Whelen Modified to the body shop!

[RichD]

There is a product called XTC-3D that is made specifically to smooth out printed things.

[sweet]

Rich, that must be a self leveling filler, sort of like dipping the body in (self leveling) Future floor wax......HMMM, has anyone tried painting over Future?

[RichD]

I paint over Future all of the time, I use it as a barrier coat to keep hot spray paint formulations from attacking decals. Future is only 25% solids and is rather thin, it would not make a good primer. Why not use a product that is made specifically for the purpose? Someone has reported that it works well. If I expected to do more printed bodies I would get some XTC-3D. There are already some bodies available that do not have print lines, as the state of the art improves printed bodies will need less preparation. Remember dot matrix printers? Compare those to inkjet and laser printers.

[sweet]

[TuscoTodd]

After some delays in getting the clear sprayed - she is finally ready for her inaugural race later today!
:banana-dance:

[sweet]

Looks GREAT!

[model murdering]

Nice shooting! That two-tone came out very sharp Todd.

Here's a FWIW, plus 2 cents, given the noticeable improvement in print quality since the first cobs.

XTC is a brush-able only catalyzed glazing putty, although I rekon someone may figure out how to shoot it at some point. Before you go into full on putty mode with un-catalyzed pizza sauce, or catalyzed glazing resin route on your next 3D build; I'd like to recommend Marten Senour #7226 "2 -n-1" Primer Surfacer. It comes in the "tall boy" 15 oz bomb can. I get it at NAPA. It's the ONLY bomb can primer-surfacer that this grouchy old bodyman has ever found which duplicates the same high solids build and cut characteristics, as your typical high quality 3 part commercial 1:1 autobody primer surfacer. A can lasts a long time in 1/64-ville.

Although intended to be used under catalyzed automotive urethane enamels, it works great under lacquers and garden variety enamels as well. You can hammer it down thick and heavy right out of the can, or decant it and reduce it with LT like a sealer for airbrush. The control factor for the consistency of the finish, is how much air is introduced into the liquid paint stream; and how much the said liquid has been reduced. 7226 extremely versatile and forgiving. I've never failed with it, so I plug it. The bonus is that it has a fast cure rate; and is ready for re-coat, or dry blocking in short order. Dont ever wet sand open coat primers unless you are going to bake them dry. Typically I'll seal it with black or white lacquer after sanding, depending on the what the final color is to be. The only drawback is that it is a bit noxious for wives and the VOC secret police. Garage or shop only!

The point? At our scale, I avoid spackling at any costs unless it's really necessary, like a raggedy resin filled with pocks and voids. There's a huge difference between sandable primer and high solids surfacer. Surfacer is specifically formulated to be blasted down and quickly hogged off when blocking your guide coats, AND still provide the required density to get the job done. Even if one has to bury it, it'll cut back in 220 or 320 like buttah!

Admittedly it isnt cheap compared to other primer bombs, but when I factor my time, effort, and aggravation into the equation, it's well worth it, and not a whole lot more in cost than your snazzy aerosol model paints in the small bomb cans.

Sorry for the book! :oops:

[GASSERMAN]

Turned out real nice Todd.

[TuscoTodd]

Appreciate the tips on the primer guys! This body / chassis combo was an absolute hoot to run yesterday - so I see a couple more of these bodies being picked up in the very near future and having an alternate methods of finishing that aren't as labor intensive and/or result in a sharper looking finished product are definitely worth checking out!
:handgestures-thumbup: