fstringham7a
Well Known Member
RE: Paint and Fish Eyes ?????
As some of you know I WAS painting my RV7A with the Stewart System Paint products.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=33556&highlight=painting+begun
The learning curve, at least for me, was steep and long. But after painting the fuse and cowl....which turned out great... I started getting fish eyes as I was painting the empennage. I tried everything to remediate and get rid of them. I even used some pretty expensive cleaners.
But still no Joy.
So I decided after some soul searching(end of March 2009) that the plane was going to the airport to be put together, certified and flown .......even though it is only half painted. Wings/wing tips/gear fairing/wheel pants/were not painted. The plane looks like a good looking gal with only half of here makeup on.
Yesterday I did decide to paint the VS/HS fairing. I at least wanted the fuse to look reasonable with all of it's parts painted. I had shoot the gray UV coat last Feb. but it did need a little work to fill in some pin holes. But knowing it was going to get fish eyes and would be painted this fall or early next year by a REAL PAINTER I decided to shoot the white base prime and shoot the paint.
Yesterday afternoon I gave it a clean job with the aforementioned cleaners. Got everything ready and shoot the white primer base coat. This AM I gave it a light sanding.......made the final decision not to worry about the 4 or 5 pin holes. Cleaned it again with the high dollar cleaners......and shoot the Sun Valley Ivory final coat.
First mist coat looks pretty good so I let it tack up. Turn the fluid flow up an 1/8 of a turn. Shot the 2nd coat and it look reasonable. Turn the fluid flow up another 1/8 of a turn. After the paint tacked up I shot the third coat. Now here is the point in the process where I would begin to see the signs of FISH EYES. What?????? No FISH EYES YET ?????? Maybe my memory is faulty. I know I will see them after the final 1/4 turn on the fluid flow and shooting the 4th coat. So lets shoot the 4th coat and watch those little buggers develop.
The picture doesn't show it ...but not one fish eye.......????????????
Not sure what the answer is and I figure on this one I may never know. I do know that the plane will get painted. Again not just by me.
I am still a fan of the Stewart Paint Sytem. I do believe that a paint booth would have solved much of my problem. I just think an open garage...at least for me didn't work. I would say the only negitive is you only get one chance to shoot this paint and if it doesn't turn out there is going to be a lot of sanding and a reshoot of the whole part.
So I will now go back to the airport to finish that last few items before the DAR showes up.
The plane will catch air real soon so stay tuned!!!!!!!!!
Frank @ 1L8 ...RV7A... last few details before DAR!!!!!!!!
As some of you know I WAS painting my RV7A with the Stewart System Paint products.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=33556&highlight=painting+begun
The learning curve, at least for me, was steep and long. But after painting the fuse and cowl....which turned out great... I started getting fish eyes as I was painting the empennage. I tried everything to remediate and get rid of them. I even used some pretty expensive cleaners.
But still no Joy.
So I decided after some soul searching(end of March 2009) that the plane was going to the airport to be put together, certified and flown .......even though it is only half painted. Wings/wing tips/gear fairing/wheel pants/were not painted. The plane looks like a good looking gal with only half of here makeup on.
Yesterday I did decide to paint the VS/HS fairing. I at least wanted the fuse to look reasonable with all of it's parts painted. I had shoot the gray UV coat last Feb. but it did need a little work to fill in some pin holes. But knowing it was going to get fish eyes and would be painted this fall or early next year by a REAL PAINTER I decided to shoot the white base prime and shoot the paint.
Yesterday afternoon I gave it a clean job with the aforementioned cleaners. Got everything ready and shoot the white primer base coat. This AM I gave it a light sanding.......made the final decision not to worry about the 4 or 5 pin holes. Cleaned it again with the high dollar cleaners......and shoot the Sun Valley Ivory final coat.
First mist coat looks pretty good so I let it tack up. Turn the fluid flow up an 1/8 of a turn. Shot the 2nd coat and it look reasonable. Turn the fluid flow up another 1/8 of a turn. After the paint tacked up I shot the third coat. Now here is the point in the process where I would begin to see the signs of FISH EYES. What?????? No FISH EYES YET ?????? Maybe my memory is faulty. I know I will see them after the final 1/4 turn on the fluid flow and shooting the 4th coat. So lets shoot the 4th coat and watch those little buggers develop.
The picture doesn't show it ...but not one fish eye.......????????????
Not sure what the answer is and I figure on this one I may never know. I do know that the plane will get painted. Again not just by me.
I am still a fan of the Stewart Paint Sytem. I do believe that a paint booth would have solved much of my problem. I just think an open garage...at least for me didn't work. I would say the only negitive is you only get one chance to shoot this paint and if it doesn't turn out there is going to be a lot of sanding and a reshoot of the whole part.
So I will now go back to the airport to finish that last few items before the DAR showes up.
The plane will catch air real soon so stay tuned!!!!!!!!!
Frank @ 1L8 ...RV7A... last few details before DAR!!!!!!!!
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