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Permalink Reply by Phillip Owens on January 4, 2011 at 2:11pm

Ok, here it is:

Paint Process

 

　

Now for the basic information; Paint and process.

The Paint I chose was ACE Hardware Premium Latex, the primer is ACE Hardware Galvanized and Aluminum Primer. There is also available a Krylon Latex Clear Coat, the additional items you will need are Automotive windshield washer fluid, I am using the blue colored stuff, and a product called FlowTrol.

First I prepare the surface with a 3-m scratch pad to give me some tooth for the primer, clean with liquid solvent, In a coffee can I put about 1to 1-1/2" of FlowTrol in the bottom and then add primer to about 3/4 to 4/5th's of what it would take to fill the spray gun, Then I stir and add the windshield washer fluid to thin until I can get the paint to run off the stick and go from a run to a drip between 4 and 5 seconds, you may need to experiment for yourself the adjustment that works best for you.

I then strain this into my spray gun and set the air pressure at 80#psi, ya I know that is real high, I shut off the controls on the gun and then re set them spraying against a sheet of paper until I get the mix I want, then I spray the part, I use light coats and find that in using a reasonably fine mist by the time I reach from one side of the wing to the other the first part has flash dried and I can go back and add the next coat. By doing this I found the paint flowed out flat without any runs or any type of orange pealing. I layed on enough to cover the part for protection as I know I will be putting paint over it later. I use the same process with the colored paint and after only a little practice found it was very easy to put on and the results look great, but will look better after the clear coat.

Latex paint runs in the area of about $20-$30 which is a lot better than the $300 a gallon for the aircraft stuff and is non-toxic. Now does it look as good as the expensive stuff, probably not but I was not building a show plane it is a working plane and a fun to fly plane I am not looking for any trophy's.

Another thought which has come up since I did my project is Auto Zone and other Automotive stores carry the Dupli-color brand of paints, these are automotive paints of a lacquer base and are ready to use out of the can, this may be a little more costly but I am sure the end result would be a better looking result, however, this is back to toxic or semi toxic materiel's and will require respiratory protection etc.

 

So for the paint is holding up well and as I said I expect it to do better after clear coating it. I hope I have answered your questions and have been of some assistance, You a

re of course welcome to come and visit any time. There are photos of my plane on my page, please keep in mind I have not finished the paint process until I have flown off all of the required time.

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Permalink Reply by joshua knowles on January 5, 2011 at 12:44am

thanks so much for that.  will start looking into this.!

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Permalink Reply by Ken Podaima on January 6, 2011 at 9:38pm

Check out  the Stewart Paint System. Its a safe to use waterborne paint and prep system. They also have how to paint videos on Youtbe

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Permalink Reply by joshua knowles on January 7, 2011 at 6:14am

thanks ken!

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