Painting Carbon Tail Fin

[mahbouni]

I want to paint a carbon tail fin with Neon Orange or Yellow. It's actually for a Logo 480 but I the canopy is the same colour scheme as the 600SX below. Any ideas what would be the best paint to buy?

Haube_XX_.jpg

[Planehazza]

You'll probably want automotive or some bodyshell paint that has as flex tolerance. You'll also want to sand the CF so it's not so shiny, otherwise the paint won't bond and will just flake off over time.

[10x]

I would go to a sign shop and get a small piece of stick on vinyl the colour you want and stick it on.....

[Mike Sanders]

I use Solar Trim, which is used for lettering etc on pl.... fixed wing models.

[gazmk2]

I painted the tail fin on mine to match the canopy, I used a white plastic primer and then used model car lexan spray paint. It went on really well, the colour is great and the paint can flex when I smash the tail into the floor failing at auto's like I usually do!! LOL.

P.s

Just remember to rough up the surface with some fine grit emery cloth first!

[mahbouni]

I ordered 1m of 10cm wide 3M reflective Yellow tape. I'm going to stick a sheet over the fin and cut around it with a sharp knife

[Granpappy]

I extended my 500L tail fin to give better clearance for the blades and then ironed on some solarfilm. Works a treat.

[mahbouni]

Voila

[Peteski]

I'll be brutally honest here, but to me that looks pretty rough close up! I think you are on the right lines with the stick on vinyl, but I would have cut the vinyl to leave a black carbon border and probably would have left the really thin parts black. Similar to what SAB did with the KSE landing skids:-

[mahbouni]

There are some bits that need cutting away. If I find a sharper knife I'll go over it. To be honest I don't care too much for aesthetics as long as it's visible in the air. My eyesight at 45 is not what it used to be. Hopefully it will stay stuck on, otherwise I might try your suggestion

[milly0812]

To be honest I don't care too much for aesthetics as long as it's visible in the air.

It looks fine mate, function over form cos you can really see its not perfect when its 10M away

[Peteski]

There are some bits that need cutting away. If I find a sharper knife I'll go over it. To be honest I don't care too much for aesthetics as long as it's visible in the air. My eyesight at 45 is not what it used to be. Hopefully it will stay stuck on, otherwise I might try your suggestion

Fair enough if it does the job. But I reckon those edges will soon start to peel away at the corners.

[mahbouni]

Fair enough if it does the job. But I reckon those edges will soon start to peel away at the corners.

I suspect you might be right. I'm thinking maybe tape around the corners with magic tape.

[Grumpy]

Looks fine to me, you could run along the edges with a bit of sandpaper to make it perfect but it's not at all bad as it is.

FWIW the standard neon reflective on Goblin fins is exactly the same and no one says they look rough and they dont have any 'peeling off' problem either..

[10x]

I am sure it will be fine, look at all the sign written vans and lorries driving up and down the country with all the vinyl firmly attached....