I'm sure this has been covered before but I may have missed it. I painted my RV7A on a very hot day and have a fair amount of orange peel. Has anyone color sanded Imron and how was it done. I have 350-3000 grit paper (used to work for a sandpaper manufacturer) just don't know if Imron is a paint that can be reworked. Any advice would be appreciated.
Van's Air Force
Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.
orange peel in Imron Paint
- Thread starter rcarson
- Start date
KTM520guy
Well Known Member
Modern Imron is not the same as Imron of old. You can color sand and buff if you want to. Around 1500 grit will work good. Get yourself a bottle of Farecla Total to buff with. That stuff is great.
If a great deal of the plane needs work, it might be better to sand the surface and respray it.
If a great deal of the plane needs work, it might be better to sand the surface and respray it.
I have no experience with Imron, but I do know that some single stage paints don't color sand well. You should try in an un-noticeable area like the belly or under the H. stab. Wet sand with 1200,1500 or 2000 depending upon the buffing compound you use. My compound takes out 1500 scratches and I usually wet sand with that. Some times 1200 followed by 1500. Some compounds want 2000.
You should know that orange peel is not really related to temp. I suppose if your activator was too fast. Did you use a slow activator? But usually orange peel is related to gun settings.
You can also knock it down with 400 or 600 and put a clear coat over it. Again, test a spot to be sure you don't have mottling.
How many coats did you put down. If it is thin, you'll need to be very carefull. The uneven surfaces of these planes makes it very easy to break through. I wet sanded my epoxy and had several break through's. Even a couple on my final color sanding. I would give some thought to living with it depending on how bad it is.
I shot one coat of clear on top of my single stage and sanded half of it off to git rid of dust and light orange peel.
Larry
You should know that orange peel is not really related to temp. I suppose if your activator was too fast. Did you use a slow activator? But usually orange peel is related to gun settings.
You can also knock it down with 400 or 600 and put a clear coat over it. Again, test a spot to be sure you don't have mottling.
How many coats did you put down. If it is thin, you'll need to be very carefull. The uneven surfaces of these planes makes it very easy to break through. I wet sanded my epoxy and had several break through's. Even a couple on my final color sanding. I would give some thought to living with it depending on how bad it is.
I shot one coat of clear on top of my single stage and sanded half of it off to git rid of dust and light orange peel.
Larry
flyboy1963
Well Known Member
Leave it!
...the dimples make the plane faster....at least 7 kts!
( golf ball aerodynamics can't be wrong! ...you might notice a slight slice at high speeds, so add rudder trim for that!!! )
...the dimples make the plane faster....at least 7 kts!
( golf ball aerodynamics can't be wrong! ...you might notice a slight slice at high speeds, so add rudder trim for that!!! )
Weasel
Well Known Member
( golf ball aerodynamics can't be wrong! ...you might notice a slight slice at high speeds, so add rudder trim for that!!! )
when they start doing it at reno.......I will consider it
BillL
Well Known Member
Not the same really? I see they have base/clears now. Can they be used to make clever paint designs with no ridges over the transitions like other base/clears? I assume after 30 days, Imron is tough as nails like the old days. It is at the top of the list for me, but based on decades old experience.
deek
Well Known Member
It really depends upon what Imron system was used to paint the plane. When Imron was introduced by DuPont in the 70's, there was simply Imron base and an Imron clear; each a 2-part polyurethane.
Now there are (at least) 4 Imron systems:
Imron 6000
Imron 5000
Imron 2000
Imron Elite - both single stage and two stage systems
Some States restrict sales of some Imron systems due to VOC limits.
In my experience Imron Elite is most like the original high VOC Imron in as sprayed DOI and gloss, but is much easier to spot repair color sand and polish. Imron Elite is much less susceptible to orange peel and sprays well out of conventional (not HVLP) spray equipment at high atomization pressure - just like the original Imron formulations.
Imron 2000, 5000 and 6000 are more difficult to color sand and polish UNLESS you catch it ~48 hours after painting or wait a couple of years.
Now there are (at least) 4 Imron systems:
Imron 6000
Imron 5000
Imron 2000
Imron Elite - both single stage and two stage systems
Some States restrict sales of some Imron systems due to VOC limits.
In my experience Imron Elite is most like the original high VOC Imron in as sprayed DOI and gloss, but is much easier to spot repair color sand and polish. Imron Elite is much less susceptible to orange peel and sprays well out of conventional (not HVLP) spray equipment at high atomization pressure - just like the original Imron formulations.
Imron 2000, 5000 and 6000 are more difficult to color sand and polish UNLESS you catch it ~48 hours after painting or wait a couple of years.
