Helpful tips on bodyshell painting

Please select a topic below and hopefully you will find some helpful information that can assist you in making your bodies easy on the eyes.  This is for your benefit, but mostly for the rest of us who have to look at your work. Please make a selection from the topics below, or just start reading from the beginning!

Deciding What To Paint
To paint or what not to paint? That is the question.

Paint Masking Tips
It's not Halloween, but put your mask on anyway!

Painting 101
The art of spray painting with a can!

Trimming Your Body
Without cutting your fingers.


Detailing With Decals
Finishing touches before you smash it all up.

Mounting The Masterpiece
If that's what you call it.

Psychological Help
After all that work, it still got wrecked!

For The Experts
I Don't Think So!
Deciding What To Paint
To paint or what not to paint?  That is the question.
Tools Needed: Just Your Brain!

Before you do anything you must decide what to do.  If you are going to paint your R/C body just one color,  you can skip this section and go on...but if you want to paint your car with multiple colors, stripes or designs then keep on reading.

Use your head before you jump into any painting project.  If what you are envisioning is too elaborate or difficult, maybe you should re-think your designs until your talent has a chance to catch up with your ideas.  You will have plenty of other opportunities in the future, and if you work on one idea at a time, sooner or later you will be able to combine them all and apply them to the same project.

In the beginning, you should try not to copy elaborate or difficult designs that you may have seen.  It may be disappointing if your body doesn't turn out as good as your expectations want them to.  You will have plenty of other opportunities in this hobby as you continue to paint bodies for yourself or others.  It will all come in time.

Just try to have some fun and the whole painting experience will be much more rewarding.  It shouldn't matter to you how your project turns out to others as long as you like it.  In time with a little practice you will be able to turn out beautifully painted bodies with the best of them.  This hobby is all about having fun, so again, just have fun with it.

You should allow yourself enough time to do the work and the results will follow.  If you are just applying stripes that's one thing, but you must take the time to sketch any other designs on paper and then size them to the part of your R/C body that they are going to end up on.  If you do a little planning now, you won't get frustrated later on when your painting deadline fast approaches.  Because then, you will only scrap all your ideas and paint a one color body.  This has happened to all of us too many times. 

Remember, if you end up with a paint job that just doesn't turn you on, don't worry about it.  In a few more weeks you are only going to have to do it all over again.  Maybe then, with more experience behind you and a little luck, you will get it right, or at least a little closer to what you think the perfect job should be.

Remember that old saying, "practice makes perfect!"  It does, and if all of us continue to race, we'll get a lot more practice painting bodies, because most of us are not that perfect when it comes to driving!

A little time, effort and, most of all, planning will equal memorable results.







Paint Masking Tips
Tools Needed:  Hobby Knife, Masking Tape, Pressing Tool and a Cutting Mat (optional).

Masking is a term used to describe the process of applying tape to the areas of the body that you either don't want painted or would like to have painted different colors.

If you are painting just a simple one color paint job, you must still mask any designs on the body and you must still deal with the windows.  The first bit of masking you need to do is the windows because they should really remain clear, at least for now.  You can tint them later if you want to, but that will all be done at later time.  In fact, window tinting should be the very last thing you should paint.  In the meantime, you still need to mask the windows first.

Window Paint Mask:
Most bodies are now sold with window paint mask that can be applied to the inside of the windows to prevent them from becoming painted.  Most paint masks are pre-cut and all you have to do is peel the masks off their backing and stick them to the inside of the windows.  Most masks are reasonably accurate, but a lot of them will need trimming to fit properly.  Make sure you press the edges of the mask down to prevent any paint from bleeding under the mask.  This will assure that your windows will remain clear, as you intended them to be.

Here is where you will need a pressure tool to press down the edges of the mask.  You can use an old dental tool that has a flat curved edge on it, these can be found at hobby-craft shows and flea markets.  Or, you can use the rounded end of a tea spoon.  You can also use your fingers, but a pressure tool will ensure that the seal is very tight. If you have no tool to hand, use your thumbnail to rub the edges down.

Masking Material and Pin Striping Tape:
By this time, hopefully, you have an idea either on paper or in your head of what you want your paint scheme to look like.  In order to paint your design on the body you must first transfer that design to the body and then separate the colors using masking film, masking tape, and-or pin striping tape.

Masking materials can be purchased just about anywhere and they come in many size widths.  The tricky part is applying these materials to the car body in the exact location where you want them to be for your designs to work out and look the way you intended them.

In order to transfer your designs to the body you should draw them on paper first.  Then you can transfer them to the body itself or to the sheet masking or masking tape.

Option # 1
Drawing Paint Designs On The Body:
You now need to transfer yopur design onto the body. A lot of bodies these days are covered with an overspray film, which means that any lines drwn on the body will be removed when you remove the overspray film. If you have to draw your designs directly on the body you should use a Sharpie like marker that will wipe off with alcohol.  If you have a Sharpie, you can now draw directly on the outside of the body shell.  

Some markers like a "Sharpie" can be removed with denatured alcohol, but it is a good idea to first test the marker on a part of the body that will be trimmed away.  DO NOT use any other solvents to remove the markings except denatured alcohol.  Using Paint Thinners, Motor Spray, and other types of solvents will only destroy your body before you get a chance to paint it.  No need to buy a new one now, you should at least get to smash it up yourself!

Please take note: If you put any marks on the inside of the body, they will become a permanent part of your design and won't rub off.  Make sure all markings are applied to the outside of the body only.

Take your design, if you have it on paper and place it inside your body in the exact location you want it painted.  Now with the marker, you can trace the paint scheme on the outside of the body.  Your body is clear so you will be able to see the drawing through the body.  It is also a good idea to mark the color for each part of your design on the outside of the body in the location that they will be colored.  This will help you from painting the wrong color in the wrong place on the body.

Once you have your paint designs marked on the outside of the body and you are satisfied with the overall look of the design, you can now start to apply the masking material to the inside of the body.

Remember, you are only using the outside markings as guides for the taping job on the inside of the body.  If you decide you want to change something, it's no problem.  Just make whatever changes you want as you go, because the tape you apply to the inside of the body will conform to any shape you desire.

Option # 2
Transferring Paint Designs To The Masking First:
Tools Needed: Marker and Hobby Knife.

If you decide to transfer your drawing designs to the masking tape first and then apply them to the body later, you should have a cutting mat to use as a base.  Cutting mats are very useful because you can cut directly on them without damaging the mat or the table you are working on and not damaging your table is a good thing!  

Take a piece of blank masking or some masking tape and stick them directly to the cutting mat with the glue side down.  It's your choice which one to use but either way, using this method you must reverse your designs before you draw them onto the masking.  If you don't flip or reverse your designs before you cut them out, they will appear backwards from the inside of the body.  Remember, you will be applying the masking from the inside and not the outside of the body.

You can draw directly onto the masking if you like, but it is best if you have your designs on paper first.  This way you will be able to see your design the way it will appear from the outside of the body.  If you have your designs on paper, place them or tape them over the masking material so you will be able to cut out your design through the paper.

Depending on your designs, you may want to copy the drawing on more than one piece of paper so you will have one design for each side of the car.  But again, you must remember that you need to reverse the designs on the inside of the body.  Also, depending on your design, you may even have to reverse the designs from one side of the car to the other.

Now that your designs have been transferred to the masking material all you need to do now is cut them out with your hobby knife.  This is very easy because you only need to follow the lines on the masking.

You are limited to the space on your body (as if you didn't know), so don't make your designs to large or to elaborate.  They won't fit properly on your body.  This is one of the mistakes that is made most often.  Now you have been warned, so don't add yourself to these statistics! 

In most cases, your designs will look great, so keep your designs simple at the beginning and as your talent gets better, so will your painting and your designs.  

Now once you have transferred all your designs to the masking material, you can start to apply them to your body.

Applying The Paint Masking To The Body:
Tools Needed: Pressing Tool.

This is really the easy part, no matter what anybody tells you.  Since you have your designs either marked on the outside of the body or have them transferred to the masking, all of the hard work and thinking has already been done.

All you will be doing is following your lines on the outside of the body or placing your pre-cut designs to the inside of the body.  Sounds easy right?  It really is!

The hardest thing you will have to do is make sure the masking material you are using is in the right location you want it to be in.  Then when you are finished applying the masking material, be certain that you have pressed it firmly against the body.

As you are placing the masking material to the inside of the body, press it into place with your fingers or use a pressing tool if you have one.  A pressing tool can be a small spoon or anything with a nice smooth rounded edge that you can use to press down the edges of the masking without damaging the masking or the body.

It is very important that you get all the edges firmly pressed down into place before you start to paint or the paint might bleed under the masking and ruin all your work.

If the piece of masking or pin striping tape has not been placed in the proper location, then just gently lift it off and reapply it back on the body.  Once you are satisfied with the location, press the masking in place and especially press all the edges.

You must remember to apply the masking in the proper sequence.  By this we mean, if you are going to paint different colors on your body, you must mask you body in the proper painting order.

You should always try to paint the darker colors first and the lighter colors last.  This is so the darker colors will not show through any lighter paints you may have on the body.

So, when you mask, you mask in the reverse order of your painting.  You should mask the lighter colors first and the darker colors last.

All this means is that the last color your going to paint must be the first color you mask.  It sounds confusing but if you think about it for a minute...Better still is an example as follows:

Example: You want to paint a body like a police car, black and white (it's only an example).  The car will be all black except for the doors that will be white.  You will paint the black first because black is the darker color.  You must, however, mask off the doors first because they will be painted white and you will be painting the white after the black.  Now you paint the body black.  After it dries you can peel off the mask that is on the doors.  The door area has remained clear so now you will be able to paint them white.  Because you are painting the white last and it is the lighter color, you can paint over some of the black inside the body and not worry that the white will show through the black paint because the black paint is darker.

What you have done is masked the lighter color first but painted the lighter color last.  Just remember, you apply the mask in the reverse order of your painting.

After all your masking is in place, be sure to remove any markings you made to the outside of the body with a marker, and check once again to see if all the masking is in place and pressed down firmly.  If you are not going to paint your body for a few days, you must check again and make sure all the masking edges are still firmly in place.  We only mention this again for your benefit because some masking tape will not stay in place if all the conditions aren't just perfect.

Last Preparation:
If your bodyshel does not have an overspray film, to protect your new body from paint over spray (the paint that is floating in the air during the painting process), you can take the plastic bag your new body came in and wrap it around the outside of the body.  Here's how you do it!  Before you trim off the flange around the base of the body, turn the body upside down and apply some masking tape around the perimeter of the base.  You must only apply half of the tape leaving the other half of the glued side sticking out beyond the flanged area.  Then turn the body right side up and place the bag over the body and press it down around the edges onto the exposed masking tape.  The tape will hold the bag in place and prevent any over spray from getting on the outside of the body.

Now your ready for painting!

Painting 101
The art of spray painting with a can!
Finally, we get to the good stuff. 

Now before you start, you may want to mark your body post locations prior to painting so the mounting process will be a lot easer.  If you still need to mark your body posts, check out our mounting tips first.  It could save you a lot of aggravation later on.

Painting like a pro with a spray can isn't that difficult.  If it's done right, they can look just as good as their air brush equivalents. 

First, a quick look at the basic differences between using a can versus an air brush.  Some of the spray can positives are: they're convenient, fast, easy to learn and very easy to clean up.  The negatives are: the paint jobs tend to be a little heavier.  You can't mix paints to get custom colors, and paint bleeding under the mask is more of a problem.  Now let's get down to business.

Selecting The Right Paint:
You must select the right paint and were not talking about the color.  As you probably know, all spray paint is not created equal.  There are many types, styles and varieties on the market and 99% of them will not work.

You must choose a paint that has been formulated to be used on Lexan or polycarbonate bodies.  Any other types of spray paint may not adhere to the body properly, and in time will chip or scrape off and in the worse cases even damage the body before you even get a chance to damage them yourself.

If you take the time to look at the paint can label, you will be able to tell if you are using the right paint.  Read the labels every once in a while, it can only help you out.  There's a lot of good stuff on there.

