Hello, 

I see folks with these beautiful renderings of paint schemes, and I would like to do that.  But I am totally at a loss of even where to begin.

First, where do you get a scale drawing of the plane ( I need the Cruzer)?.  Second, Is there an easy program that you used to lay our the colors?  I don't have any experience with paint programs.  So, for example, if I want to put a checkerboard pattern on the tail, can I pull up a checkerboard template and just paste in on there.  Is it smart enough to "stay inside the lines" of the scale drawing?

Any help you can give will be appreciated.  

Also, can I take the output and give it to a vinyl shop to cut the vinyl for the design, or is that another program?  If I start with a scale drawing, are the dimensions embedded in there in some way that the CNC machine can read? 

Joe

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HI Joe,

Here is a nice profile Cruzer Template courtesy of Mark P 

http://zenithowner.com/downloads.htm

I have dabbled with Windows 10 "Paint 3D" to produce possible painting schemes.  They are far from neat and wonderful - nothing like many of the renditions I see.  I think for me its a matter of actually sitting down and learning how to use the application.  Mark shared with me other paint schemes that he sketched up previously and they are truly awesome. I doubt it is  a skill he learned in an afternoon ;)

Regards

Tim

I tried working with computer programs to come up with paint schemes but also got a bit frustrated.  What worked for me was simply making multiple copies of the aircraft profiles (like Scott provided in this thread) and then with a box of colored artist pencils, started filling in my ideas.  This method quickly helped me rule in (or out) a few patterns or colors that I would like.  Once you get close to final ideas or schemes you can get fancier.  Take it to a vinyl shop and be amazed what the guy with the computer can do with your schemes once they have a good idea from what you show them on paper.  Good luck with it!!

What you are asking is possible.  I put my 601xlb in Autocad. I spent about 4 months researching paint schemes from pics on the internet.  I took the best ideas/details that fit my general concept and gradually developed my final design.  My job required I work in Autocad so this part was easy for me.

 When I had the design complete I printed each piece of the vinyl design,  full size,  on paper. Then, one section at a time, I cut the paper template out and taped it on the plane.  Then I simply followed the paper template with vinyl cutting tape. Once the cutting tape was down i removed the paper,  laid an oversized piece of vinyl over the cutting tape template.  Then you just pull the cutting tape to cut out the design.  Remove the excess vinyl and move on to the next piece.  This was easy easier than I imagined. 

The only difficult sections were areas with compound curves. Like the spinner and wing tips. I ended up re- doing these a number of times.  Vinyl is cheap so it's easy to redo areas you're not happy with. I tell people that doing the vinyl was the easiest part of the build. 

 

That looks great Gary.  Is the silver polished or vinyl chrome?

Its polished.  About 100 hours worth. 

Sharp. Stan

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