How to (spray) paint open wheelers?

[Deleted]

Hello y'all,

after I've only built 3 1/4 Formula 1 / Indycars and saw only a few of those great art works here, my first big questions is: How do you paint those cars for they are open open wheelers?

I couldn't find an answer via searching the board maybe I didn't search right?

Till now (at least until I found this board) I try to build slotcars. For they have no bottom and kit's engine has to be sacrified for the slotcar engine as like the most of the cockpit its not too hard to put the painted driver figure, steering wheel and dashboard from the bottom into the body after it was painted.

But how do I spray the body without staining the cockpit? I think taping (from in- or outside?) is not the solution?

Many thanks for your help an best wishes from Germany

Jochen

[Patrick]

Guten tag Jochen,

How do I paint my formula car bodies? Well, I use spray cans to start with that I warm in the Sun to thin up the consistency of the paint. I mount the body (which is usually in two pieces) on a bent wire coat hanger. I paint the body parts and let then dry for a week or so (I have pretty good weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area). I then assemble the cockpit inside the the "monocoque" body parts. And viola!
A Ferrari Grand Prix car.

[Deleted]

Guten Tag Patrick,

thank you!

When I read the Bay-Area-Method, I get the purest wanderlust. We have toI warm up the cans in hot water and heat up the kits with a hair drier.

To assemble the painted body parts I had to scratch off the paint on parts to put glue on. And with my skills it'd be either to much or to less so you'd see either holes in paint or plastic or too big edges and transitions.

[drums01]

Another option is the old air brush method. I can normally do that in a small spray booth on a table top inside the house regardless of the weather.

Preparation is still always the key; putty, sand, prime, sand, prime, tack cloth, and blowing the model off with air prior to painting is also a good practice.

The air brush allows me to paint something with minimal overspray. Finally I like the airbrush method as it is easier to regulate the paint into tight places or to make multi layered painting without appearing too thick.

To me the difficulty is knowing the proper mixtures by brand (consistency) for the best flow and coverage. Always test the spray on a scrap extra for color and the mixture.

With all that said, I've seen some outstanding paint jobs in this forum straight from the can. Some are so nice by can, polish and clear coat, that mine pale in comparison.

THIS FORUMS TALENT IS INSPIRING TO ME... GREAT SUBJECTS TOO!

[indycals]

Then there's the Calvin Method™ - paint the whole assembly in the body color and then do the detail painting. Unconventional, but Calvin's work is as good as anybody's

[Calvin]

Nov 14, 2011 18:20:47 GMT -5 indycals said:

Then there's the Calvin Method™

Nice ;D

[Calvin]

Nov 14, 2011 18:20:47 GMT -5 indycals said:

paint the whole assembly in the body color and then do the detail painting. Unconventional

LOL

It makes sense sometimes but other times its just flat laziness.
But you have to admit it does cut down on the mistakes when it comes to gluing parts on. I'm a very sloppy glue user so I do things different to avoid the mistake factor™

AND
I clear coat (over the decal) my cars so that adds another factor to it also. Decaling is too much fun to wait tel' the very end.

[Deleted]

Thank you drums01. Next to buy an airbrush (an to build and paint lots of "training models" is to practice preparation as you say. I'm often not patient enough or sometimes think "to get away" with some bad details that later of course always come to shine ...

And yes that forum's very inspiring to me too, and very impressive too ...

[Deleted]

Thanks, that sounds a lot easier than Patricks method. Or converse? (sorry I have to write with one eye on the dictionary and I'm not sure if I reallly get it ;-)
When I think of painting instruments through the cockpit hole ...

[Deleted]

And thanks for detailing the Method!

Decaling is too much fun to wait tel' the very end. [/quote]

Exactly!

[Deleted]

Sorry guys for mixing up the thread/posts.

I'll have to check again how to post here correctly.

Thanks an good night from overseas

Jochen

[Patrick]

Jochen,

I'm glad you found the way that fits for you! That's what makes building fun and I agree with all that decaling is the best fun! Your English dictionary work very well...better than my Spanish one! LOL!

Patrick

[Deleted]

I've also found that using laquer based paints works very well when doing this stuff. A lot of the newer "rattle can" laquer stuff shoots on with airbrush quality if you kind of "mist" it on. Just some more food for thought.

[Deleted]

Reciently I have started draining the spray cans and using that paint in my airbrush. Just cover the top of the can with a plastic bag to control the spray and cut a corner off so it drains into a jar. the paint is already thinned to the right consistancy and the air brush gives a very fine finish. Just be aware that the can paint is effervescent (full of gass) and should sit a few hours to out gass otherwise you get a big mess when you uncap the bottle. Foooosh!

In the past I have masked the interiors with tissue gently tucked around seat and dash. It is enough to absorbe the overspray and delecate enough to not dislodge any of the interior details.

Mask Off... Paint On!

John