Paint Where?:
Choose the right location to do the painting.  This may sound insignificant to you now, but it could save you a lot of aggravation in the long run, and as a bonus, it will be a lot better for your lungs.

NEVER paint indoors without adequate ventilation...A fan in your bedroom window is not to be considered adequate ventilation.  Even if the paint can says it's Non-Toxic, you shouldn't be breathing in the paint fumes, especially, in an enclosed area...You should already know this!  

Painting outside in the open air will be your best choice because of it's obvious larger volume of moving air.  You should also keep in mind that it is also a good idea to have the air constantly moving away from you during the painting process.  This can also be achieved, indoors, by using a fan to blow the air in the direction of an open window, door or ventilation fan.

Note: Don't ever paint outside near other cars, your home or garage.  The paint over spray will find its way to them and you won't realize this until they are damaged.  The same applies when painting in an indoor location, unless your looking to change the look of your room decor.

Before You Start:
Make sure the cans that you are going to be using have not been stored in a very hot or very cold place.  If they have been, you will have to wait until the cans and their contents become room temperature.  Trying to paint with the spray cans too hot or too cold will inhibit the application of the paint.  This will cause the paint to streak, drip, spot and even web among other things.

Also, don't forget to shake up the paint until you hear the mixing balls inside the can moving freely.  Continue to shake the can for a couple of minutes to ensure the paint is completely mixed.  Do not try to apply the paint without mixing the paint first or bad things will happen to the paint and you may get some crazy effect you weren't looking for, although some of you might like it.

One last thing before you get started.  Always wear a painting mask to help you avoid breathing in any paint fumes.  This is something you need to do and don't let anyone tell you any differently.  You don't need a lecture on this because you already know what the dangers are and what the results can be.  So put a mask on now and 20 years from now you'll be glad you did. 

Start Painting:
Tools Needed:  A Face Mask (for breathing), Fan (optional) and the Paint...Doh!

First you must test the spray can to see if the paint will spray out properly.  Always test the can away from the R/C body your painting so you won't get any paint splattering on it.  If the can is new, old or is clogged up, it will take a moment to get it to spray correctly.

Once you find out if the paint will spray out in a normal fashion, you will be able to start painting knowing that you won't ruin your body within the first 10 seconds.  You may ruin it later, but at least it won't be in the first 10 seconds!

If you are using a fan or if you are outside with the breeze blowing, you want to stand and paint with the wind hitting your back, not blowing in your face.  Painting in this position will help you to keep the paint on the inside of the body as well as keeping the over spray from hitting you in the face.

When you start and while you are painting, keep the spray can about 8" to 10" (20cm to 25cm) away from the Lexan body.  This will allow the paint to be spread over a larger area and keep the paint from being applied to heavy.

When you are painting, always keep the paint can moving .  Side to side motions are best instead of moving up and down.  This will keep the paint from building up and becoming to thick.  Plus it will keep the paint from bleeding under any mask that you have applied to the body.

The reason you should paint with a side to side motion is that the spray nozzle has been designed to release paint in a very thin vertical line.  If you were to paint moving the can up and down, the paint would not cover your body properly and you would be applying to much paint on too small of an area.

Also, make sure you release the paint spray button as you reach the furthest point in your side to side motion.  Again, this will keep the paint from needlessly building up and running down the inside of the body.

Always remember that less is better and that to much paint is not good.  You can always apply another coat of paint, but you cant take the paint off the body once it has been sprayed.  It will only run and pool inside the body and that's not the look your looking for!

Only paint one color at a time.  This is to avoid different color paints from blending together and turning into a mess.  This will also give you crisper lines and separations between (1) the body and the window mask, (2) the different colors in your paint designs and (3) any other masking you have on the body.

Lightly paint the entire area you want painted with that single color and then you will need to let the paint dry before you apply the next coat.  You may need to apply a few coats of paint of the same color one after another to achieve the proper color tone your looking for.  But remember to let the paint dry between each coat before you apply another coat or a different color.

Some paint colors will require more coats of paint because they are more transparent than others.  Candy's and Pearl's are two other categories of paint colors that need many applications to bring out their proper color.  As you become more familiar with the colors and gain more experience painting bodies, all of this will become second nature to you and it won't seem all that confusing.  But until then, keep on reading these instructions.

Drying:
Tools Needed: Fan or Hair Dryer or Heat Gun or None Of These!

Drying the paint between all applications is very important.  If you don't take the time to let the paint dry, you run the risk of ruining your paint job.

After each time you spray a coating of paint over the body, you should let the paint dry before applying another.  This will prevent the paint from running or streaking.  And don't be fooled, you will be able to see these errors when the body is finished.

You can put the body down after each paint application and in a little while the paint will air dry.  Now if you don't have the time to let the paint air dry, you can use a fan, hair dryer (not your mothers) or a hobby heat gun to speed the drying time.

If you choose to let the paint air dry that's OK, but don't leave it in the direct sun light to dry.  If the paint has been applied to thick the sun will dry the surface of the paint to fast, causing it to crack.  This might be a new look, but let someone else be the one to try it.

Using a fan is almost as simple.  After you have applied the paint, place the body with the inside of the body facing the fan blades.  Watch your fingers!  The fan doesn't have to be on high unless you like chasing your body all over the house.  Keep the fan turned on low and it will dry within a few minutes.  Trust Me!

If you are going to use a hair dryer or a heat gun make sure you don't hold the heat source to close to the R/C body.  Concentrated heat is not good, so keep it away the same distance you kept the paint can 8" to 10" (20cm to 25cm), and move the heat source from side to side as well.  This will let the paint dry faster, but not to fast.  The idea is to heat up the body and the paint, but you don't want to cook it.  One trick is to hold the body right side up and apply the heat from the underside.  This will help hold the warm air inside the body during the drying process.  

CAUTION:  A hair dryer or a heat gun will get VERY HOT.  Try not to burn yourself!

In the long run, you will get a better paint job, plus save time by letting the paint dry between each coat of paint.  Putting on to much paint won't save you time because the thick paint still has to dry anyway, and believe me, you won't be satisfied with the results.

