Painting Your Scratch Build - TIP

by FliteTest | December 2, 2015 | (11) Posted in How To

Download the template used in this video here:
Sportster Paint Template

3M 77 Multipurpose Adhesive is the brand that we prefer for our templates.

Rust-oleum and Valspar are the spray paints that we think work best on foam board.

Be sure to test your paint and practice on scrap foam board before painting your airplane.

Let us know if you have additional ideas or painting tips that you have!

The get the free plans for the Sportster and the Mini Sportster click the link in the related articles below!

- Find this article & others like it at www.FliteTest.com -

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COMMENTS

Peter010103 on December 2, 2015
Will you provide templates for other designs as well?
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dgrigor02@yahoo.com on December 2, 2015
Since I didn't hear it mentioned, I assume as long as you use very light coats then you don't need the oil based polyurethane undercoat that is mentioned in the earlier paint videos ?
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alexcunningham55 on December 2, 2015
thats what i was wondering as well. what about spraying a layer of clear over everything rather than the minwax?
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benny on December 2, 2015
Does the 3M 77 spray adhesive leave any adhesive residue after you peel back the template?
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Mad RC Build Lab on December 2, 2015
Think a detailed video on how to paint them with new ways to make them last longer would have been a good video instead of the short one... This one just didn't make my list of video's I liked to short not to informative.. Dropped the ball on it for sure .. :(

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dkruger` on December 3, 2015
I don't know why but this template will not print out on my Cannon inkjet printer. The first page is cut off and the second page is blank. I tried both landscape and portrait but nothing works.
Can you provide a "tiled" templet?
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dkruger` on December 3, 2015
Did you use "Campdry" before the paint?? Or did you paint with mimwax first?
Can you make the templates available in your store? Also the white Gorilla Glue? And maybe the spray adhesive you are using here?
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dkruger` on December 3, 2015
Will the Hot Glue hold properly if the pieces are painted before gluing? Have you tested it?
What about using foam safe CA glue and kicker for building the entire planes? (I live in S.E. Florida). Maybe more store items?
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dharkless on December 3, 2015
I have been using these paints and they work fine on foam board but I have have a problem with adhesion on packing tape. Does anyone have any suggestions other than sanding the tape? I usually tape all joints and edges so sanding would be tedious. I hope there is a spray product that the tape can be primed with that will then let these paints adhere. Anyone?
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dgrigor02@yahoo.com on December 3, 2015
The only the wing joints really need tape prior to painting. Can't you just put clear tape on the rest of the plane after the paint ?
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dharkless on December 3, 2015
Yes but the tape is more effective applied to clean board and it looks better painted after. I got a couple of things from Lowe's to try. I will do a short article if I get favorable results.
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1959cutter on December 3, 2015
there is paint for plastic called "fusion",but most paint i have used worked pretty well,even on tape,in light coats.
i hope this helps
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aviator08 on December 3, 2015
Nice preview of the FT Corsair :-)
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GluedFingers on December 3, 2015
I can tell by Josh's technique when painting that he did not coat the plane in Minwax or any other prep such as Camp Dry. You can tell by the super light coat of spray paint, he is applying. Josh used to paint cars, and I believe specifically Corvette parts. He is super accomplished at painting as well as flying and excel's at crashing, JK. I have not tried either the prep technique or the light coat technique, so good luck.
Also for making a template you can use the plans, after you cut out the pieces or poke holes through them to make a template on poster board.
The FT Community Cast went over some cover techniques in Episode 2 that sound super cool. They seem hate the paper on the foam board.
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1959cutter on December 3, 2015
i have found a great way to cover my foamboard with hallmark brand clear wraping paper.
spray 77' glue on naked foamboard and apply giftwrap with sqweegie on both sides.
the wrap rool is 30" and can cover a full board with a continous wrap.
smooth wrinkles with a heat gun and you have a material that weighs 11/2 ounces less than the original 4oz.it can be hot glued and twisted and bend without fracturing or creasing,kinda like EPP foam covered with plastic,it's great!
wally world has lots of this covering,except you cant iron it (even at low temps it melts) but you can any spray paint (light coats) with great results.
my next glider is going to be this technique.
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FliteStudent on December 4, 2015
I take it from the "naked" formboard description that before the Hallmark clear wrapping paper is applied, the paper is removed from both sides of the foamboard. Is that correct?

What is the approximate cost of the Hallmark clear wrapping paper?

Thanks.
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GluedFingers on December 9, 2015
Have you done an article on this process, did someone else, or did you find this on another site? I would love to see this.
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birdog70 on December 3, 2015
Wowww, I saw a FT Corsair??, I want it !!!!
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dana8192 on December 7, 2015
Great set of tips! I had not considered the full page stencil idea- this is an excellent thought.

Thanks for making the Sportster stencils available - I will definitely use these on my upcoming Sportster build :-)
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bird2jump on December 7, 2015
The download of the PDF file "sportster paint template" doesn't indicate the correct printing magnification. Through trial & error I found that for the MINI SPORTSTER it should be printed at 60% and for the SPORTSTER it's at 100%. Hope this helps all who want to apply the decal template for painting.
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danield on December 8, 2015
That was exactly my question. Thanks
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Razgriz on February 4, 2016
i used M3 77 instead of M3 Super 77 spray on my old foam zagi wing kit but it melted holes in it, i wonder if the Super version is foam save? i also wonder what other foam save adhessive sprays are avalible?
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Baer on February 19, 2016
Alsacorp has some really cool paints like chrome, chameleon, and luminescent paints. You should check them out, especially they're Killer Cans series or paints. :)

http://alsacorp.com/


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mmiller1 on September 11, 2016
I also have played around with different materials prior to painting. Primarily, I avoid anything that is water based as the paper tends to wrinkle. Minwax oil base is always a good choice, just be light on the coat. I also like Valspar but have used other brands. My latest is coating the raw paper with 'The New Stuff'. I have used 1.7 and 3.0 (weight). Set your iron to about 250 degrees and practice on some scrap foam board. The product is sold by the foot at Aloft Hobbies. Very reasonably priced.
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Endrju on March 17, 2017
Can someone describe material for the Poster Board? FT use it not just for paint templates but also in the build plans. I live in Czech Rep. and I do not know what I should look for exactly.. In what kind of shop I should look for it? Is it made of paper or it is some kind of plastic? How it feels in fingers when you rub it...? Thanks!
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Painting Your Scratch Build - TIP