Automotive Paint Brand Advice

Yeah. the big aircraft are pretty much all single-stage. With light aircraft is can go either way. Single stage is cheaper and aircraft paint jobs are expensive even with that. Most basic 2-solid-color single-stage jobs start around 10K for a light GA aircraft. Too rich for my budget. I don't know what I am doing. However, at one time I could have said that about all the things I know how to do. Doesn't hurt to try...haha

 

For those that requested pictures here are a few:

This shot is pretty old, but was the last time I had the wings on. the whole project is much farther along now, but it doesn't fit in the garage with the wings mounted. I had to leave it in the driveway overnight, so I wrapped it up just in case.


A more recent picture of the interior. Excuse the blankets in the footwell, I was working on the electrical under the panel.


One more from a ways back when it was still upside-down on the assembly fixture. I was in the process of fitting and drilling the bottom skin.

 

I painted planes for a few years, and it's a pita.

As stated before me, doing base/clear on an airplane is a waste of budget, and won't hold up as well as a good urethane single stage. Use a good epoxy primer, followed by a good single stage and you'll not only be money ahead, but it will last longer. I used PPG DP primer followed by PPG Durethane paint. We tried a bunch of stuff, jetglo (which was actually Durethane with a different label) Imron (didn't hold up as well for scratch resistance and also hung off the rivet's easier) and a few others that I can't think of. Yeah, it's expensive, but can you afford to do it twice?

 

Oh yeah, last thing, which for some reason every other airplane painter seemed to do backwards, is to paint the stripes FIRST. Then mask those and paint the major color. It saves a ton of masking, and you don't get overspray on the major color. Also, make damn sure it's dry before you mask especially if you're using plastic.

 

You need to use DuPont's Imron if you want it to last. Use a brand new face mask with eye protection.

It's an airplane. And a cool one by the looks of it. Don't be a cheap ass.


end thread.

 

You guys hiring reps for pacific southwest?

 

I was more concered with doing the metalic in single stage. Seems the base-clear is a little more forgiving of screw ups. Especially witha threen color job. I didn't realize the single stage held up better though. Better uv resistance?

 

I painted my RV-4 with DuPont Nason single stage. Worked great held up well, airtech also make a great single stage paint, I have that on my cub.

 

Did you do solid colors or metalic? If metalic, how was the coverage?

 

I painted the whole airplane white than added the red trim, solid colors, is the metallic for stripe or trim etc? The new graphics and vinyl really works well, I had vinyl decals on my Pitts and it really worked well.

 

BASF Glasurit,

I used that stuff for YEARS in racing and cleaned my bikes with brake cleaner and the stuff held up GREAT

 

What plane is it? What engine will power the plane?

 

I'm planning a two tone metalic blue and white with a metalic red strip. I considered the vinyl graphics for the red, but if I am aready doing two colors, what is one more.

 

It is a Vans RV-6A with an O-360-A1A converted to an A2A configuration for use with a catto fixed pitch prop. I would love to have a constant speed prop, but that 10K wasn't in the budget.

 

Makes me glad racing is the only expensive hobby I have.

I actually wanted to join the Air force and fly jets, but when researching ROTC for college, I learned my allergies would probably keep that from happening.