Taking Off Your Mask:
It's not Halloween so you can take off that mask!  

Pealing off the mask is sometimes just as tricky as applying it.  If it's not done correctly, you can ruin the paint in an instant.  And after getting this far that would be tough to live with!

First you must - I repeat must - let the paint dry completely.  If you don't let it dry, you run the risk of pealing or smearing the wet paint.

When you are removing any paint mask be careful not to scratch the paint you want to leave on the inside of the body with any of the tools you might be using or any of your finger nails.  This can happen very quickly and even quicker if you're not paying attention to what you are doing.

Be sure to remove the mask slowly to insure a good clean separation from the paint.  Remember, if the paint has been applied in many coats or you have many colors on this body, you must take extra care when removing the mask.  The edges between the mask and the painted surface may have more paint build up on them, so to ensure a good clean separation and keep the lines looking sharp, be careful and don't rush this part of the process.

If you have a lot of mask on the body, try not to pull it all off at the same time.  Removing small strips of tape one at a time will be better for you because keeping them small will make them a lot easer for you to handle.  Larger pieces will just want to stick all over the inside of the body.  Believe me, we have all been there and done that!

You may, based on your designs, have to remove some masking to paint additional colors.  This is not a problem.  Again, take your time and remove only the mask you need for the next color.  Then check to make sure the rest of the mask is not pulled from the body.  If any mask has been pulled or is separated from the body, be sure you press it back in place with your finger or a pressing tool before you continue.  This will make certain that the paint will not bleed under the remaining mask and your lines will stay sharp.

After and only after, all the colors have been painted on the body, you can finally remove the window paint mask from the windows.

Remember, anyone can push a spray can button and squirt some paint on a body, but it takes patience to peal off the mask and to do it right.

Window Tint:
Now it is time, if you want to, that you can apply that window tinting you've been thinking about since you put the window mask on your windows.  The rules of some race tracks will not allow the windows to be tinted, so remember to check and find out first before you start tinting.

Window tint will always look better if applied with an air brush, but since we are talking about spray can painting, here's what you should do.  

You should be using a fairly new can of paint.  That way it will have less of a chance of splattering and spotting the windows.  It's no guarantee but it should help a bit.

The best color to use is black, but you can use purple, blue or a dark candy, however, black is the best color.  You must always test the can first to make sure the paint will be spraying evenly.

Now hold the body at least 2 feet (60cm) from the paint can.  This will allow the paint to disperse and be distributed on the windows in very small particles.  Remember, you can't control the paint spraying from a can very well, therefore, you have to improvise.  Each time you spray, use one small burst of spray and one large side to side movement.  Then check each of the windows.  You want to see if the windows are getting dark.  

The paint, because it is coming from a can, will darken the windows very quickly.  And if you're not careful they will get to dark before you even know it.  You can dry each coat if need be, but again, be very careful, the windows will darken quicker than you think.

Guess what?  Were done!  And you should be done to...Hope it looks good!  If not, don't worry, we'll both be back here in two weeks to do it all over again.







Trimming Your Body
Without cutting your fingers
Tools Needed:  Straight Scissor, Curved Lexan Scissor and a Sharpie Marker.

Now that your body is beautifully painted, well let's just say painted, you can start trimming it so you can really see what it looks like completed.

Depending on the type of body you have all the cut lines may or may not be marked for you.  If you have an Off-Road body for example, most likely all the trim lines have already been marked for you.  That is because those types of bodies have been designed to fit one style or brand of chassis and shouldn't be mounted on anything different if you want them to fit perfectly well.

Our Off-Road body line is like that with the only exceptions being, some of our Off-Road Truck bodies.  Some bodies in our Off-Road truck lineup have been designed to fit two different brands of chassis, but we have marked for your convince, marked those cut lines separately.  Consequently, you can't make a mistake.  If the cut lines on the body you have chosen are clearly marked, you shouldn't have any problems.

Now, there is also a group of bodies, some of ours included, that have most of the trim lines marked for you except for the rear wheel openings.  That is not a bad thing, in fact, it is an advantage to you.

Bodies like Touring Sedan, Oval and On-Road will fit many different manufactures chassis because the widths of these chassis are the same in each class.  The difference from one chassis design to another could be the wheelbase.  The wheelbase is the distance measured between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel.  Many manufactures have engineered their chassis to different wheelbase lengths depending on their engineering and performance test results.

Because of that, many of those types of bodies need to have the rear wheel opening unmarked for your benefit.  For the body you have selected to fit perfectly on your chassis, you will be the one to mark the rear wheel openings.  That is not a problem and it is very easy, but to get the best results, you should wait to cut those out last after your body has been mounted on the chassis.

Getting Your Trimming Started:
If you read the line about what tools are needed at the top of this section, you may be wondering about the two types of scissors.  If you do have two available (a good pair of straight scissors and a curved Lexan scissors) it will be a big benefit to you.  These two scissors along with a steady hand are the key to achieving the straightest lower edge lines and the easiest way to make those wheel arches round.  If you have a good desk lamp, that wouldn't hurt either!  It might just help you to see the trim lines a little better.

Now for the easy part: The trimming!  Trimming your body is very straight forward.  All you have to do is stay on the lines.  It's that simple...Well almost that simple!

Prep Cutting:
Start by cutting off all the excess Lexan that is around the base of the body.  Stay about 1/2" (1.25cm) away from and below the lower cut lines.  Doing this allows you to get your hands closer to the cut lines without having to fight with the stiff and perhaps sharp edges around the body.  Also, and more importantly, it will make the body a little more flexible so that when you are trimming the body you will be able to maneuver the scissors a lot easer.

Second, you should also pre-cut around the wheel openings that are marked.  On curves, you want to be about 1/4" (.75cm) away from the wheel opening lines.  This again, will let you have more freedom when you are doing the final trim on your body.  It does make it a lot easer to stay on the cut lines that are marked for you when you only have to cut through a small amount of Lexan.

Once the excess Lexan is trimmed away, cut all the easy stuff first.  Just in case you get frustrated with the more difficult curved cutting, the bulk of the trimming will already be completed and won't be affected.

