AES
Established Member
I hope no one minds me posting this here - I guess it should go in the Finishing section, but this General section seems to be much more active . Mods I hope I'm not upsetting the applecart.
Ladies & Gents,
Some time back I posted a “daft” query here about using what I called a Radial Arm saw (and which I was soon corrected to call more properly a Sliding Mitre Saw) to cut metals. Based on some of the info supplied, plus a trawl around this site, I subsequently found Atkinson Walker and Summit Saw Blades, both of which have supplied me with exactly the type of blades I needed – AND with excellent service also (usual disclaimers).
BTW, used with the correct blade, and used “sensibly”, AND used in accordance with the user tips that a couple of knowledgeable members here provided (and which BTW, were NOT mentioned at all in the so-called “Handbook” that came with the saw), I can now cut various metals (inc. mild steel up to about 10 mm thick quite efficiently and safely - but as warned by several here, it IS bloody noisy when doing so). And how long the bearings will last I don’t know, but that’s another story.
Now “on to the next daft project”. My wife and I are working together on building a pedal car for the grandson - this coming Christmas it WILL be finished (so SWMBIO informs me).
I’ve found a US website who have sold me the plans and it’s a nice project ‘cos it’s a mixture of wood & metal work (even some small bits n pieces on the little centre lathe – right up my street).
AGAIN, I can't see how to attach a couple of (small) pix, sorry.
Attached (I hope) are a couple of pictures of a finished car from the above web site (not my car, I’m still at the cutting out stage). As you can see, it’s called “MG TC”, and though it’s definitely not a scale model, the idea is to capture the “spirit” and “character” of the original – what is called “stand-off scale” in the aeromodelling world.
I now have a number of Q’s about finishing and would be grateful for your inputs.
But first I guess you’ll need some more details – the main chassis and front axle members are cut from 21 mm ply, grade BB/BB, wood “Birche” (which translates as Birch).
The 2 main bodywork sides are cut from 12 mm ply, grade BB/BB, and again, Birch.
The above are the items which give me most concern re finishing, especially the fact that on the 2 sides, (the “doors”) the ply end grain will be exposed (unless we cover those areas in leather or something).
The rest of the car is I think, less of a finishing problem and consists of various thicknesses of ply, grade II/III, wood “Fichte” (which in my dictionary translates as either Spruce, or Pine, or Deal - it seems to depend on what it’s used for). I’ve chosen this because it has one good side (virtually no knots showing – and I AM being careful when cutting out as to which side is inside and outside in each part); and also because it’s flexible enough to do the (generally slight) bends/curves required by the body shape.
Construction will be using zinc plated countersunk screws and water-resistant PVA (white wood workers glue – UNLESS someone shouts NO to that idea).
Although I want a “good, shiny high-gloss” finish (it’s a car after all!) it’s also obviously not going to be a museum piece but a USABLE kids toy, no doubt subject to all sorts of knocks and bangs and out in the garden in all weathers.
For the final top coats finish I have almost decided to spray a 2 part polyurethane paint from Sikkens – it’s a nice fiery “Swissair” red, as used to paint real aeroplanes (do NOT ask where it came from please), so has very good sunlight n ultra-violet resistance, and it’s very tough and knock-resistant too (on aluminium and carbon fibre & Kevlar composites it is anyway). The only down side seems to be making mixes of the correct quantity (after you’ve added the hardener it goes off pretty quickly) but I’ve already found that if the mix is stored in the fridge for a while then the hardening time is at least doubled – from about 45 to 90+ minutes). I am not (yet) an expert sprayer, especially of panels as large as these will be, but I do have a decent compressor and gun which is within the compressor spec. Alternatively – subject to inputs from all you experts, I COULD roller or brush paint instead.
Oh yes, I’ll be spraying (with a mask) outside in my car port on a fine day, and with most of the open sides of the car port covered with hanging plastic sheets.
Now my real Qs and concerns:
1. Will it be OK to use “normal” pre-mixed Pollyfilla in a tube type stuff as filler on the screw heads etc? If not what please?
2. What’s the basic preparation of the whole car please – wet n dry, ali-oxide, w.h.y? And what grades please? (Please note I have only 2 x electric orbital sanders, 1 half sheet size, the other smaller – plus hand-powered wooden n cork sanding blocks of course)!
3. Do I need sanding sealer, and if so what sort and how to apply please? (Please note in aircraft use we use what’s called “wash-primer”, also from Sikkens, but that etches into the aluminium skins microscopically. No idea what it would do on ply).
4. What about a primer? Again if yes, what sort please, and how to apply.
5. Ditto Q 4 re undercoat please?
Alternatively to answering all the above, is there a website or a book anyone can point me at please – or alternatively, shall I just swallow my pride and get a professional paint shop to do it for me – I do have contacts in the aircraft, car body shop, and wood work areas.
