Painting Intakes???

[Scull]

Hi Guys, I'm in the of doing a 1/48 Tamiya F-16, a truely magnificent kit, but how does one paint that long intake?

Spray and pray?

or are there any other means?

Thanks :)

[PanPan91]

Hi, I painted the intake before joining together the two halves and after that I used milliput superfine white to cover the gap... Other than that , you can use putty and sand it carefully and then paint with your airbrush on low air pressure... Hope I've been of help to you!

Edited May 15, 2009 by PanPan91

[Scull]

Thanks, I was also thinking of pre-painting it, but was concerned about the joints and sanding to smooth it. But It definately starting to sound like an option.

Thanks

[MarkW]

This somewhat an "it depends". If the intake is removable, I prefer to assemble, clean up, prime, then spray, then assemble the kit around the tube. As for how to spray, I've achieved really good results with a spraybomb. Basically stick the nozzle into the inlet front, and do some short shots. This will dump a lot of paint straight through the inlet, but a fair amount will hit the sides at the far end. Back the spraybomb nozzle out, and do some distance angled shots to get the near side done too. Since there shouldn't be much in the way of detail in the inlet, spraybombs can't do too much. At all times, the inlet should be vertical, with the inlet side up, engine face side down. If you do overdo it and get runs/pooling around the lip of the inlet, draw it off with a paper towel. Since it is on the engine side, you can draw flaws off easily and keep them hidden. This is a highly effective, quick and dirty way to do it.

If the inlet is built in, and finesse required, delicate AB work is your best best. It really depends on how bad the seam is too.

[Chris Kethan]

I assemble the intake, then putty and sand until it's smooth, then I cap one end and pour some paint in it and swirl.....Works like a champ.. ;)

Chris

[Pierre Sacha]

What Chris said ;)

However I did it with a slightly varied procedure. (Doing a 1/48 A-7E Corsair presently)

1) I use household wall gloss enamel white (from PLASCON over here in Namibia/South Africa)

2) Sprayed the two intake halves white and glued them together.

3) closed the aft end of the intake with some cling-wrap.

4) Poured a little paint in the front with drinking straw.

5) Did the swirling thing as per Chris.

6) Remove cling-wrap and let excess drip out from the REAR. Make sure most of the excess drips out otherwise it collects excessively at the rear opening.

7) Let dry for at least 24 hrs.

8) Repeat 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 about twice.

9) At third attempt let most of the excess drip out and now lay the intake on its side to dry. This will cause the paint to collect at the seams and automatically fill these.

10) At fourth attempt repeat 9 but for the other seam. Voila!

Worked like a charm. No filling or sanding!

Pierre

[Dez]

You can dip it in a can of white enamel household paint. That works.

[Scull]

Thanks a lot guys, luckily I have 3 F-16 kits to try all the different techniques on!!!

[musangpulut]

You can dip it in a can of white enamel household paint. That works.

Darnn! Why I never tought about it before!Sound like it's will work like charm.Many thanks for the idea.