Canopies: when to paint

It depends on a couple of factors. I always go ahead and mount the windscreen before painting, just find it easier that way. Now you have some choices.... is it BMF, camo or modern low vis. If it bmf or low vis you can paint seperately with no problem. If it's Camo them I would apply it before painting so the camo lines line up. If its going to be posed open then just used some thinned white glue to "tack" it on for the painting then take it off when your done.
Hope this helps
Jeff

I usually have painted the canopy separate from the model, mostly I think, because I find hat I need a different paint technique to get proper coverage over the clear tha what I use over the rest of the model. I've never done a camo job where a line broke across the canopy, so I haven't ever needed to deal with the line-up issue. For cleaning up the seams, I use either white glue or lately Testors Clear Parts Cement to attach the canopy to the fuselage. I then use the glue to carefully fill the seams wipping off any excess with a damp Q-tip if needed. Usually, I need only to carefully brush on clear matte, but if I need any paint work, I can touch up with a small brush, and thinned paint.

Andy

I'm pretty much the same as Andy, as a general rule I paint my canopies off the model. The only other thing I would mention if you do this is to make sure you paint and weather the canopy at the same time as the rest of the aircraft. I have been caught a couple of times leaving the canopy till dead last (I hate masking) and then having to try and re-mix custom paint ratios and re-weather the same way I did the fuselage which is a real pain .

Cheers
Darren

I agree with most of the others. I usually do them last. Also, since they are clear, the first color I spray is the color that I want the frame on the inside of the canopy to be. I don't usually go back and paint the inside of the frame, I just let the color show through the clear.

QUOTE: 2. If you paint the canopy after it is already cemented to the canopy, how do you put the future on your canopy.

I always future before painting them... if I need to touch up after painting, I use a small pointed brush and carefully go over the unpainted part...

I use Bluetak to connect the canopy, then Parafilm-M to mask it. Then painting can commence.

This is the procedure that I follow:

http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/maskingcanopiesda_1.htm

Guess I'm the oddball, then: I always put my canopies on the model and then paint. Here's my sequence:

1. Dip the canopy in Future, let it sit for at least 24 hours (usually 48)
2. Install the canopy on the model (once the rest of the model is complete; i.e. seams, etc).
3. Mask the canopy with either a precut mask (I love these) or using Swanny's method (outlined on his site)
4. Paint the interior canopy color over the entire canopy
5. Prime the entire model
6. Paint all colors
7. Glosscote (Future in my case)
8. Decals
9. Dullcote
10. Remove masking

I've had good results with this so far.

Thanks for the info. That's all good stuff. Keep up the the good work.
Craig