Thanks to all in advance – and once again, thanks for a truly excellent forum – I’ve already learnt a lot from many “silent trawls”.
AES
Ladies & Gents,
Some time back I posted a “daft” query here about using what I called a Radial Arm saw (and which I was soon corrected to call more properly a Sliding Mitre Saw) to cut metals. Based on some of the info supplied, plus a trawl around this site, I subsequently found Atkinson Walker and Summit Saw Blades, both of which have supplied me with exactly the type of blades I needed – AND with excellent service also (usual disclaimers).
BTW, used with the correct blade, and used “sensibly”, AND used in accordance with the user tips that a couple of knowledgeable members here provided (and which BTW, were NOT mentioned at all in the so-called “Handbook” that came with the saw), I can now cut various metals (inc. mild steel up to about 10 mm thick quite efficiently and safely - but as warned by several here, it IS bloody noisy when doing so). And how long the bearings will last I don’t know, but that’s another story.
Now “on to the next daft project”. My wife and I are working together on building a pedal car for the grandson - this coming Christmas it WILL be finished (so SWMBIO informs me).
I’ve found a US website who have sold me the plans and it’s a nice project ‘cos it’s a mixture of wood & metal work (even some small bits n pieces on the little centre lathe – right up my street).
AGAIN, I can't see how to attach a couple of (small) pix, sorry.
Attached (I hope) are a couple of pictures of a finished car from the above web site (not my car, I’m still at the cutting out stage). As you can see, it’s called “MG TC”, and though it’s definitely not a scale model, the idea is to capture the “spirit” and “character” of the original – what is called “stand-off scale” in the aeromodelling world.
I now have a number of Q’s about finishing and would be grateful for your inputs.
But first I guess you’ll need some more details – the main chassis and front axle members are cut from 21 mm ply, grade BB/BB, wood “Birche” (which translates as Birch).
The 2 main bodywork sides are cut from 12 mm ply, grade BB/BB, and again, Birch.
The above are the items which give me most concern re finishing, especially the fact that on the 2 sides, (the “doors”) the ply end grain will be exposed (unless we cover those areas in leather or something).
The rest of the car is I think, less of a finishing problem and consists of various thicknesses of ply, grade II/III, wood “Fichte” (which in my dictionary translates as either Spruce, or Pine, or Deal - it seems to depend on what it’s used for). I’ve chosen this because it has one good side (virtually no knots showing – and I AM being careful when cutting out as to which side is inside and outside in each part); and also because it’s flexible enough to do the (generally slight) bends/curves required by the body shape.
Construction will be using zinc plated countersunk screws and water-resistant PVA (white wood workers glue – UNLESS someone shouts NO to that idea).
Although I want a “good, shiny high-gloss” finish (it’s a car after all!) it’s also obviously not going to be a museum piece but a USABLE kids toy, no doubt subject to all sorts of knocks and bangs and out in the garden in all weathers.
For the final top coats finish I have almost decided to spray a 2 part polyurethane paint from Sikkens – it’s a nice fiery “Swissair” red, as used to paint real aeroplanes (do NOT ask where it came from please), so has very good sunlight n ultra-violet resistance, and it’s very tough and knock-resistant too (on aluminium and carbon fibre & Kevlar composites it is anyway). The only down side seems to be making mixes of the correct quantity (after you’ve added the hardener it goes off pretty quickly) but I’ve already found that if the mix is stored in the fridge for a while then the hardening time is at least doubled – from about 45 to 90+ minutes). I am not (yet) an expert sprayer, especially of panels as large as these will be, but I do have a decent compressor and gun which is within the compressor spec. Alternatively – subject to inputs from all you experts, I COULD roller or brush paint instead.
Oh yes, I’ll be spraying (with a mask) outside in my car port on a fine day, and with most of the open sides of the car port covered with hanging plastic sheets.
Now my real Qs and concerns:
1. Will it be OK to use “normal” pre-mixed Pollyfilla in a tube type stuff as filler on the screw heads etc? If not what please?
2. What’s the basic preparation of the whole car please – wet n dry, ali-oxide, w.h.y? And what grades please? (Please note I have only 2 x electric orbital sanders, 1 half sheet size, the other smaller – plus hand-powered wooden n cork sanding blocks of course)!
3. Do I need sanding sealer, and if so what sort and how to apply please? (Please note in aircraft use we use what’s called “wash-primer”, also from Sikkens, but that etches into the aluminium skins microscopically. No idea what it would do on ply).
4. What about a primer? Again if yes, what sort please, and how to apply.
5. Ditto Q 4 re undercoat please?
Alternatively to answering all the above, is there a website or a book anyone can point me at please – or alternatively, shall I just swallow my pride and get a professional paint shop to do it for me – I do have contacts in the aircraft, car body shop, and wood work areas.
Thanks to all in advance – and once again, thanks for a truly excellent forum – I’ve already learnt a lot from many “silent trawls”.
AES
