I have made fiberglass parts to screw down my windshield and canopy. Both are removable. I would like to paint the outside of the plexiglass where it is under the fiberglass black. Then I'll install the fiberglass with a little calking and screw it down. Does anyone know what paint would work on the plexi? I know lacquer paints are a no no. I was thinking to use the paint that is used on R/C car clear plastic bodies, but I know nothing about it. I was hoping someone has some experience in this area. Thanks Richard.
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Painting the Plexi on a slider
- Thread starter RFazio
- Start date
gvgoff99
Well Known Member
SEM
Mel is correct. The consensus at Cessna Pilot's Assn (CPA) and from my personal experience is that SEM is the best brand of these to use on plastic. The following is from several posts on the CPA site that I kept because I did not want to forget the brand name of the paint. It is GOOD paint for plastic. I painted a Royalite (Cessna plastic) panel with it and it was still looking like new when I sold my share of the plane 4 years later. I went from an original black panel to a beige color and you could never tell that it was a paint job. No chipping, scratching or other ugly stuff that some paint does.
Go to an Auto Body Supply Shop and ask for SEM brand products. Follow the directions to the letter. For best results, do not get creative. Wear a good quality paint respirator. This stuff if bad for you. ..... JBC
I second this post. The SEM brand paint is not cheap but it's good. I'm not a great painter but somehow this stuff dries with no runs, no drips. And yes it does "mist", wear at least a mask. We did a token cleaning with ethanol prior to painting, and after using fiberglass and PVC pipe cement to repair the cracks.
I used SEM paint and it worked great. However, before I sprayed paint, I used the SEM Plastic Prep to clean the surfaces. That may help get good results.
Arne P206
Another vote for the SEM products. I painted my entire interior over 10 years ago and it still looks good. Doesn't scratch or rub off. Best part is, it looks like the factory finish, not like its been painted. Be sure to use the prep solvent "Sand Free". Spray the color while the plastic is still wet with the solvent. It works best on hard plastic or "royalite". On vinyl it comes out a little glossy. But you can top coat it with low gloss clear (also a SEM product).
Mel is correct. The consensus at Cessna Pilot's Assn (CPA) and from my personal experience is that SEM is the best brand of these to use on plastic. The following is from several posts on the CPA site that I kept because I did not want to forget the brand name of the paint. It is GOOD paint for plastic. I painted a Royalite (Cessna plastic) panel with it and it was still looking like new when I sold my share of the plane 4 years later. I went from an original black panel to a beige color and you could never tell that it was a paint job. No chipping, scratching or other ugly stuff that some paint does.
Go to an Auto Body Supply Shop and ask for SEM brand products. Follow the directions to the letter. For best results, do not get creative. Wear a good quality paint respirator. This stuff if bad for you. ..... JBC
I second this post. The SEM brand paint is not cheap but it's good. I'm not a great painter but somehow this stuff dries with no runs, no drips. And yes it does "mist", wear at least a mask. We did a token cleaning with ethanol prior to painting, and after using fiberglass and PVC pipe cement to repair the cracks.
I used SEM paint and it worked great. However, before I sprayed paint, I used the SEM Plastic Prep to clean the surfaces. That may help get good results.
Arne P206
Another vote for the SEM products. I painted my entire interior over 10 years ago and it still looks good. Doesn't scratch or rub off. Best part is, it looks like the factory finish, not like its been painted. Be sure to use the prep solvent "Sand Free". Spray the color while the plastic is still wet with the solvent. It works best on hard plastic or "royalite". On vinyl it comes out a little glossy. But you can top coat it with low gloss clear (also a SEM product).
Captain Avgas
Well Known Member
Mel said:
This is an interesting question. I would imagine that polyurethane paints would be solvent based (most likely MEK or similar). I would also imagine that formed acrylic components such as the canopy would not like MEK or similar in that it would tend to precipitate cracks forming.
RV canopies are very highly formed and when they cool they have high internal stresses built in...that's why they crack so easily. Personally I'd be worried about spraying anything onto an RV canopy that contained serious solvents.
Does anyone have any in-depth technical knowledge about this.
A little more detail...
From my painting expereince I can agree that any of the polyurethane paints seem to work fine directly on the acrylic canopy. One caution that may seem obvious but was not mentioned.
You must properly prep the surface. Sand away all visible signs of gloss with 400 grit sandpaper. If you spray directly on the canopy with out deglossing the surface, it will be peeling off in sheets.
From my painting expereince I can agree that any of the polyurethane paints seem to work fine directly on the acrylic canopy. One caution that may seem obvious but was not mentioned.
You must properly prep the surface. Sand away all visible signs of gloss with 400 grit sandpaper. If you spray directly on the canopy with out deglossing the surface, it will be peeling off in sheets.
