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Sherwin Williams Paint School

Vansconvert

Well Known Member
Today I finished day 1 of 2 at Sherwin Williams painting seminar in Andover, KS. Learned a lot! The two instructors are top notch- these are the same 2 technical guys that literally travel the world helping people with their paint applications/problems.

The entire product line was explained and we had a couple hours in the paint room spraying a couple different primers, fillers, and top coats.

In no time, they had me doing some pretty decent panels. They were looking over my shoulder to correct my mistakes, and if I could paint my project like I was painting by the end of the day, I would be one happy guy.

If anybody is interested in attending, they have sessions about 5 times a year and the next session is in Sept. It costs $299, which I think is a bargain because not only did I get the knowledge and the criticing, but I probably asked about $100 worth of stupid questions, went through 200 bucks worth of materials today and didn't have to clean up a thing.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a focus on there Fill Bond product - used to fill in rivets / deep scratches / etc. and how to repair damaged areas.
 
Cool! Do you know if they move around the country? I'd like to attend a class in my area (SF, CA). Any contact info?
 
I was just looking into that training and thought it looked good. Can you find out if they would let you bring your own gun so you could learn to spray their material with your own equipment?
 
http://www.swaerospace.com/products/paint-systems/general-aviation-systems/

I left the business cards of both of the instructors in the classroom for tomorrow, but the above link will get you to the information.

My understanding is they do not go around the country doing seminars for groups of individuals for you and I. I think it would be tough to do that because they would have to drag along a lot of supplies and would not have the spray booth equipment they are used to.

As for the paint gun question, I brought mine along and they said great! we will help you learn on it. Tomorrow I will break it out.

Really, these guys are just great - they could not do enough for us.
 
Cool! Do you know if they move around the country? I'd like to attend a class in my area (SF, CA). Any contact info?

You might try Brian with Alliance Coatings down in San Diego. They are the SW rep I get all my stuff from. They might not hold the class but be able to point you in the right direction.
 
I really learned a tremendous amount today.

What I couldn't believe is that they do not have a booth at Oshkosh. When they realized I live close ( 2.5 hours) to the EAA convention, they were asking me questions about it and I told them, this is the one show you need to have a presence at.
 
I did the class with a friend (hi Lenny).
Really glad I did it
Made it clear to me that I wanted someone else to paint my plane
Tom H
 
This sort of thing is just what the RV hotel is for! There are several of us within just a few minutes' drive of SW in Andover.

I'm seriously considering the September class if anyone wants to join. What I hope to get from it is either the confidence to paint my plane myself, or, like Tom, the clarity that I should just pay someone else to do it. Either way it will be $299 well spent.
 
So, I haven't graduated from a school in 30 years, but I graduated from Sherwin Williams' seminar this afternoon.

Another really informative and hands on day. Shot another one of their color products, in my own gun, which the instructor helped me get familiar with no less. The panels turned out really nice. It gave me a lot of confidence.

We had demos on shooting metallics, clear coats, fixing screw ups, cutting and buffing. At the end of the day there was all the time anyone wanted to ask any questions. I think I am in first place for asking the greatest amount of questions. And hey, the instructor was very very good about answering them.

I just can't say enough about about this class! I don't know of a comparable seminar anywhere. Took a lot of the mystique out of it.

By the way, everything was shot with HVLP equipment.
 
highly recommended

I attended this a couple of years ago, and when I arrived there I knew nothing about painting, other than using my HF primer gun... which is not much at all.

These guys were awesome and they really knew what they were doing. One of the guys (Sal) worked there for twenty some years.

I bought the same gun they use, took pictures of all their equipment and tried to replicate everything at home. It still took me a while to get the hang of it, but they did give me the confidence that I can paint my plane.

The biggest help was that later on I was able to call these guys when I ran into problems. Hahh, I painted the elevators at least 3 times, HS a couple times too :)

I did paint my plane, and while it's not as perfect as I would like it to be i'm still happy with the outcome.

One cool and simple thing they showed us was how to paint texture with their JetFlex interior paint.

If you are going to paint your plane with SW paint do not miss this class!
 
So you painted the plane

Can you tell us which product you used, and how much material it took? I'm wanting to start that project myself...
Tks
Ron
9A
 
We practiced painting 2"x2" aluminum sheets.
I did ask and got a detailed step by step description of what products I needed to use on both metal and fiberglass, but no actual fiberglass practice.
One thing you can do is practice painting the wheelpants. If you can paint an egg shape like that without runs, you're good to go :)
 
Which SW Paint Products

So, please tell us. Which of the Sherwin paint and primer products are best aligned for RV's ? They list so many on their website. But I'll be there is a primer and paint product that is recommended for the exterior? So which ones?

And do you think it possible to paint plane yourself, in garage, in make shift paint booth, part by part, or am I hallucinating?

thanks
 
Here is what the instructor and I worked out for aluminum.
product number 110150 Wax and Grease Remover. Follow with a hot water alkaline soap solution scrubbed with a red scotchbrite pad. Follow with a phosphoric acid etch treatment like Alumnaprep, follow with AC-131 formerly known as Boegel and now a 3M product. Then product number xxx787 corrosion inhibiter (can't remember the first 3 numbers but it is on their website. Then xxx922 build primer if you need to hide scratches, or any other primer in their line-up if you do not. Then for color, either AcrylGlo or Skyscapes. Skycapes needs two coats of clear over it for UV protection, where as AcrylGlo can be clearcoated but does not need to be.
 
I've been thinking about it. It's not too far away and not too expensive, but I don't know that I'll be able to make September work. Probably looking at next year instead.
 
