Bill_H
Well Known Member
I've had several emails about a related post, and now I have some results to discuss.
I decided to paint in pieces for several reasons and have it done at a local highly-recommended auto body shop with a paint booth. They had never done aluminum but had done several custom cars.
You can see my red-white-blue paint scheme at this open link and some pictures of the painting process:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26907&id=100000297210697&l=a2b29e894a
This shop specializes in Dupont Imron. On my initial visit I took pictures and the paint design. We arranged for a followup visit where the regional Dupont technical expert would attend. I brought the vertical stabilizer.
At that time, we discussed all of the options. (I had a long list of questions and had done my homework.) We decided to use the automotive line of paints (basecoat ? clearcoat) rather than the aviation paints. There were several reasons I went this way - the shop scheduling of the paint booth and the time in the booth and the flexibility around recoats and masking is FAR, FAR easier with the automotive paint than the aviation "single stage" (no clear coat) paints. There are MANY different options for approaching this - I did lots of reading and picked a method that suits my needs, my location, easy access to this shop and its good reputation, poor access to aviation paint shops, budget, etc. Your needs - and your answer - may be totally different!
The process we arrived at is as follows. We decided to start with the horizontal stabilizer, trim tabs, vertical stabilizer, and rudder as a good test.
1. Clean with a prep solution similar to mineral spirits ? Dupont 3900S. It does not take much of this; a damp rag will is used and a dry rag to rub it off. You rub it off before it drys by itself.
2. Scuff the aluminum surface with red scotchbrite pads (320 grit equivalent)
3. Hang in the paint booth. Then clean a final time with Dupont 3939S (same kind of wiping process).
4. Spray (HVLP) the primer coat using Dupont 2580CR with 2505S activator. This primer is a zinc chromate acid wash epoxy primer and eliminates the alodine wash step that you hear so much about. The primer is a dull green.
5. Let that flash off for 20-30 minutes.
6. Apply the first coat of white. The entire plane will be painted white with the colors laid on top of that ? makes for much better uniformity. We used Imron Chromacolor 817 White Alternate 1, GM Code 14. Before spraying, the Dupont 12305S activator was added (1 ounce per ready-to-spray quart.) Reducers (12385S and 12375S) were mixed for an 80 degree temperature. This shop knows what it is doing.
7. About ten-20 minutes were used in between coats of white. We determined (using test cards as we applied these coats) that 3 coats were necessary for good coverage. (I can hear you now ? OH - THE WEIGHT! These are NOT the kind of coats that I, an inexperienced painter like me would do and get sags, runs, and drips. These are light coats evenly applied by a pro.)
8. This was let dry for the prescribed time, then we masked for the red and blue portions. This was made easy because I had scanned the highly detailed Van?s drawing (the one that shows every rivet) and used a paint program to do the layout. (Email me if you want this scanned drawing.) We knew exactly where the lines would cross the rivets.
The red took 4 coats, the blue took 3. The red is IMRON CODE FORD RF, RED FIRE EFFECT (metallic) Alternate 0. The Blue is IMRON CHRYSLER PBE Alternate A, VIPER BLUE EFFECT (metallic). The same additives were used as the white.
9. The clear coat was then applied. Two coats of Dupont 72200S clear. A larger amount of the 12305S additive is used with the clear coat. (3 parts 77200S to 1 part 12305S)
The result? See the pictures. Beautiful and deep, smooth lines, no sags, drips, runs, or orange peel. I would have never been able to accomplish this. We will do the wings in about 3 weeks ? they are built.
Having never done a plane before, the shop did not know how to estimate it very well. But they were enthusiastic about doing it (I think people get tired of repairing and replacing quarter panels.) We agreed on a ?time and materials? job with a nice discount off of the list price of the materials and a good shop rate for labor. I thought this was very fair and is working out well. Even so, the materials for the job will exceed $3000. I think that with the right pre-work, lots of discussion, and a shop with a good attitude, that this is a good method.
OH THE WEIGHT? I am just not worried about that. I?m getting the full interior as well (a beautiful custom job by Abby at Flightline that has some subtle accents to match the exterior ? I tell you, she is just wonderful to work with?) and all the options (lights, autopilot, and I am holding off on the avionics order to get dual Skyviews.). With my wife and I and full fuel and interior and this paint job we still expect to be under gross weight.
The fuselage will be last to be painted - I am building it now, working on the fuel system.
For more details, email me at billhollifield at iname dot com.
Bill H, N412BR reserved. Started kit #412 in late August. Would be further along but have had lots of business trips.