Straight Line Cutting:
The first cuts you should make on the trim lines are all the lower body edge lines.

You should know that for some of you it may be easer if you cut a little closer to the lines with each cutting pass until you get to the trim line that is marked.  Making many passes might be better for you because you won't have to be pressured into cutting on the line at the start.  Only you can decide which cutting choice is more comfortable for you.

Now, if you want to achieve the straightest lines as possible you should be using a good straight scissor.  Take the straight scissor and line yourself up with the lower body edge lines on the side of the body.  Not the front or rear cut lines.  Once you have cut both of the side body lines then you can cut around the front and rear of the body.  The reason for this is to get your hands used to the scissors and the feel of the thickness of the Lexan.  The sides of the body are much easer to cut because they are usually very straight.  You will then be able to cut around the front and rear of the body with much more confidence when you first have had a little practice on the sides of the body.

If you only have a Lexan scissor available, you can use it, but you must be a little more careful while cutting.  Cut the same body locations as described above, but you want to take very small cutting strokes with the curved Lexan scissor.  Trying to make long cuts with this scissor will only result in your straight lines becoming curved or gagged.  Many racers blame the curved scissors for this when they are really using the wrong technique to do the cutting.

Trimming Wheel Openings and Other Curved Lines:
Once all of the straight lines have been cut you can now start on the curved ones.  As was said earlier, you should have a curved Lexan scissor to do this but you can use a straight one if that is all you have.  In time, if you plan to be trimming many bodies, you will want to purchase a curved scissor to make life a lot easer.

Again, please remember that it may be a lot easer for some of you to trim the body while making many passes and moving a little closer to the lines each time you make a pass.

Take the scissor (curved or straight) and make small cutting strokes to cut all the curved lines.  Remember that the tip of the curved scissor is curved in one direction; therefore, you may have to turn this kind of scissor around in your hand at certain points to achieve the best cutting lines for the different curved angles.

Note: Remember that when a body does not have the rear wheel openings marked, you should mount the body on the chassis before you cut these rear wheel openings out.  This will allow for a better fit.

Trimming Rear Wheel Openings:
After the body is mounted completely with the body pins holding it securely in place, you should start by cutting just around the outside diameter of the tire.  Keep the scissors touching against the tire as you are cutting all the way around.

By doing this, even if you have made a mistake and mounted the body a little forward or to the rear of the chassis, your rear wheel openings will still be cut out correctly.  After you have made one complete pass with the scissors, you can now start to shape the opening as you see fit.  

Cut just a little at a time until you get them shaped exactly the way you want them.  Keep cutting a little wider each time until you are satisfied with the spacing between the tire and the body.

Remember to keep the opening around the tire wide enough so your tires won't scrape or get caught on the body.  Not enough space will only lead to replacing your tires more often because of damage from the body.  Plus, the extra friction caused by the scraping could slow your car down and prematurely dump your batteries.

How are you doing so far?  As we said, it's not that bad if you just stay on the lines that are marked for you.  And after you have done a few bodies, this will all become part of the fun of R/C.

Slam it Down Trimming vs. The Right Way:
Slamming down the body may look cool, but if you cut the body so it sits lower on the chassis, therefore lowering the profile, you will be hurting the designed performance of the body.

Also, do not cut off any aero front lips, extensions, side flares...you know what we mean!  All of these elements were designed into the body shell to aid in the vehicles handling and if you are thinking of cutting and lowering just the rear of the body, think again!

Any spoiler or rear mounted wing is most effective when up in the clean air.  By cutting your body and lowering all of these aero aids you will also minimize any advantage they would have given you.

The Pro Finish:
Tools Needed: Dremel Tool and a Large Sanding Drum.

If you want your body to have that pro finish look, there are a few things you can do.  Once all the trimming has been completed there may be some fine tuning you can do to the body.

You can sand any small imperfections away with the aid of a Dremel type tool if you have one.  But the time you may have to spend on this, even if it is only 10 minutes or so, may not be needed unless you want the absolute perfect job.

Even the best body trimmers use a Dremel type tool to clean up the edges of the body.  As you do all of your cutting with the curved scissors or even with the straight scissors, you leave a very small uneven edge as you cut.  You may have to look close, but they are on the body in some places.

A quick word about the Dremel Tool.  A battery operated Dremel Tool vs. an electric tool would be recommended for you to use.  Even though you have to recharge the tool often, it runs at a slower speed than the standard electric tool with an on/off switch.  This slower speed will greatly help you out.  A variable speed Dremel Tool used at the slowest speed will be OK.

WARNING: Dremel Tools are very dangerous if not handled carefully.  Be sure not to place the tool down unless it has been turned off first and allowed to stop rotating.  All electric or battery powered tools should not be used without reading the instructions first.  Young adults should not be using these tools without parental guidance.

We know that all you young kids know everything, but please, for your own safety, be careful!

In order to fine tune your trim job properly, you want to take the Dremel Tool and use the largest sanding drum you can get your hands on.  The large sanding drum will make the sanding much easer for you since the larger drum has a much bigger sanding area that will be coming in contact with the body edges.

Once you have the large sanding drum attached to the Dremel Tool use it on the slow speed.  If you use the Dremel on fast or high, you run the risk of sanding to much to quickly and damaging your work of art (the body).

Be very careful not to sand to much.  It will be better to take a little longer and sand small amounts each time rather than pressing harder or trying to sand with larger strokes to save time.  It will only cost you in the long run.

The wheel openings are the best and easiest places to start.  Since the wheel openings are curved to begin with, you almost can't ruin them.  Gently run the tool around the inside of the wheel opening and this will smooth the line and help you adjust the curve if need be.

The straight edges are a little more difficult because the sanding tool is round and the edges you want to sand are straight.  This is where the largest sanding drum really becomes a benefit to you.  Again, take your time and only do what you think is necessary.  Don't go overboard with the Dremel Tool or you will be sanding the body until there is nothing left of it.

You may find that using the Dremel Tool takes a lot of practice in order to smooth out all the lines properly, but give yourself a chance and your talent will grow in time.
Detailing With Decals
Finishing touches before you smash it all up.
Tools Needed: Hobby Knife, Pressing Tool, Cutting Matt (optional) and some Talent. Just kidding about the talent.

