heat/Sun?

I'm thinking maybe sanding with a light grit sandpaper, priming and repainting the area? Or does someone have a tried and true method even better?

[RCjetdude]

Sand lightly, prime and paint is about all I have ever had success with. I ripped the nose gear out of my F-86 and used a heat gun to help re-expand the foam which caused some minor gatoring. Sanded, primed and repainted and you could hardly tell it ever happened when done. I haven't found any other way to get rid of it. Maybe a light skim coat of filler would help as well.

[Lon]

yes, sand lightly and prime. My 86 doesn't have alot of hours in the sun. But the gatoring effect hasn't shown....yet.

[Aros]

Thanks, I will sand/prime/paint... Ah the joys of foam. ;)

[RRHandy]

Easier to repair than balsa thou. ;)

[Pogo]

yes, sand lightly and prime. My 86 doesn't have alot of hours in the sun. But the gatoring effect hasn't shown....yet.

Lon, your Sabre looks great, and no gatoring. That's interesting to see because I'd eventually like to repaint my 80mm A-10 in the darkish green Desert Storm (previously Euro) camo but was concerned about the gatoring/ basketball thing happening. Alpha's F-14 with it's dark blue looks fine too, so maybe darker colors are OK. I only have a silver FW Venom so haven't much experience with FW foam, though the black of the ejection seat and panel hood sure went nasty, though I suppose the temps under the canopy get pretty high.
Aros, just tell yourself "sanding is fun, I like sanding"
Tom

[dahawk]

One thing you might try. Take a big soup spoon and put in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Rub the affected area with the back of the cold soup spoon. I do this in conjunction with the hot water treatment when repairing dents and such in foam. Of course, the heat causes the foam to bubble. Once I get the shape back to where it needs to be, I use the soup spoon technique to take out the gatoring. Works like magic.

Hawk

[Aros]

Interesting! I will give that a try! Thanks!

[Pauly]

dahawk, I need to give that a try. Thanks!

[Kloverzero]

I am going to try that tonight on my 1500mm Razorback!! Headed to the freezer now!!!!

[Aros]

Okay I tried the cold spoon technique. I put the spoon in my freezer for about a half hour. Took it out, and it was awfully cold alright. I pressed the back of the spoon down on the gator skin and there was initially a noticeable effect. It does indeed relax the bloated cells, but at least for me, it didn't remove them altogether. They appear a little flatter than before, but still pronounced. I was going to show a before and after photo but frankly there wasn't any noticeable difference in the photos, mainly due to angle and lighting.

So I put the spoon back in the freezer and I am going to let it sit for a few hours then try again. It may be a multi-step process. Stay tuned...

[Kloverzero]

Maybe if you put some liquid nitrogen on it?? LOL

[Aros]

THAT just might work. LOL

[Kloverzero]

You probably have to warm it up first, with some hot water, then get it to shrink back with the cold...maybe...shot in the dark...who knows....:Confused:

[Dewey H Lee]

Could always try it on an old part laying around somewhere. That way you wont have to worrie about compounding the effect. I have popped them back in shape with hot water but never tried the cold. How about an ice cube. A little messy but it shouldnt effect the paint

[jetlag]

Use the computer spray cleaner can upside down, i use i to freeze bees when they get in the house. Than spoon it flat

[dahawk]

Yes, it should be warmed first to get those molecules excited, the cold spoon immediately after.

[crankestein]

Interesting stuff about heat and the cold spoon.

[Blewbayou]

I had a dime size dent, tried the hair dryer and wet cloth, brought it up some, but it alligatored around it about the size of a coffe mug base. I kept moving it around and the cloth wet. Didnt work for me, probably my technic.
i ended up sanding it alittle and used light weight spackle. After some trial and error on trying to match the paint, i got it done. Looks as good as new and paint match is really close. Next is varathane and never know it had an issue.

[401 FOOT CEILING]

Read somewhere about mixing baby powder with household latex color samples and rolling the paint on, lightly sanding and then priming before paint. Thought I bookmarked the article....

Here it is:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2833184-Easy-way-to-make-foam-warbird-realistic