I decided to paint in pieces for several reasons and have it done at a local highly-recommended auto body shop with a paint booth. They had never done aluminum but had done several custom cars.
You can see my red-white-blue paint scheme at this open link and some pictures of the painting process:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26907&id=100000297210697&l=a2b29e894a
This shop specializes in Dupont Imron. On my initial visit I took pictures and the paint design. We arranged for a followup visit where the regional Dupont technical expert would attend. I brought the vertical stabilizer.
At that time, we discussed all of the options. (I had a long list of questions and had done my homework.) We decided to use the automotive line of paints (basecoat ? clearcoat) rather than the aviation paints. There were several reasons I went this way - the shop scheduling of the paint booth and the time in the booth and the flexibility around recoats and masking is FAR, FAR easier with the automotive paint than the aviation "single stage" (no clear coat) paints. There are MANY different options for approaching this - I did lots of reading and picked a method that suits my needs, my location, easy access to this shop and its good reputation, poor access to aviation paint shops, budget, etc. Your needs - and your answer - may be totally different!
The process we arrived at is as follows. We decided to start with the horizontal stabilizer, trim tabs, vertical stabilizer, and rudder as a good test.
1. Clean with a prep solution similar to mineral spirits ? Dupont 3900S. It does not take much of this; a damp rag will is used and a dry rag to rub it off. You rub it off before it drys by itself.
2. Scuff the aluminum surface with red scotchbrite pads (320 grit equivalent)
3. Hang in the paint booth. Then clean a final time with Dupont 3939S (same kind of wiping process).
4. Spray (HVLP) the primer coat using Dupont 2580CR with 2505S activator. This primer is a zinc chromate acid wash epoxy primer and eliminates the alodine wash step that you hear so much about. The primer is a dull green.
5. Let that flash off for 20-30 minutes.
6. Apply the first coat of white. The entire plane will be painted white with the colors laid on top of that ? makes for much better uniformity. We used Imron Chromacolor 817 White Alternate 1, GM Code 14. Before spraying, the Dupont 12305S activator was added (1 ounce per ready-to-spray quart.) Reducers (12385S and 12375S) were mixed for an 80 degree temperature. This shop knows what it is doing.
7. About ten-20 minutes were used in between coats of white. We determined (using test cards as we applied these coats) that 3 coats were necessary for good coverage. (I can hear you now ? OH - THE WEIGHT! These are NOT the kind of coats that I, an inexperienced painter like me would do and get sags, runs, and drips. These are light coats evenly applied by a pro.)
8. This was let dry for the prescribed time, then we masked for the red and blue portions. This was made easy because I had scanned the highly detailed Van?s drawing (the one that shows every rivet) and used a paint program to do the layout. (Email me if you want this scanned drawing.) We knew exactly where the lines would cross the rivets.
The red took 4 coats, the blue took 3. The red is IMRON CODE FORD RF, RED FIRE EFFECT (metallic) Alternate 0. The Blue is IMRON CHRYSLER PBE Alternate A, VIPER BLUE EFFECT (metallic). The same additives were used as the white.
9. The clear coat was then applied. Two coats of Dupont 72200S clear. A larger amount of the 12305S additive is used with the clear coat. (3 parts 77200S to 1 part 12305S)
The result? See the pictures. Beautiful and deep, smooth lines, no sags, drips, runs, or orange peel. I would have never been able to accomplish this. We will do the wings in about 3 weeks ? they are built.
Having never done a plane before, the shop did not know how to estimate it very well. But they were enthusiastic about doing it (I think people get tired of repairing and replacing quarter panels.) We agreed on a ?time and materials? job with a nice discount off of the list price of the materials and a good shop rate for labor. I thought this was very fair and is working out well. Even so, the materials for the job will exceed $3000. I think that with the right pre-work, lots of discussion, and a shop with a good attitude, that this is a good method.
OH THE WEIGHT? I am just not worried about that. I?m getting the full interior as well (a beautiful custom job by Abby at Flightline that has some subtle accents to match the exterior ? I tell you, she is just wonderful to work with?) and all the options (lights, autopilot, and I am holding off on the avionics order to get dual Skyviews.). With my wife and I and full fuel and interior and this paint job we still expect to be under gross weight.
The fuselage will be last to be painted - I am building it now, working on the fuel system.
For more details, email me at billhollifield at iname dot com.
Bill H, N412BR reserved. Started kit #412 in late August. Would be further along but have had lots of business trips.