Everybody wants to run a body that looks cool, and the best part is that you don't have to be an expert painter to make it look that way.  With a few decals here and there, your body can be as much a head turner as the concourse winner!

It may seem to many people that a topic like detailing would not even be necessary to read, but many hobbyist don't take the necessary time or care needed to finish off their body the right way.  They spend hours planning out the perfect paint job for their body and then ruin it with terrible decal application techniques.  Sometimes, it can be the decals they choose, but most of the time it's how they applied them.

When it comes to applying the decals, the first thing all of you will have to do is cut them out.  This is because the images are printed on a clear vinyl type material.  Everyone must do this, even the pro's, unless of course, you have one of our Hot Bodies bodies that comes with our exclusive "Peel & Stick" head light / tail light decals.

Know matter what type of clear backed decals you are going to use, here are the basics to get you headed in the right direction. 

Getting Started:
Tools Needed: Hobby Knife and a Cutting Matt (optional)

You should...no, you must, use a sharp hobby knife in order to cut the decals properly.  There is no substitute for a sharp knife.  You will only be wasting your time and get a rotten job, to boot, if you use anything but a sharp blade.  Save all your old blades for something else, but not for cutting your decals.  Have I made myself clear?  A new, sharp, unused, not dull hobby knife blade!

You also want to make sure that when you do cut the decals, you cut them on a cutting surface.  Note: A cutting surface is not the top of the dining room table or the kitchen counter top!  Your mom or worse yet, your wife will never let you hear the end of it!

There are specially designed cutting mats available that won't get damaged during repeated use.  If you can get one of these, they are well worth the money.  If not, then you should be cutting on an old magazine, card board or piece of wood.  A cutting base will make your life a lot easer when cutting, and could also keep you from getting yelled at.

Decal Cutting:
The trick to cutting decals is, you need to keep a steady hand.  This is accomplished by (here we go again) using a sharp knife!  When you cut into the decal sheet, you want to make nice, smooth movements with the hobby knife.  Not pressing to hard or digging into the decal sheet all the way so it goes through the paper backing.  Pressing lightly is all you have to do to get the job done.  The film that the decal is made of is very thin, so only a little effort is needed.

We only mention this because if you cut to deeply into the decal sheet it will be much harder to remove the decal from the backing.  This will not only be very frustrating to you, but more importantly, it will take all the fun out of decaling your body because of the extra fumbling you will have to do in order to remove the decal from the backing.

Try to cut as neatly as you can and as close as you can to the image.  In time you will be able to handle the hobby knife like a pro, therefore just try to stay as close to the printed image as you can for now.  If you cut and leave to much of the clear sheet surrounding the image, it will only show up when the light hits your body.  In time, you will be looking for the decals to appear as if they were painted on the body.  Minimizing the extra surrounding clear area from the decal image when you are cutting them out, will help with you achieve this illusion.

Also, try to keep the knife moving with curved lines at the corners when you are cutting around the image.  If you use a "stop & go" cutting style, most likely you will have cut the image out using a series of straight lines instead of curved lines.  Again, this will show when your body is in the light and straight lines really don't look too good.  The light will reflect off these straight cuts and make the decal look as if it had been all hacked up instead of cut neatly or painted on the body.  This is where using the proper technique and a sharp hobby knife really becomes effective.

Now, some people like to cut all the decals out first and then apply them to the body later.  You should, however cut & apply as you go.  This will eliminate you from any unnecessary cutting of decals that you will not be using and applying to the body.  Why should you waist your time cutting them now if you are only going to put them on another body or even worse yet, not use them at all.  Also, you will not be board with this task when you cut & apply the decals as you go.  Your interest will stay peeked and decaling will seem to go much faster.

Decal Application Prep:
Tools Needed: Hobby Knife and a pressing tool.

The first thing you must do before any decal application can take place is wash your hands.  Sounds silly doesn't it, but most people don't realize that your fingerprints will show through the clear areas of the decals if your hands aren't very clean.  They get on the underside of the decal and can't be wiped off the surface of the body.  We know it's not supper time yet, but go and wash up anyway.  You'll have less germs on your hands and even less fingerprints on your body.

Now some of you may want to use your fingers to put all the decals on the body.  This is OK, but you may want to try to use a hobby knife with one of those dull blades you have been saving.  You can use the knife to hold the decal in order to achieve a better or more accurate placement of the decal.

The knife will also let you visually see the decal in it's pre-proposed location before you stick it to the body without your fingers getting in the way.  A hobby knife may even make it easer for you to remove the decal from the backing sheet or from the body once it has been applied.

When you finally start and are pealing your decals off the backing, be sure you don't yank it or pull them too hard or too fast.  You could rip the decal very easily.  This can happen if you didn't cut through the decal material enough or the cuts you made around the decal were not connected together properly.

Applying The Decals: 
As you start to apply the decals to the sides of the body, you should apply them gently not pressing them firmly into place.  Also, you should complete only one side of the body at a time.  The reason for all this is that just in case you decide to reposition any or all the decals around the body, this will prevent you from having to reposition them twice.  Once for each side.  It is a good habit to get into to.  You will also be able to apply the decals differently on each side in order to make a better decision on their overall placement.

As you are placing the decals, you should place most of them down from left to right or right to left.  Whichever is easer or more natural for you.  But any large decals should be placed center first, and then letting the sides roll out to the edges.  This will make it easer for you to prevent any air bubbles or wrinkles from forming under the decal.

You will find that some decals might stretch a bit.  This may happen if they have been printed on a premium type material.  But don't worry, this can be a big help when you are putting the decals around some of the bodies curved edges.

Make sure you press the decal down firmly so all edges are in place and not lifted or folded.  If you have air trapped under the decal lift it gently and reapply it to the body while you are smoothing it out as you go.

Correct Decal Placement:
If you don't like the placement of any decal you applied, just lift it off and reapply the decal to the new location of your choice or put it back on the decal sheet.  It's not a big deal to do it now, but it may be harder to remove the decal in a few days.

