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[bikerdude666]

Just wondering if enamel paints (I mean the small tins you get from model shops) are firstly, suitable for balsa wood? And secondly will it 'waterproof' the balsa? It doesn't need to be aesthetically pleasing, just waterproof, spent my rather small budget already so need to try and use what I've got in the cupboard....




PS. got a rattle can of paint from the car shop aswell, would that be any good?

[barriew]

Balsa really needs sealing before you apply any paint. The usual way of doing this is Sanding Sealer or cellulose dope. If you have a pot of ordinary domestic wood primer it might be worth trying that if money is tight - try on a scrap first. You can then use either model enamels or rattle cans over the primed surface - again it best to test first as the combinations of paint and sealer dont always work out, and the only sure way of knowing is to test .

Barrie

[raflaunches]

Hi Bikerdude

Barrie is right if you want a good finish, I tried using a enamel coat on a balsa hull about ten years ago, my dad said that it was a method used in the sixties where you thin the enamel paint using white spirit and apply thin coats to the balsa to flood the wood with paint, basically impregnating the wood with paint.  It requires a lot of paint in the long run and takes over a week each night applying several coats of paint.  It looked okay on the hull when I had finished but I have never repeated it since then, I still have the hull in my room and has stood up to time quite well but I switched to using plywood and GRP hulls because it was easier .

Hope this helps

Nick B

[Subculture]

If you get a small pack of epoxy resin and some thin glass cloth, you can coat your balsa hull with that and it will be incredibly strong, and totally waterproof, The resin and cloth will also seal the grain. You can use a small foam roller to get a really super finish.

[bikerdude666]

The final finish is unimportant, as its only a small section of balsa (about 1.5 - 2 inches wide and 2.5 inches high) so as long as it's waterproof it doesn't matter.


*edit* thanks for the help, I've got a few bits of balsa with various things painted on them, waiting for them to dry so I can dunk them in water and see if they have sealed it....