Painting text (my name) on canopy

[jimmyhorns]

Hi, does anyone have any bright ideas.

I have an airbrush, and an inkjet printer, and a scapel....

Im nearly done painting my canopy and its the last bit to do...


Thanks in advance

James

[Vikki]

Be interested in that myself. Want to put Harry on the 500 in the Potter font and the scar.

What I would really like is a custom paint job with Hogwarts on there and the Gryffindor crest.

I know - I'm a saddo.

[dani_r]

If you're not fussed about it being airbrushed on my housemate has a plotter machine and will knock up your name on a couple of stickers and I'll post them over to you Just push it on and peel the backing off, leaves the lettering behing.

[jimmyhorns]

If you're not fussed about it being airbrushed on my housemate has a plotter machine and will knock up your name on a couple of stickers and I'll post them over to you Just push it on and peel the backing off, leaves the lettering behing.

Thanks thats a really kind offer, and I may take you up on it...

I was hoping to clear coat it tonight/tomorrow ready for the weekend though.... so looking for last minute ideas

[Vikki]

Letraset and varnish has just jumped into mind.

[jimmyhorns]

Letraset?....

I really shouldnt have used Methylated spirits as an acrylic thinner, just so that it dries quicker

[dani_r]

Well, if you want it just let me know. That goes for you too Vikki if you fancy it

[Vikki]

Might be Lettraset. Rub down letters held on a clear backing sheet. You used to be able to get a variety of fonts and sizes.

[Vikki]

This is the stuff:

Letraset - Letraset Transfers

I see they even do custom stuff. I'll have to look into that. Remember Letraset well I do. Hours spent gently rubbing letters down on to a brushed aluminium panel that would have control knobs and switches mounted on it. Little lick of clear laquere over the top and all was well for years.

[r4nd0m]

talk to coolice, Ian on here, get your name printed properly apply to the canopy and then preserve it with clear paint ... thats what I would do ...

[coolice]

Thanks Sev :-)

Another option I could do is provide a paint mask of the text style you like, in this case remove the vinyl cut letters from within a rectangular section of vinyl, which you could apply then airbrush the letters onto the canopy. Apply clear coat and you're good to go.
The vinyl lettering will look good to, once sealed in with lacquer would be protected from the environment and cleaning.
.

[jimmyhorns]

Awesome

Well, this was my trial run at painting a canopy 'properly'... Its not fibreglass, its the Bleach bottle type plastic, which is a PITA to get paint to adhere to

It needs a bit of touching in (no jokes please ) where the brilliant white bumper primer has lifted off, and then is good to go for the clear coat.

I think im not going to bother with my name on this one.... but will be in touch about the vinyl cut outs in the near future...

[Vikki]

Look real nice, Jimmy. Very good work.

[Sheldrake]

That is very good especially for your first! Well done you should be proud of that.........................................all that's missing is your name.
I can vouch for Coolice same as a previous post he will sort you out!

[jimmyhorns]

Thanks, Its not quite my first go, but it is my first go when I have actually thought through what I am going to do and not just free handed it.

Its taken a couple of evenings to get to this stage. I havent been very well (have had man flu) which has slowed me down a bit, as has the steep learning curve of acrylic paints.

The acylic thinners dont seem to be solvent based at all, and I need to thin nearly 50/50 to get a consistency the airbrust likes....

This unfortunately takes forever (hours or overnight) to dry.

So I put my science hat on, and thought that if the paints are water based, alcohol should be a good solvent, that should 'flash off' quickly. Methylated spirit works well, although im pretty sure its made me feel even worse, even though I have been using a good 3M respirator (works for cellulose painting).

I think I might use vodka next time (no poisonous methanol vapourised by the airbrush, and none of the nasty crap they put in meths to make it taste awful and you vomit if you drink it). Although its 60% water, 40% ethanol, it should be much quicker than what appears to be very expensive water in the thinners I bought.

I was really pleased with it. Up close there are some problems, a bit of bleed through where I didnt push the tape edge down hard enough (I was worried about it lifting up the primer, which it did), but overall, not bad

Next comes the clearcoat.... Its a 1K (1 pack) and you can use it neat, but I have no idea what paint system its based on.... I do know that it worked well over celluose 10 years ago.... I have 2 gallons of the stuff left.