Colored fiberglass finishing

I have a couple of MC kits coming that are the red colored fiberglass with black NC. I'd like to see some of yours and hear about what you did for finishing them. Did you clear coat, paint ,wax, or whatever. Thanks.

I’ve clear coated a few with Krylon gloss crystal clear. Have used Pledge floor care on another. Others I’ve done nothing other than maybe putting on a few stickers. Probably like clear coat best but seems like rattle can clear coat can take a while to fully cure, at least my experience.

I've used rattle can gloss lacquer and Eastwood 2K.

Rattle can is cheap, easy, and easily repaired long term. 2k is expensive, nasty, tough as nails, and looks amazing. Both have gone over the supplied decals with no ill effects.

I clear coat for the wet look. Also, the plain tubes get dirty very easily.

I am leaning towards clear coat. I like PPG Omni Quick Clear. I have read that others thought that the fibers disappeared with a clear coat and that wax was the best. I would also think that would attract dirt.

I've just finished a Wildman Jart DD in Rust-O Gloss Clear-coat (rattlecan) and am very pleased with the results. Well washed,wet sanded with 800 grit and cleaned with alcohol before painting. Three light coats and a final top coat and the weave pattern in the red fiberglass looks great. This is a prelude build to my L3 MadCow Osprey which is also red fiberglass tubes. I'll probably finish it the same as both came with black fins and cones. Not really a matching pair but very similar in style.

Hey Wood, sounds nice. If you have a pic I would love to see it. Dave.

Here you go...cloudy today so it dulls finish somewhat... bright day it is cherry bright gloss!

Also clear glossed the cone and painted fins with metallic-black gloss

BTW it also shows a sim-transparent fiberglass look ... kind of interesting ... xray vision

I like it!! Going to try the clear myself then. Thanks Woody.

I've been anti-paint lately (the only part of a build I hate) so I finished a couple by just sanding them smooth and sealing with Kiwi neutral color shoe polish and a light buff. It's not "wet look" shiny but it's glossy, repels dirt and dirty fingerprints, and it's easy to spot repair if the FG gets scratched up.

Clear coat, Axalta 498-00 clear and mix in some pearl or micro flake to compliment the color.

I did nothing.

Hey Rob, that looks pretty good, never thought of that. I have rocketpoxy coming also have never used that. Looks like that is what you used for fillets. Could you mix the metal flake with that also?

Hey Bat, nothing over the decals as well?

David Schwantz said:

Hey Rob, that looks pretty good, never thought of that. I have rocketpoxy coming also have never used that. Looks like that is what you used for fillets. Could you mix the metal flake with that also?

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Yes I used rocketpoxy for the fillets. I colored the epoxy black and then also painted over it with the clear/flake mix. What you see in that picture is a repair of a lost fin so there isn't any clear over it. You wouldn't be able to mix anything like that into the epoxy as it would cover the flakes but if you spray over it you will get the result you're looking for.

Like others have said some I clear coat and some I don't. The kits I don't clear coat I just apply the decals and fly it. Decals don't come off and hold up well.

I talked to Terry at MadCow and they are going to be nice enough to send me out a piece of scrap airframe to use for finish testing.

David Schwantz said:

Hey Bat, nothing over the decals as well?

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Yep. Nothing.