8 Interior Fuselage Painting

Any top painting tips for getting into all the interesting places on the 8,
particularly around the front baggage area ?

Has to be done soon and trying to put it off...........

use a touch up gun. Smaller and fits in tighter spots.

do it early in the build prior to all the STUFF getting in the way.

I painted my interior before any flight controlls, canopy, instrument panel, top fwd skin, electrical or seats were installed. Only very minor touch up was required after those items were complete.

I also turned my fuse upside down and raised it across two work benches to allow me to stand up inside the cockpit while painting.

Used Rustoleum Hammer-On rattle can over epoxy primer and it has held up very well over the first 15 months of flying.

I did the same as Ken, upside down before anything was installed. It's not bad. Heck, I sprayed it three times; primer/base/clear. You need a good respirator and you may want bag your head as it gets real foggy in there. Two-part urethane clear is a very permanent kind of hair spray

No paint in the baggage compartment. Pointless; just gets banged up in service. None on the rear side of the firewall either; fire hazard.

Interior Fuselage painting

I agree with what Dan said but I would use an external air supplied respirator. If you can even smell it, get out!

I spent an entire day masking things off, wondering at the time if it was worth it. Still wonder.

Take a look at this photo collection I created for family and go to about the 70th photo. You can see how I painted the interior two colors to match the leather interior from Classic.


https://picasaweb.google.com/1033987...CNvoxpWw_-bLfg

I'm a big fan of Harbor Freight's pressurized spray pot (spray gun) for this type of situation. It's fairly cheap, does a really good job and the gun will spray in any position. (Must have for spraying gel-coats as well) I used it when I did the bottom of the fuselage because it allowed me to spray with the gun pointing straight up. Only draw back is clean-up is a bit more involved.

David, do you know what the model # is on the spray gun from Harbor Freight?

Thanks

Well, got it done OK.

I convert the shop into a paint booth with blue plastic tarps and a large extract fan under the roller door.

So, I manage a gentle movement of air down the shop when painting.

Additionally, I set a 12" air fan about 4 feet from the fuselage blowing over the tub, down it's length.

Using the rotisserie, I angled the fuselage at 45 degrees and got good access. Used standard HVLP gun - only because it puts paint on quite fast compared to the touch up and has very little overspray.

Short duration gun work, pause, back in, pause - worked well.

Got all the nasty places done first, left all the tops and roll bar until last.

I agree, you need to bag up well as you are going to get covered in paint.

Thanks to all who contributed.

I guess I'm taking a different path. I'm following Rick G. and only priming all interior parts with green AKZO before assembly. The intent is for every single rivet and assembly to be perfectly visible for all occupants to marvel at . Every mistake will be visible, nothing covered with primer or paint. Tanya isn't so hot on the color, but I suspect she'll get used to it.

scard said:

I guess I'm taking a different path. I'm following Rick G. and only priming all interior parts with green AKZO before assembly. The intent is for every single rivet and assembly to be perfectly visible for all occupants to marvel at . Every mistake will be visible, nothing covered with primer or paint. Tanya isn't so hot on the color, but I suspect she'll get used to it.

Click to expand...

Since AKZO is a chromated primer (strontium chromate) I wouldn't be too keen on the idea of using it uncovered in the passenger compartment since passengers could be exposed to some incidental contact (rubbing onto hands and skin). I did use AKZO to prime all of my non-visible structure.

Skylor

I like the "military" look. What I really like about Akzo is that any caveman can apply it and it always looks good. Needing no fancy equipment to apply it, I used that tiny touch up spray gun fitted with a film canister exclusively. In operational service, I wipe away dirt or stains using MEK. Don't even think about using MEK on any other less tough finish.