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Quickbuild fuselage and interior paint

I'm only about 60 hours into this thing and I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself as I'm just working on the empennage but have the 8A quickbuild wings and fuselage in the basement. I've been reading ahead so I can get the big picture of what happens and when. I'm good until I get to the fuselage. I can't seem to figure where to pick things up from in the builders manual to continue on the fuselage. Any guidence here is appreciated.
And, I can't seem to figure when the interior surfaces get primer or paint. Are the quickbuild aluminum surfaces preped for primer or is there some sort of clear primer applied? It looks like as construction progresses things will eventually get tight in the fuselage making it all the more difficult to access with a paint gun. I've got an auto body friend with a booth that can do the work, (I also may need advice on interior paint choices later) I just can't figure when the appropriate time to paint is?
Any thoughts?
-Craig Ward
RV8AQB N24CW
 
Bad news about the quickbuild.

Even though it is primered, it's also sprayed with a preservative oil/wax for the trip from the Phillipines.

This oil is going to be almost impossible to remove around the rivets and seams.

You may want to use fabric panels instead.

Vern Little 9A
 
Guidance on starting the QB Fuse....

You start on page one of the fuselage construction instructions, and look over the assembly of each step until you get to something that hasn't been done - and then you pick the tools and continue on. Seriously!

Also seriously, as onerous as that sounds, once you start, it will take you a very short time to walk through it - and when you're done, you'll know how everything went together. You might even find a stray cleco or two - presents from the factory....BTW, you'll probably pick up tools about the time you are asked to run the rudder cable, it it is an -8 (if I recall correctly).

Paint - I'm a slacker - rattle can primer and finish for the entire interior - much of which then was covered with fabric eventually.

Enjoy the journey!

Paul
 
vlittle said:
Bad news about the quickbuild. Even though it is primered, it's also sprayed with a preservative oil/wax for the trip from the Phillipines. This oil is going to be almost impossible to remove around the rivets and seams.

Ooooo, now that is interesting. I have a QB fuselage here fresh off the truck. Sounds like I should take a shot at serious cleaning before starting anything. No point in adding more bits.

I'm open for cleaning ideas...maybe lots of detergent and a pressure washer?

Dan Horton
 
I haven't noticed much oil on the inside - just the wash primer. The outside is a different story, though.
I was thinking of cleaning it with the sprayer I use to wash down the engine - varsol and air should get rid of most stuff (although it might get rid of the wash primer, too!)

Thomas
 
I've been looking at that oily film on the outside of my quickbuild fuselage for a few weeks now wondering when I'm going to take it off. I figured the sooner, the better. I don't know exactly what it is, but I do know that given enough time it may become harder and harder to remove. I cleaned off a small area using a paper towel and some window cleaner and it was kinda easy. I was thinking of rolling the fuselage into the driveway and spraying the whole thing down with a mild "bio" degreaser that we use at work (bicycle shop) and hitting it with the garden hose to rinse. I guess I may as well wash the wing surfaces also.
The interior looks to be free of this oil and needs, more than anything, a good sweeping out (only gifts found were the hat and some paperwork). Then it may be "rattle can" and paint as I go during construction. But, does this make sence? And, do I paint directly over the wash primer or is it customary to put something else over the top of it before the paint goes on?

Reading the construction manual, I did get to the rudder cables when I thought I should start working from there. From that point on it looks a little 'this is done, this isn't' for a while and then it's all me. It just wasn't as clear cut as I thought it would be.

Thanks for your thoughts and guidence so far,

-Craig
 
I also have a QB and it was no issue cleaning the oil residue from the fuselage.

Once installed on my rotating fuselage stand I moved it into the driveway, mixed up some Dawn detergent in my 50 gallon trash can and fed my pressure washer from it. I blasted every square inch of the fuselage inside and out, right side up and upside down. It dried in about 30 minutes in the sun. There is no oils residue anywhere.
If there is a will, theres a way ... ;)

P.S. I found 3 rusted clecoes and a handfull of rivets rolling around in there also.
-Jeff
 
Painting QB insides

The wash primer doesnt seem to stick too well with interior paint on top of it. I ended up removing the wash primer and applying my own epoxy primer, particulary for the wear areas of the interior.
 
As others have pointed out, most of the preservative is on the outside. Once you get the rest of the interior structure parts & pieces fitted/installed, but BEFORE you do any wiring or plumbing, is the time to paint. It is important to scuff the surface with maroon Scotchbrite as well as clean it repeatedly with clean cloths and a good surface cleaner. Of course you'll be both vacuuming and blowing it with compressed air repeatedly too. Take extra time here, you only have one shot at it. Believe it or not Coleman fuel works very well as a cleaner.
Then you have a choice, rattle can or mixed paint. There is a large difference in the hassle factor here, but also a large difference in the durability and look. I've painted three interiors now with mixed paint, in fact PPG Concept (DCC) acrylic urethane. It's a nasty job but yields a good looking and durable finish. Worth the extra hassle IMHO.
 
I was at my local auto paint store several weeks ago to obtain more DP primer. I noticed they had an extensive display of PPG rattle can interior automotive paint. The sample board looked like a nice subtle matte gloss, perfect for interior use. Auto interiors is the intended use. The sales person said the quality is much better than typical big box hardware store offerings. The color selection was quite broad with a good spectrum of grays and tans. I am farther down the road so it is too late for my project but you might want to stop by and visit your local auto paint supplier that sells PPG products. I have been mixing small quantities of two part auto paint and that is a project in itself every time you need to paint just a few components. Mix, spray, clean the gun, throw away unused paint, etc. Just another option to consider.
 
