Help with intake painting

[falcon20driver]

How do you guys pain the inside of your intakes for that smooth finish? I'm working on an F-16 and thus far all I've done is make a mess. I've tried pouring in paint but it never dries smooth.

[SILLYMAY]

If the intake needs to be sanded then use a small stick with different grades of sandpaper.

As for paint I have went two ways. Originally, I used Floquil Reefer white thinned and sprayed through an airbrush. I stick airbrush just at edge of intake opening and I make a small circular motion with airbrush. I spray several coats.

I have since moved onto spraying Tamiya Fine spray primer in WHITE. You will have to do some masking of other areas first though.

Hope this helps.

[spejic]

Two part epoxies like Milliput are better than putty in this case - they can be smoothed with water and they shrink less (although they still do a little). Wait a few days after applying either to do sanding.

[Air-Craft]

I'm not sure if this is specifically for filling or painting, but for painting I've has some success using quick drying flat acrylics like Tamiya XF-2 through an airbrush (double action);

Trigger for air, start spraying a low / small volume of paint & work around the area until it starts to become wet, then back off the paint but keep the air flowing, moving around to surface dry the wet paint, the wet paint will surface dry pretty quickly with the air flow & you can start triggering paint again. It takes a little bit of patience & some finger control, but allows the job to get done in one go (basically keep the air on & trigger paint as required).

The same method works well in any awkward, confined area where you risk getting runs while trying to get decent coverage (stuff like deep narrow landing gear bays).

Edited December 11, 2015 by Air-Craft

[balls47]

I use the pour method, especially on F-16's. Basically, you plug the bottom of the intake. Then fill it with white latex paint.(I use Kilz semi gloss) There are several articles on this method in other forums. Go to Z-5 and look up Mike Reed. He will have his method over there. He's the Guru when it comes to this method. It's tried and true. It has never failed me, from the first try until now. Good Luck!!!

[falcon20driver]

I'll look that up. I was trying the pour technique but it seemed to dry to slowly then would bunch up and look bad.

[SonyKen]

Tony,

I have found that enamel and lacquer based paints work better on the inside of intakes rather than water based acrylics. Of course this would be air brush applications. I have always kept both ends of the intake open and more or less sprayed through the intake. The enamel and lacquer paints will not dry as fast as acrylic and will go on smoother by the time it reaches the other end of the intake. I have always had to put several coats of "white" paint to get good coverage, especially on the inside of the intakes and these paints (enamel and lacquer)tend to be a bit better when you are having to apply multiple thin coats. Oh one other thing on intakes that are made of resin, I have always primed the intakes before I used the white paint. I know that some intakes are made of white resin that doesn't need painting but I have never been able to weather bare resin or bare plastic. So I prime all of mine. Hope this helps!

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

[falcon20driver]

Thanks Ken. I'll do some thinking and try again next time I'm home. I figured it was time to stop putting intake covers on everything I build.

[Crazy Snap Captain]

Falcon,

T

Have a look at Zactomodels website and look at the F-16 intake page. Zactoman has a neat tutorial on how to do the pour method.

[Janissary]

Here is my attempt:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=225733&view=findpost&p=2153538

Then, a better way for assembly (top parts and bottom parts assembled separately, then top and bottom joined):

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=238118&view=findpost&p=2268737

In my opinion, the important elements of the pour method:

- The inner surfaces should be oil and dirt free, but they should not be ultra-smooth. Some roughness (say the result of a 700 grit sandpaper) is actually useful.

- By extending the end of the intake with tape, you can have the pooling occur after the end of the intake (see first link)

- After closing off the end of tape with a clothes pin or paper clip, pour the paint all the way to the top. No need to wait, just open the bottom end and have the paint flow out.

- Set the intake upright with the bottom end in the air for drying (I tape the whole thing to the side of a glass bottle), but don't move the assembly too much. If the paint has thickened, but you tilt it in another direction, the whole paint may move slightly in a large lump creating a wavy layer.