Some decals use special glues that make it easy to remove and relocate them as soon as they are applied, but some will also become stronger and then harder to remove after a day or so.  Some may even leave a film on the body while others will not even be able to be reapplied if they are removed after they were on the body a few days.

Don't forget to use your finger or a pressing tool in and around all the sharp grooved edges of the body, but be careful with some decals.  You may have to use a tissue over some decals before pressing them down with a tool because some inks may scratch a bit or leave a mark while pressing them into the tight or angled spots on the body.

Remember, your the one that should be happy with the placement of each of the decals that you are applying.  It may take some time to get the desired look just right and the way you want it, but take the time and you will be much happier when you are done.  

If you are trying to copy another car or body you have seen, it will be a lot easer to select the right locations for the decals because all the thinking has already been done by someone else.  You just need to place your decals where the others are on the original car you are using as a guide.

Decaling is just another way to make your car look realistic, customized or cool, and it is the last step that is needed to give your body that "Wow" initial impact.  So, take your time and get it right!   Anyway you look at it, you're the one that must be satisfied with it, and besides, who cares about anyone else!    

It Looks Great:
Congratulations, it's complete!  Now before you go out and wreck your work of art, you should take the time and enjoy it for a few moments.  You may not have this body in this kind of condition for long, so make sure you show it off and make your time and effort worthwhile.  Be proud of the work that you did and by doing so, it will make the next body that much easer and a lot more enjoyable for you to do.

Now go and tear up that body and have fun doing so!  Remember, it's only a hobby and it's all for fun!  But if you still don't have it mounted on the chassis yet, then you should start reading the next topic!
Mounting The Masterpiece
If that's what you call it.

Tools Needed: Sharpie Marker, Hole Maker (Hobby Knife, Hole Puncher, or Dremel Tool) and some Patience.

Because many of our bodies are designed to fit a variety of different manufacturers chassis, we cannot always put the location marks for the mounting holes in the bodies.  Don't worry because this isn't as hard as you may think.

Aligning Your Body:
The most important part of mounting your body is centering the body.  You must center the body from left to right and then from front to back before you mark any of the body posts.  Your body will be mounted all wrong if you don't take the time and align the body properly before you make the holes for the body posts.

You need to place the body over the chassis and align it so it is centered left to right and front to back.  

Once you have centered the body over the chassis you can make your marks on the outside or the inside of the body.  You should make the markings on the outside with a Sharpie marker, and if you are marking on the inside of the body you should use a felt tipped marker.  

Make sure that when you are marking the holes on the body that the body is sitting on top of the body posts in somewhat of a level manner.  If either the front or the rear body posts are way to tall and the body is very angled during the marking process, the holes will be marked in the wrong place.

You may have to trim the body posts a small amount in order to have the holes positioned in the right places, but don't worry, you were going to cut down the body posts later anyway.

Remember, the most important step is centering the body from left to right and then from front to back before you mark the body posts.

Marking The Body Post Holes On A Clear Body:
Tools Needed: Sharpie Marker.

The easiest way to mark your body post holes is to mark the body while it's still clear.  All you have to do is place your body on the body posts and center it as stated above under "Aligning Your Body."  Remember to center it from side to side and front to rear.

If you are going to mark your posts in that way, you will only have to put one small marking dot on the outside of the body where each body post is going to come through the body.  Again, you only have to make a very small mark on the body to mark the hole locations.  

Some markers, like the "Sharpie" brand of permanent markers, can be removed from Lexan bodies with denatured alcohol if you make a mark in the wrong place.  But it is always a good idea before you start, to first test the marker on some part of the body that's going to be trimmed away later.

DO NOT use any other solvents to remove the markings.  Using any Paint Thinners, Motor Spray or other industrial solvents like one of these to clean your body will only cause you to have to order another new body fast.

Marking The Body Post Holes On A Painted Body:
Tools Needed: Felt Tipped Marker.

Now, if your body is already painted, don't worry.  This will take a little more time on your part, but it is really no problem at all.

You have two options for marking the body posts holes on your painted body.

Light colored and or transparent colored coat of paint on the body;
If your body has a very light coat of paint or the paint is somewhat transparent, you can place your body on the body posts and center it as stated above under "Aligning Your Body."  Remember to center it from side to side and front to rear.

Once your body is centered, lift the chassis with the body on it slowly above your head so the body doesn't move and look up from under the body.  You want to look at one of the body posts and then through the paint in the direction of a light source.

In the light, you will be able to see the shadow of the point of the marker through the paint.  Now take your Sharpie marker and gently place a single small dot on the body above all the body posts and be careful not to move the body when you are marking it.

Some markers like the "Sharpie" brand of permanent markers, can be removed from Lexan bodies with denatured alcohol just in case you make a mark in the wrong location.  But it is always a good idea before you start to first test the marker on some part of the body that's going to be trimmed away later.

DO NOT use any other solvents to remove the markings.  Using any Paint Thinners, Motor Spray or other industrial solvents like one of these to clean your body will only cause you to have to order another new body fast.

Heavy coat of paint on the body;
If your body has a very heavy paint job on it, don't worry, it's OK.  All you have to do is place your body on the body posts and center it as stated above under "Aligning Your Body."  Remember to center it from side to side and front to rear.

Once your body is centered, lift the chassis with the body on it slowly above your head and be careful the body doesn't move.  Now look up from under the body and locate the body posts.  Take your Sharpie or other felt tipped marker and make a few marks or dots around each of the posts on the inside of the body.  Do this very gently and be careful not to move the body when you are making the marks.  As you mark each post, check to see if the body has moved or shifted.  If it has, relocate it again before you finish marking all the posts.

It is best to make four dots around each of the body posts.  But you should make no less than three marks or dots around each one if the space is limited onside the body.  The more dots you are able to make around the post, the easer it will be to locate the center of the body post holes from the inside of the body.

Putting The Holes In Your Body:
Tools Needed: Hobby Knife, Hole Puncher, or Dremel Tool.

Now here's something else you need to remember.  Small body post holes are better than larger ones that's is the rule!

We talked about this earlier.  You can always make your body post holes larger, but you can't make them smaller.  So, know matter how accurate you think you are always make small test holes first.

