Zenith Aircraft Builders and Flyers
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Stewart systems paint
I’m painting my disassembled 701 kit in a booth I built in my hangar and thought I’d share what I’m learning. Number 1 don’t deviate from the instructions, and Number 2 bring a lot of patience with you when you enter the booth. Many, many light coats rather than a couple heavier ones or you will get sags and drips especially at rivet heads. I also found that rather than letting small sags and drips dry then dealing with them, if you carefully tamp them flat with your gloved finger tip or a damp sponge brush while still somewhere between wet and tacky, then come back over them with a couple light spray coats, they just go away. Also, when applying the color coats, I learned to stop when the gloss just starts to appear (it “peeks” through in the form of random glossy areas scattered throughout the flat coat of paint) and a few minutes later it (the gloss) has slowly overtaken the entire piece with no sags or runs. I discovered this after I tried to add another light coat on top the peeking gloss because I wanted to see a solid gloss coat across the entire piece before I quit spraying and I did, but it also produced sags and drips.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Don Morrisey on
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All good points. I also found while painting a previous airplane that waiting 10 to 15 minutes between the light coats really helps as well, pretty much eliminating drips.
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Permalink Reply by Perry Delano on
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Hi Jim,
Anxious to see the results.
Perry
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Permalink Reply by Bryan Walstrom on
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So overall you are enjoying using this product? Seriously considering it for my Cruzer.
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Permalink Reply by Jim and Amelia Isaacs on
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Enjoying may not be he most accurate word. It may be my lack of experience with the product but it takes my full attention and concentration to avoid runs and drips with every single pass. I don’t intend to sound overly critical, so far I’ve painted five pieces, the rudder, elevator, horizontal stabilizer, and both slats and none really need any troublesome rework. I may add another color coat on a couple of them to achieve a consistent gloss but so far so good. Like most everything else about this project, about the time I finish I’ve figured it out and my last piece will be my best. I do like the single stage, easy cleanup and environmentally safe aspects. Ill post up a picture of the rudder, I’m happy with it as is. Meantime here’s a picture of the elevator in my makeshift booth (cheap outdoor party pavilion) and my repurposed wing stands.
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Permalink Reply by Oliver Reik on
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I know everybody 'likes' unsolicited advice, but was wondering if you're doing it right!?
Stewart recommends to build up the paint with multiple smooth tack coats until full coverage is achieved, followed by a single wet coat.
While some paints are easier to spray than others, a rough finish, runs and sags are usually a result of improper technique and / or incorrect settings and / or poor equipment.
Oliver
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I wonder too! That’s the technique I’ve been using. When I’m done most are what I’d call acceptable for a novice but- only one of my five parts I would call good, the other four having an almost smooth finish with no runs or drips but the full deep gloss I achieved on the rudder is not there, I’ll have to go back over those with a gloss coat this weekend. I’ve watched the YouTube videos and think I’m following the instructions.
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Finished everything but the fuselage over the long weekend with help from my lovely shop assistant. Learned that by holding the gun too far from the metal during my passes I was creating “trash” (looked like fuzzy dust). Also gave up on the clock. Instead, by ensuring I had the right tack (sticky but no transfer of primer or paint to the glove when touched with a gloved knuckle) I could keep the gun closer when spraying. No trash and fewer passes required.
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Noticed after priming a wing (after washing and etching first), some Zinc chromate appeared as a rusty brown color at the lift strut bracket seam and a few adjacent rivet heads. The paint covered it nicely.
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I plan to paint the fuselage tomorrow. The wings and tail pieces turned out well with one wing needing some fine sanding to remove the “trash”. Orange peel varied by piece, from negligible to moderate, some light wet sanding with 1000 grit paper made it look better. I will invest in a DA buffer and some very light cut polish and finish this weekend. So far I am pleased with the look.
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Including the main landing gear, primer and paint added 7 lbs to the fuselage of my 701. Again this weight increase is only the fully assembled fuselage and excludes the wings and tail.
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Painted the cowling, spinner, and wing root skins this past weekend, that should be it for paint!
Well, except for maybe some trim colors someday soon.......
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