Eflite Carbon z T28 repaint

[t33jetman]

I've had the same issues with my canopy too. It took me 4 days to get this to come out right which ate up alot of time.

[BRGT350]

This bad , acetone it all the way back down and start over.
Yes it means more work but something is wrong, so try and save it.
I've done the same thing so I know how you feel, but I was able to save my project in the end and it was worth the extra work. Better to do it right then to rush it.

That is why I say there is no perfect way you can repeat these paint jobs . Everyone is different.

It takes me almost a month to do a really good paint job because nothing always goes right.

All the spots where the paint didn't adhere have been brought back to the substrate. The adhesion issue was limited to only a few spots, mostly on the plastic canopy. Remaining surfaces have been filled, sanded, filled, and then sanded again until everything feels smooth and the voids have all been filled. I fully expect the job to take a solid month to complete given the 24-48 of needed cure time. Only a small section of the plane was done at a time and I made sure the paint sat for at least 48 hours before being touched to paint the next section. So one half of the fuselage was one with the top coat followed by 48 hours of cure time and then the plane was flipped to paint the opposite side. I never allowed the plane to sit on the previously painted section for more than the time it took to paint the opposite side. It cured sitting on the landing gear or an unpainted section.

[t33jetman]

One of these for sale on rcgroups.. Not as detailed as yours.

Yes you are right !
Not as nice as mine.:)

Wait till you see my next CZ T-28 paint job.

[CZ Flyer]

One of these for sale on rcgroups.. Not as detailed as yours.

[t33jetman]

The repaint on the Cherokee is going horrible. The primer and paint bubbled up on one side of the fuselage, wouldn't adhere to a section of the canopy, and the wings were filled with divots and holes around every foam cell. Oddly, the elevator which was painted and prepped using all the same process and done at the same time looks perfect. Out of all the foam planes I have done paint work on, I have never had one come out this bad. I have been busy sanding, filling, sanding, filling, sanding, and filling, and more sanding trying to salvage it. Any suggestions on what the clean the foam/previous layer of paint/primer before the next coat? Normally I would be using 3M Automotive Adhesive Remover if this was a car project, but not something I think would be good for foam. I don't want to remove the previous layer of paint/primer, just make sure the surface is clean before painting.

It is amazing how much difference there is between my first Cherokee and the replacement. The first one was so nice I was afraid to paint it. The surface looked uniform and nice, paint was applied nicely, and everything was masked well around the canopy. My replacement Cherokee is completely the opposite. The surface is full of dings/dents, voids around the foam, bubbled up foam in some spots, overspray on the fuselage and canopy. I didn't feel bad about painting the replacement after I got it out of the box and saw it. I don't ever recall seeing a brand new plane in this poor of shape out of the box. Even my crappy Dynam and Tower Hobbies planes looked better. Since I was repainting it, I didn't think it would be too much of an issue. I think all of those things came back to haunt me as I started to repaint it.

This bad , acetone it all the way back down and start over.
Yes it means more work but something is wrong, so try and save it.
I've done the same thing so I know how you feel, but I was able to save my project in the end and it was worth the extra work. Better to do it right then to rush it.

That is why I say there is no perfect way you can repeat these paint jobs . Everyone is different.

It takes me almost a month to do a really good paint job because nothing always goes right.

[BRGT350]

The repaint on the Cherokee is going horrible. The primer and paint bubbled up on one side of the fuselage, wouldn't adhere to a section of the canopy, and the wings were filled with divots and holes around every foam cell. Oddly, the elevator which was painted and prepped using all the same process and done at the same time looks perfect. Out of all the foam planes I have done paint work on, I have never had one come out this bad. I have been busy sanding, filling, sanding, filling, sanding, and filling, and more sanding trying to salvage it. Any suggestions on what the clean the foam/previous layer of paint/primer before the next coat? Normally I would be using 3M Automotive Adhesive Remover if this was a car project, but not something I think would be good for foam. I don't want to remove the previous layer of paint/primer, just make sure the surface is clean before painting.

It is amazing how much difference there is between my first Cherokee and the replacement. The first one was so nice I was afraid to paint it. The surface looked uniform and nice, paint was applied nicely, and everything was masked well around the canopy. My replacement Cherokee is completely the opposite. The surface is full of dings/dents, voids around the foam, bubbled up foam in some spots, overspray on the fuselage and canopy. I didn't feel bad about painting the replacement after I got it out of the box and saw it. I don't ever recall seeing a brand new plane in this poor of shape out of the box. Even my crappy Dynam and Tower Hobbies planes looked better. Since I was repainting it, I didn't think it would be too much of an issue. I think all of those things came back to haunt me as I started to repaint it.

[Grossman56]

I'm wondering if it was oil based and not water based. I coat mine with Minwax , let it bubble up and wipe it off, removes any mold release, repeat until there is not balling and then let it dry, afterwards, give it a nother coat. I've never had any problem with it.

