Allan Bowker Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 My dad is considering painting a new Elapor based foam model (Multiplex Mentor) Q: Anyone got experience of painting Eleapor? Q: Does it crack or flake? A quick look on tinternet suggests that there is a primer made by Multiplex to prep the Elapor surface first. Q: What type of paint do you use after the primer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Ramsay Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Painted my Twinstar in acrylic paints. Difficult to get good coverage and the model was quite tatty in a very short period of time, paint tended to peel. Looked quite good in pristine finish but didn't last. Think I would go for the primer then acrylic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bowker Posted March 15, 2009 Author Share Posted March 15, 2009 Just to confirm, you didn't use a primer then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Ramsay Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Didn't use a primer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Foreman Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 I've painted several Multiplex Elapor models with Flair Spectrum paints. Never done any preparation of the surface and not used a primer. Depending on the colour contrast I've found 1 brushed on coat covers ok and wears well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bowker Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 Well thanks for your advice & tips guys. We have decided not to paint (for now at least) as there are plenty of stickers with the Multiplex Mentor. If it starts getting 'hanger rash' or the odd 'ding' then perhaps a bit of filler and yet another sticker will do the trick. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i12fly Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Now 5 years on, how do people feel about painting Elapor? Do the artist acrylics do the job OK or do they flake / damage easily? I'd prefer to brush if possible but wonder if the finish will be poor. Robert Foreman above used Flair Spectrum paint, is there any other knowledge and experience with this? (I've got some cans in my cupboard). I'd like to do a trial but there isn't any spare material with the kit........ Any advice much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Green Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Plastikote spray cans from B&Q work very well on Elapor. They cover well, nice bright colours, dry quickly and my 5-year old mpx Cub has been a test-bed for all sorts so is well abused yet the Paint is still good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_B Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Good results can be had using Multiplex's own primer followed by a coat of their branded paint. Both have been especially developed for use on Elapor© Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bran Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Posted by Phil Green on 01/01/2014 23:20:48: Plastikote spray cans from B&Q work very well on Elapor. They cover well, nice bright colours, dry quickly and my 5-year old mpx Cub has been a test-bed for all sorts so is well abused yet the Paint is still good. Just to show how specific paint can be, I do a LOT of paint spraying on ABS car bodyshells for the school club I run. Halfords car rattle cans work superbly well for that use, sprayed direct with no primer, albeit the modern propensity to very few non-metallic colours in the real world car industry is an issue. Plasticote, however, works very very poorly on ABS, regardless of practical methods of preparation, a point to consider if you have that material as a cowl or used for shaped detail parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_B Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Posted by Percy Verance on 02/01/2014 14:44:51: Allan There is no need for filler on Elapor. Repair dings by pouring hot water on them. After perhaps several applications the ding will swell back to something like it's former shape...... Or use an iron on low heat over a damp cotton handkerchief. Little and often is the key a successful repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Posted by Phil Green on 01/01/2014 23:20:48: Plastikote spray cans from B&Q work very well on Elapor. They cover well, nice bright colours, dry quickly and my 5-year old mpx Cub has been a test-bed for all sorts so is well abused yet the Paint is still good. and yet on my Funjet and Formosa the Plastikote flaked off in no time. I did have good results with some really old Powermax branded paint though, both on MPX and GWS versions of EPOs. I think that is a polyurethane based paint, no primer or surface prep, just slapped on with a brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Pic Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 My friendly local multiplex distributor told me the multiplex primer is unnecessary if you simply wipe down he bare elapor with rubbing alcohol (isopropanol). I haven't tried it yet so go carefully, but I'm sure he must know what he's talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Bernard Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 My normal paint source for touchups are the cheap sets of acrylics from places like 'The Works'. Can generally mix to any shade required and so far have stuck well to Durafly and FMS foamies. Using these I also painted the blue design on a Wot 4 Foam-e to save buying decals for a new wing which lasted a full season with no deterioration. As Charles suggests I always wipe down first with IPA (from Maplins). This gets rid of any grease or remaining release agent on the foam. Since I believe they are also acrylic I suspect that the emulsions you can get from B&Q etc will also work well and there is the benefit that you can get these colour matched if necessary. Whilst I have used these with success on built up models covered in Solarfilm etc I have yet to try them on foam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 For more precious elapor models where the colour is important to you Airbrushing acrylics in warbird colours are available from Vallejo in small quantities, and go straight on elapor. For airbrushing these can be thinned 50/50 with acrylic thinners, used in place of water, as theses thinners contain acrylic and the thinners does not dilute the plastic content further, which makes for better stronger coverage. Edited By Denis Watkins on 22/03/2017 16:43:36 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trebor Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I painted my Funcub with b&q bathroom wall paint as its washable and hard wearing when dry. The only thing to watch out for is glow fuel exhaughst spray from other planes as it tends to give you brown dots after a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.