Painting Cox Foam Wings

I use the Nelson water based poly. Any latex house paint can be used and top coated with Nelson clear. Another paint I use is the upside down spray paint which is a water formula available in neon colors. I use this extensively on combat foamies followed with iron on clear covering. Enamel paints will work such as Rustoleum. The problem with these paints in the spray can is the vehicle that delivers the paint from the can. If your too close it will melt the foam. Spraying at a distance works however. It's a very easy line to cross however and the crinkling occurs. Ken

Ken is definitely well practised in foam painting.

I looked at this site following Ken's post

http://www.nelsonpaint.com/

but I have to say that I still wouldn't be able to select a paint.

Household paints in the UK - Gloss, Satin, Matt and water based emulsions are all too heavy for models.

Not all paints and varnishes say much about the constituents. Some, for example, advise cleaning brushes with water and yet thinning the paint with white spirit.

I found acrilic paints to be best thinned for spraying with isoproponol and a little water.

What we call enamel paints - like Humbrol - are solvent based and can be thinned with naptha, white spirit or cellulose thinners.

I don't know what happened to my post. Here we go again.

Two ways I've had success.

1) mix/thin white glue 50-50 with water, brush on foam, apply silk or poly span. use a playing card to smooth covering and remove excess glue, apply glue to dry spot if needed, let dry, sand lightly,apply another coat of thinned glue, let dry, sand if needed, paint with just about any spray can paint

2) cover with SLC iron on film from Corehouse, sand covering with green ScotchBrite type pads, make sure to have tight seams in covering, paint with just about any spray can paint.

Test first!

I like Lusterkote and Rustoleum. I have not tried this on Cox wing cores, but it has worked on all foams I've used. I've recently painted DTF with Minwax water bases Poly spray and then painted with several light coats of paint.

Here's the link ( http://www.nelsonhobby.com/hobby_paint.php ) to Nelson's hobby paint. Fuel proof up to 50% nitro using the crosslinker, I use 45% exclusively. The paint is expensive but with practice it goes a long way with good results. It's best to call John the owner as the website is usually down or not working. Ken

duke.johnson wrote: I've recently painted DTF with Minwax water bases Poly spray and then painted with several light coats of paint.

Duke, any pictures of vid of this method?

The Inquiring Mark

batjac wrote:

duke.johnson wrote: I've recently painted DTF with Minwax water bases Poly spray and then painted with several light coats of paint.

Duke, any pictures of vid of this method?

The Inquiring Mark

I saw it on the flite test website.
http://www.flitetest.com/articles/minwax-on-your-plane

Pactra used to have their urethane series of spray paints that was fuel proof and safe for foam. I used that back in the 1980's. I've used water based latex paints then a coating of oil based polyurethane varnish on foam to fuel proof it. I imagine the oil based Rust-O-Leum color paints would work also. I would spray those using equipment. I don't know if the propellants in their spray cans is safe, or if the spray can versions are fuel proof.