Grossman56

[BRGT350]

That's what I've been doing wrong:Ligthbulb:. I didn't use Maker's Mark:). Thanks, I'll give the ice a try too.....

Yep, it really helps out. Best to enjoy the Maker's during the process and when taking breaks when your hand gets cold. I was very skeptical that it would actually work, but it did! I just didn't like the idea of using heat, which is what I do on automotive applications.

[Twowingtj]

That's what I've been doing wrong:Ligthbulb:. I didn't use Maker's Mark:). Thanks, I'll give the ice a try too.....

[BRGT350]

Could you expand on how you used the ice cubes? Thanks

I thought the idea was a little silly, but it honestly worked. I took a few ice cubes out of the freezer, placed a number of them in a tumbler with some Maker's Mark, and the rest of them in a bowl. Took an ice cube and rubbed it on the decal until it felt cool to touch. Then I lifted a little of the decal and started to pull. I concentrated rubbing the ice cube at the point where the decal was still adhered and where I will pulling it up. You could feel the adhesive get cold and break loose. I kept a constant pressure on pulling and the ice would reduce the adhesion until it lifted. Only a few marks in the foam when trying to remove a big decal. I sipped the Maker's in between decals. Took me about 20 minutes to completely remove all the decals from my Cherokee. If the decal is sticking, just keep rubbing ice on it and it will come loose. Don't force the decal as that is what pulls the foam.

[Twowingtj]

Yeah, I like the paint booth idea!

On my E-Flite Cherokee, I used ice cubes to remove the factory decals and it worked great.

Could you expand on how you used the ice cubes? Thanks

[BRGT350]

I used the Minwax Polyacrylic, which is what I have used as a top clear coat on almost all my planes. I haven't ever had it fall off with my hands before. I am thinking there was something on the factory foam that caused the issue. Possibly mold release or something similar. I also haven't had the paint on an E-Flite plane come off as easily as it did with the Cherokee. I did an Archer a few weeks ago and the red paint was very tough to remove. Problem I am going to have with wet sanding is the raised rivets on the Cherokee. I lost a number of them already. I started my first coat of gloss white last night over the grey primer and it sure makes the foam cells stand out! Going from dark grey flat primer to high gloss white is a bit of a shock.

[t33jetman]

Yeah, I like the paint booth idea!

On my E-Flite Cherokee, I used ice cubes to remove the factory decals and it worked great. Cleaned the surface and painted Minwax Polyacrylic over the foam. Let it sit over night and when I picked it up the next morning, my fingers took the Minwax off! I had to sand all the Minwax off the plane. I realized that the factory red paint doesn't adhere very well either, so I removed that with acetone. Once I had bare foam, I scuffed the surface and hit it with Krylon Foam primer. Let that sit for 48 hours and then hit it with Rust Oleum 2X flat grey primer. Next will be the top coat and wet sanding. I would be delighted if I could get my Cherokee to look a quarter as good as that T-28!

Thank you .

I'm not sure what Minwax you used because I use Minwax polyurethane and it dries in less than 30 minutes you can do 6 codes and just a couple of hours usually I let it dry for an hour and it's ready to go. Make sure it's the same can I show oil n the video.

If you do what you say wet sanded you are going to have a great looking airplane when you're done because you're taking your time to get a good job done.

The clear coat is the finishing touch.

Oh look my second plane is almost ready for paint.

[BRGT350]

Yeah, I like the paint booth idea!

On my E-Flite Cherokee, I used ice cubes to remove the factory decals and it worked great. Cleaned the surface and painted Minwax Polyacrylic over the foam. Let it sit over night and when I picked it up the next morning, my fingers took the Minwax off! I had to sand all the Minwax off the plane. I realized that the factory red paint doesn't adhere very well either, so I removed that with acetone. Once I had bare foam, I scuffed the surface and hit it with Krylon Foam primer. Let that sit for 48 hours and then hit it with Rust Oleum 2X flat grey primer. Next will be the top coat and wet sanding. I would be delighted if I could get my Cherokee to look a quarter as good as that T-28!

[Grossman56]

Never be without this stuff in the shop.

Amen brother !!

Grossman56

[OV10]

"SImple paint booth" ............I like it :Cool: A couple of box fans and some furnace filters.............. pretty ingenious;)

[t33jetman]

My simple paint booth, mobile, can be placed on a table or the floor.

[t33jetman]

[Jhnybgd]

Wow! What a nice fix and repaint!
And taking one step further with the gun pods.

I'm painting my second T28 now and I hope I get it to come out better than my first one. I have to take my time and do it right.

Thanks T33 I am remaidening it tomorrow.
Thanks Rifleman

[rifleman_btx]

Nicely done!