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Well, waiting 24 hours for the primer to harden was a necessary decision - but it proved to be a very risky one. I got home from work to find that it was windy - too windy to spray outside.

As we all know it often gets calmer in the evening, so I set everything up and waited,...and waited.

At 8:20pm I reckoned the wind had dropped to an acceptable level so I started the colour coat, gambling on it being light until late enough. Well it was - just. The last coat went on at 10:00pm with just enough light to see by - let's hope I didn't miss any sags! I'm sure that the spray-gun experts will be horrified at the thought of someone spray painting by twilight - buts needs must and all that.

It may have been light enough for me to spray, but it certainly wasn't light enough for my very simple little camera! Talk about trying to photograph a black cat in a coal cellar! I think even the great Mr Ashby would have struggled with this,...

tucano 76.jpg

Haha!! And one of the underneath,...

tucano 75.jpg

I'll try and get some decent (by mt standards you understand!) photos in daylight tomorrow. For now just relieved it over! Celebratory large Scotch time I think!

BEB

PS I have a question later,.....

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Martin, I've never used car paint on a model before so I've no idea if its fuel proof - does anyone know? The primer is acryllic based so it certainly won't be fuel proof.

Poly-C itself certainly is fuel proof, I could have considered a finishing coat of that, but it doesn't have a gloss finish - more of a sheen than a gloss. Mind you this car paint isn't highly glossy either. I think it is designed to have a clear lacquer coat on top. And that's my question - if I put Tim's decals on this paint finish can I overspray the lot with Halford's clear-coat lacquer? I think I'll ask in a separate thread to see if anyone has done it, so if you don't mind hold on your answers (if you have them) until I have got that up.

BEB

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Hi BEB

Halfords car spray paint is acrylic based so no it will not be fuel proof but it is an electric model

This paint does seem to need a long time to harden, I painted the fairing on my old Honda 250 bike and the Halfords paint took a whole week to cure to a point that I was happy to wet sand it, T-cut and polish.

With hindsight I should have got it sprayed with 2K paint for a hard gloss finish... I really hope your paint works much better but it depends what level of finish you want.
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I’ve tried the Halfords clear lacquer on the hull of a boat recently. Top half Halfords grey enamel spray can. Bottom half, red water based spray acrylic of a name I cant remember. The lacquer gave a nice, very shiny finish and seemed quite hard, no problems. (maybe a bit too shiny for a scale effect)

It also dries very quickly so would probably be ok over the vinyl stickers, especially if you had the patience to do a couple of very light coats. But you know there is only one way to find out.

If there is any left in the can I will try spraying a couple of scrap stickers later.

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BEB - might be worth mentioning, although if I'm teaching you to suck eggs don't be affraid to shout!

Halfords acrylics come up to a lovely shine whith a bit of TCut and elbow grease. Like Nev I used their acrylic primer and then top coat on a boat hull recently which came up to a lovely shine after a few goes with the polish.

r.

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HI. When I looked it wasn’t halfords lacquer at all it was this stuff, probably from Home base, I think thats my local version. Still I tried it on the stickers anyway. Didn’t bother them at all, maybe due to the very fast drying time, under 5 mins touch dry.

2013_0611paint0001.jpg

What I would say though if the decals are printed onto clear vinyl, the lacquer extenuates the trapped air under the sticker. I picked the worst photo which shows the effect, especially on the Multiplex one. It looks almost fogy, not by the lacquer, its just a lighting effect. The multiplex one I think is looks worst as it was originally mat vinyl and thicker. I think if it were me I would lacquer first and then apply the decals, to keep the nice crisp edges

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Thanks for the research Nev and the advice from others.

Well - where are we up to? Here's a better photo of the Tuc in her black glory,....

tucano 77.jpg

And here's a shot taken outside - she's acquired quite a lot of balsa dust hence the dusty appearance! I'm going to have to clear it down before applying decals and lacquer.

tucano 78.jpg

I've been busy with the control surfaces the last few days. First the elevators were joined witha piece of dowel, then the ailerons were drilled and sloted for the torque rods - always a slightly "heart in the mouth" sort of job. Then I started covering them with the glass cloth and Poly-C,...

tucano 79.jpg

So far about 4 coats of Poly-C applied - should get the rest on tonight,...

tucano 80.jpg

Its a funny job because of course applying a coat takes 2 mins, then you have to wait about 40mins at the current temperature for it to dry! So I'm using the time between coats to knock together some very basic cockpit furniture out of blue foam,...

tucano 81.jpg

Ejector seat head rests and the front instrument console there - just about to add the rear instrument console. This definitely isn't the "Danny Fenton School of Scale Detailing". This is the "carve a few meaningless cubes of foam, file the corners off and stick them in as long as it looks OK from 60 feet way and 100 feet up at 40mph" appraoch to modelling!

BEB

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Oh, I wouldn't say that Phil - yours looks fantastic in that Brazian scheme - the only reason I didn't do it is that I'm chicken!

OK the control surfaces continue - more on them later. The canopy hatch is nearing completion,...

tucano 83.jpg

From the three-quarter front, and,....

tucano 82.jpg

The three quarter rear. Quite pleased with that. I mean it won't stand close inspection - but for a bit of blue foam and some paint its not too bad I think.

OK, back to the Poly-C on the control surfaces.

BEB

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Oooo - that's the big issue Robin. I was hoping for this weekend - but I've only just started puting primer on the control surfaces - so no way I can top coat them before tomorrow. If things went very well indeed, then possibly Sunday. But being realistic it will probably be one evening in the week next week - pray for decent weather!

BEB

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Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 14/06/2013 15:43:56:

Oh, I wouldn't say that Phil - yours looks fantastic in that Brazian scheme - the only reason I didn't do it is that I'm chicken!

Thanks BEB but to be fair your cockpit looks way better mate maybe I'll go for more detail on my next one (Well I've got to use the spare canopy sometime lol)

Phil

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Ah, but Martin so far mine's just a "hangar queen" at least yours has flown! And very smart it looks to!

Ian - let's hope Capt Blackadder is right!!

Just rubbed the primer down on the control surfaces and started applying a second coat of primer. This is taking time! I probably won't be able to top coat them until tomorrow. And the family have decided that we are going to the RAF Museum at Cosford tomorrow for father's day - yes I know I'll enjoy that, but,......it time away from the Tuc at a critical point crook I must rememeber to look pleased!

The canopy is now glued onto the hatch, so that's nearly there! But,..the front has a small gap (bad, bad place to have a gap! Straight into the airflow). So I've had to glue that down and apply a clamp. That's another 12 hours waiting for the canopy glue to go off sad

In case you haven't picked this up - I'm getting a bit frustrated and time pressured!!

I will get there, I will get there, I will,....keep saying it!

BEB

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Down here in Cheshire I reckon I could have got away with a Maiden flight today but I've been covering for 3 days now and still have half the fuselage and various other bits to do.

SO BEB I know how you feel, frustrating is hardly the word for it and I'm not at all happy with the job I'm making of it either - Martyn you need not worry, yours will look brilliant next to mine.

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Posted by Ian Jones on 16/06/2013 18:43:26:

SO BEB I know how you feel, frustrating is hardly the word for it and I'm not at all happy with the job I'm making of it either .

Ian thats exactly how I felt while covering mine but after taking it up the club field the compliments I got des[ite the covering flaws made me feel so much happier with it so don't lose heart fella its prob a lot better than you think.

Phil

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