Here are a few of the different ways you can put the holes in your body.

Dremel Tool:
If you have a Dremel Tool, you can use a small pointed grinding stone to drill the holes in you body.  You must use the Dremel Tool on a high speed so the stone will not get jammed in the body.  Be careful not to press too hard at the beginning.  Wait until the stone starts to go through the Lexan body and then you can apply more pressure.  It is very easy to make the hole too large with the Dremel so be careful. 

WARNING: Dremel Tools are very dangerous if not handled carefully.  Be sure not to place the tool down unless it has been turned off first and allowed to stop rotating.  All electric or battery powered tools should not be used without reading the instructions first.  Young adults should not be using these tools without parental guidance.

We only mention this for your own safety, so please be careful!

Hole Puncher:
This is a very easy and safe way of putting a hole in your bodies.  There are a few different types of hole punchers on the market and they all come with instructions for their use.  If you can get your hands on one of these, you will get many years of use out of it.  If taken care of, it will last forever.

Hobby Knife:
This may be the most convenient way to get a hole in your body, but it is also the most dangerous.  Hobby knives are sharp!  So be very careful with them.

WARNING: Never leave a hobby knife out in the open with the blade still in place.  You should take the blade out and reverse it (put it in the handle upside down), or you should put the blade in a separate location.  The package it came in is a possibility.

If you are going to use a hobby knife to make the holes in your body, you start by placing the knife point first on the center of your mark.  Slowly start to spin the handle around and the point will drill itself into the Lexan body.  Do not put to much pressure on the blade or it might break off.  Gently turn the handle until the blade starts to pierce the body.

Once the blade has started to go through the Lexan, turn the handle first in one direction and then the other (clockwise and then counter clockwise).  After you have a small hole in the body, you can check to see if you positioned them properly.  If you did, then you can continue until the hole is the right size in diameter.

Again, please be careful with the hobby knife.  These blades are so sharp, you could cut yourself without even knowing it.

Adjusting The Body On The Chassis:
The main thing you should remember is to look at the lower body cut line of the body and then mount the body with this cut line even with the bottom of the chassis.

Lower is sometimes better, but for most all types of racing, the body SHOULD NOT be mounted below the bottom of the chassis.

If the body were to extend below the chassis, it could drag on the track surface when cornering or even hang up over the jumps if you are racing Off-Road.  This extra drag and friction could  slow your speeds, affect the handling, and reduce your battery runtime.

Most major On-Road races have rules about how far off the track surface your R/C car is allowed to be (Minimum heights).  No matter what distance is allowed in the rules, if your body was hanging below the chassis, it is at this point were your car would be measured in tech (The lowest part of your car).  If your body is mounted in this fashion, you are now racing with a major disadvantage.

When your chassis is higher than it should be, you are raising your cars center of gravity and therefore changing the cars natural balance and handling.  Mounting the body even with the bottom of the chassis will let you take full advantage of the rules and improve your cars drivability.

One other note - this is about slamming the body.  Slamming or cutting and mounting the body lower than it is intended may look cool, but if you do cut and mount the body so it sits lower on the chassis (lowering the profile), you will be hurting the designed performance the body.  It may look cool, but lower does not always mean better.

Now if your thinking it will be OK to just lower the rear of the body, think again.  Any spoiler or rear mounted wing is most effective when up in the clean air.  By lowering all of these aero aids will only minimize any advantage you would have gained from them.  They are there for a reason so take full advantage of them.

Trimming Rear Wheel Openings If Needed:
Here is a short set of instructions just in case you are working with a body that needs its rear wheel openings still cut out after it's mounted.

You should start by cutting just around the outside diameter of the tire.  A curved scissor is best, but you can use a straight one if that's all that you have.  Keep the scissors touching against the tire as you cut all the way around it.

By doing this, even if you have made a mistake and mounted the body just a little bit forward or to the rear of the chassis (never happen), your rear wheel openings will still be cut out correctly.  After you have made one complete pass with the scissor, you can now start to shape the opening to get the desired spacing you want between the tire and the body.  

Just cut a little at a time until you get the wheel openings shaped just the way you want them.  Keep cutting a little wider each time, until you are satisfied with the spacing.

Remember to keep the opening around the tire wide enough so your tires won't scrape or get caught on the body.  Not keeping enough space could lead to replacing your tires more often because they can get cut or damaged from the body.  Plus, the extra friction caused by any body scraping could slow your car down and prematurely dump your batteries.  Not a good thing if you're in a race!

Final Trimming:
After the body has been completely mounted, with the body pins holding it securely in place, you may need to do some final trimming to get it to look perfect.

Take your scissor or Dremel Tool and look around the bottom of the body and around the wheel openings.  If anything doesn't look right, then fix it.

Just make sure the body isn't too low and you also have enough space between the tires and the body.

You have the tools and you know what to do, so get to it!

Now The Part We've Been Waiting For:
It's finally here!  It's time to go out and have some fun with your R/C Toys!  

Now go, have a good time and don't worry if you end up smashing your body into a million pieces.  We'll make more!

Besides, you can now do it all over again because you know all you need to know about How 2 do it all the right way!

Who said that too much information can be dangerous?







Psychological Help
After all that work, it still got wrecked!
So, what's the matter.  You took all that time to decide on a fancy paint scheme, painted it and in only 5 minutes it's all smashed up.  Don't worry, your friends won't laugh at you, at least not until you leave the pit area.

So big deal, your body doesn't look that good now, I hate to be the one telling you this, but it didn't look that good before you wrecked it.

Don't worry, after you go through another dozen or so bodies you won't even realize how much work and fun all this painting can be!  Right?

Don't cry about your busted up body!  At some tracks the best paint concourse rules make you run the body at least one lap in order to claim the big first prize.  You make the choice.  One lap or the whole race, but you will have to win the prize first.  Don't worry, I don't think anybody is going to be forcing you to run your body any time soon.

Just laugh, go with the flow and it will all get better!...Just kidding!

One bit of advice.  In the future, take a picture, it will last longer.

Did you really think you were going to get some psychological help under this subject heading?...I didn't think so!
For The Experts

If you're such an expert, than why are you here?