Craig,

Before you use window cleaner again, you might want to check for ammonia. As I understand it ammonia can corrode aluminum.
 
Thanks to all.
I'm going to check out what I can get locally in a quality rattle can primer and paint like the PPG Brian suggests. Anyone have an idea of just how many cans it takes to cover all interior surfaces?

Jeff's rotating fuselage stand is cool. I think I'll flip my fuselage over and wash the exterior so the water runs out rather than filling the interior. I just don't know if a power washer is called for in this case but, I may feel differently if I owned such an item.

Scotchbrite on the interior surfaces should be like the empennage parts I did. Think a wash afterwards with dilute Alumiprep (from a spray bottle) before the interior paint is overkill? I know some like white gas or acetone and it just wipes on and dries in a second or two but I kinda like the way Alumiprep works and leaves a brite clean surface.

I felt OK using the cheep window cleaner I used on the very small area I cleaned as the cleaner couldn't clean a window all too well. I think it was mostly blue water. I sprayed it on a paper towel and tried to remove a small patch of the oily film and it came right off with ease.

It will be a bit before I get to working on all of this but the more I get figured out beforehand, the easier it will be to get to work when the time comes. Thanks again to all so far. :)

-Craig
 
I would be careful washing the inside of the QB with anything like alumiprep - it is an acid and will likely get trapped between riveted layers and be difficult to wash out. This could cause corrosion down the road.

I plan to clean the oil off the outside with acetone or MEK and a bunch of rags. Don't know for sure what I'm going to do on the interior.
 
wash the inside

RV_7A said:
...Once installed on my rotating fuselage stand I moved it into the driveway, mixed up some Dawn detergent in my 50 gallon trash can and fed my pressure washer from it. I blasted every square inch of the fuselage inside and out, right side up and upside down. It dried in about 30 minutes in the sun. There is no oils residue anywhere....
This is what I would do if I could do it again. I spent a lot of time cleaning the interior with a shop vac before I painted and so did my local car paint shop, but when the paint was sprayed inside the cockpit dust and debris flew everywhere. 90% of it will be covered up, but a good power washing is a great way to go.
 
This is what I would do if I could do it again. I spent a lot of time cleaning the interior with a shop vac before I painted and so did my local car paint shop, but when the paint was sprayed inside the cockpit dust and debris flew everywhere. 90% of it will be covered up, but a good power washing is a great way to go.


Is this the way to clean interior and exterior you recommend?
 
I wiped down the interior with alcohol (didn't want to remove the wash primer, just clean it). Light scuff with scotch brite pad. Vac and wipe down again. Epoxy prime and paint.

I've never been a fan of rattle cans for anything other than very small jobs.
HVLP spray guns are fairly inexpensive these days and you might even save money over rattle cans in the long run.

For the exterior wipe throughly with MEK. Wash with a mild detergent like Dawn, let dry and then prep as you would normaly would for your paint system.
 
Take your fuse outside, hose it out, mix up a bucket of warm soapy water and scrub down the entire inside with a scotch brite pad & the soapy water, hose out allow to dry then wipe in down with a lint free rag & wax and grease remover! If you don't rub down the entire surface properly with a scotch pad the paint will not etch to the surface and will peal off.

Regards
Gibbo
 
SEM Rattle can!

I discovered that the company that produces the SEM primer has another product line, or two. One caters to the auto repair trade. When I called the tech rep at SEM he pointed out that SEM primer will not stand up to UV, nor is it robust enough for use as a top coat. He steered me towards a product that is designed to go over aluminum and stainless steel, without primer. Apparently it is a self etching top coat when applied to aluminum. Lots of colors to choose from...
My project was well past quick build when I go it, so I ripped out everything in the interior, covered the windshield, cleaned the interior (big PITA, that) and used 2.5 cans of the product to get back to aft of the baggage area. It has held up nicely under the abuse of the continuing build.
If anyone is interested in the product line I will get the information when I get back to the hangar in a day or so.
 
Paint - I'm a slacker - rattle can primer and finish for the entire interior - much of which then was covered with fabric eventually.

Enjoy the journey!

Paul

My 8 was a quickbuild. Simple prep and spray with PPG polyurethane. No issues with Factory boat crud, but expensive compared to rattle can. I'm with Paul 1000%. On my 6A slowbuild, prep, clean, primed with Marhyde rattle can and sprayed with Cardinal custom mixed rattle can. New 6 slowbuild interior, currently under construction, is getting rattle can again. Sam Buchanan has the best philosophy on these things. Check his page out.
 
I'm interested

Scott - I'm interested in the product that you talked about . Also, do you know if this product is available in one gallon/quart cans so that I can use it with my HVLP sprayer? Thanks.
 
sem ez coat

Is the name of the product that was recommended to my by the tech people at SEM. I am using a darker grey color, but there are all sorts of others. It does not appear to be very temperature sensitive; I have applied it at 45 degrees with good success. It flashes off very quickly, very quickly. Hit it with a heat gun for a while to "set" it and continue to rivet. Their website has several interesting videos on the product. It is not as durable as an epoxy product, but it is plenty durable for our use and is easily repaired if damaged.
I kind of choked on the $15 price per can, but after using it I think it is a bargain. (Remember that there is no priming required for Aluminum.)
 
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