The application makes it look like this class is actually intended for paint shop professionals. Do they mind that a bunch of homebuilders are attending this workshop?
 
Sherwin Williams Painting Class

I'm sending in my registration for Sherwin Williams class for this June 2015. What is the RV hotel that Kurt mentions?
 
Dont have to be a pro

My neihgbor is going next month or two and he talked to the guy who puts the class on and he said many homebuilders attend so does not sound like you have to be a painter. I have painted a few cars with good results. The biggest part is using the correct products and the prep.
 
Sherwin Williams Class

Just finished the class and it is exactly what home builders need. Of 9 guys in the class 6 were RV builders. I now know which paint products are right for me and the full process of preparing aluminum and fiberglass, wash priming, priming, top coating (painting) and polishing. We also learned about equipment to use. If you are not a painter, confused about the products but want to gain enough skill and confidence to paint the plane you've built, then take this class.
Have Fun
 
Here is what the instructor and I worked out for aluminum.
product number 110150 Wax and Grease Remover. Follow with a hot water alkaline soap solution scrubbed with a red scotchbrite pad. Follow with a phosphoric acid etch treatment like Alumnaprep, follow with AC-131 formerly known as Boegel and now a 3M product. Then product number xxx787 corrosion inhibiter (can't remember the first 3 numbers but it is on their website. Then xxx922 build primer if you need to hide scratches, or any other primer in their line-up if you do not. Then for color, either AcrylGlo or Skyscapes. Skycapes needs two coats of clear over it for UV protection, where as AcrylGlo can be clearcoated but does not need to be.

I've been using JetGlo/Acryglo for over 20 years, I feel old now :(. Back when I started it was Pratt & Lambert paint. It's great stuff and the best you can put on your plane.

A big down side to Skyscapes is that it only comes by the gallon. I needed a pint of orange awhile back and now I'm stuck with a ton of orange that I'll likely never use.
 
2016 Courses dates posted

Dates:

• February 16-17, 2016
• April 19-20, 2016
• July 19-20, 2016
• September 20-21, 2016
• November 8-9, 2016

Agenda:

• Surface Pretreatment
• Primer Systems
• Top Coats
o Jet Glo Express™ polyester urethane
o Jet Glo® polyester urethane
o Acry Glo® and Acry Glo® HS acrylic urethane
o JetFlex® polyurethane enamel (interior coating)
o SKYscapes® polyester urethane basecoat/clearcoat
o SKYscapes® General Aviation acrylic urethane basecoat/clearcoat
Cost:

$349 per person and includes:
Classroom and hands-on training with skilled professionals
Training book and related materials
Lunch each day
PPE (Safety Equipment)
Training Certificate

https://www.swaerospace.com/about-u...rainingcoursedetail.html#sthash.GVm9PB3t.dpuf
 
Help - On Registering for S-W Painting School

I am not having much luck in "contact us" with Sherwin-Williams corporate home page to register for their painting school.

Can somebody give me the "secret handshake" needed to do so?

Thanks in advance - it sounds like fun and I would really like to go!

David Howe
 
Glad I happened on this thread, as I've been planning to attend this training sometime this year. Sounds like exactly what I'm looking for... and what I need.
 
Hi Guys,

I spoke to this young lady .... Booked in for the Feb course.

Cheers Jim

Katie Lamb
[email protected]
Sherwin Williams Aerospace
415 E. Commerce
Andover, KS 67002
316-733-7576 Ext. 603
 
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Katie Lamb was quick to respond to my email, and I've registered for the April class. Now if only I'd hear back from Synergy Air about the Quickbuild class, I'll have a busy April!
(Heard back from Wally at Synergy Air; got the last slot in the quickbuilding class! Yee Hah!)
 
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April Training Class

If you go to the April 19-20 class, I'll be the one with the red RV3 T-shirt.

David Howe
 
Just tried to get signed up for the April class, they told me it has been canceled. I'll probably try to go to the one in July.

Mark
 
Just tried to get signed up for the April class, they told me it has been canceled. I'll probably try to go to the one in July.

Mark

Yeah, I just found that out... and I'm gutted. I had planned a two-week road trip combining the Sherwin-Williams Training Program and the Synergy Air Quickbuilding seminar; included a lot of fun side trips, museum visits and warbird rides... now all changed. Not happy:mad: Oh... and I also hate emojis. Did I mention that? Grr. Must go work with my hands now to change my mood.
 
Attended the Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Coatings Training Program last week, September 20 and 21 in Andover, KS. Worth every mile driven and every penny spent. Steve Voisin and Sal Gomez were facilitators; including myself there were six attendees. Five were RV Builders; one was a very experienced painter (25+ years) doing research on Cirrus factory repair work he was doing. Steve and Sal were flexible with the syllabus and tailored the training to exactly what we all needed to learn. Got a lot of study material, free respirator, great advice and a lot of questions answered... and even a couple of lunches at their expense. Don't miss the restaurant at Lloyd Stearman Field in Benton... had some great times there. I highly recommend this training program.
 
Does anyone know if SW is still putting on their paint seminar/classes mentioned here? Their website is vast and not easy to find any information about in-person training.
 
I went to paint school in 2016. Found it very helpful. They concentrated on their Skyscapes GA paint system and went through all the steps for metal aircraft. I painted my airplane a couple of years ago and had no major problems. It is a lot of work though!
Stewart Willoughby, 6
 
Thanks guys! I am wanting to attend so I can get a handle on if it’s something I could tackle myself, or leave it to pros.
 
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