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Poll: Which primer did you use?

Which primer did you use?

  • Sherwin Williams P60G2

    Votes: 18 12.9%

  • Akzo

    Votes: 24 17.1%

  • Stewart Systems Ekoprime or Ekopoxy

    Votes: 29 20.7%

  • PPG Super Koropon

    Votes: 4 2.9%

  • Kirker Enduro Prime

    Votes: 2 1.4%

  • Rattle can

    Votes: 37 26.4%

  • Other

    Votes: 15 10.7%

  • I didn't prime

    Votes: 11 7.9%
  • Total voters
    140
bertschb

bertschb

Well Known Member
Friend
As a new builder, I've spent hours researching priming. The one thing I wasn't able to find was a poll on which primers folks here are using. Just curious which primer is the most popular. If you primed, which did you choose?
 
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SEM rattlecan. It goes on well, the can lasts a fair while, and it dries quickly. It does become more durable over time. Plus, it can be removed easily enough if necessary.

Very satisfied.

Around the cockpit I used Stewart EkoPoxy, which I found easy to spray and fairly durable, more so than SEM.

I clicked Rattlecan on your poll but could have as easily clicked the EkoPoxy.

Dave
 
Kirker

I sprayed the inside with P60G2 but fiberglass is all primed with Kirker EnduroPrime and Kirker UltraGlo single stage if painted. Inside the cowl is just white EnduroPrime. Some interior parts took a beating during construction so they got black EnduroPrime rather than digging out SW Jet Flex. It didn't hold up very well and components are ridiculously expensive.
 
PPG Super Koropon. This was one of the very first decisions I had to make way back in 2004. Living in a coastal area I thought my RV-9A might have to live outside, so I thought it best to prime the interior. So far it is still living inside my house and garage:D. The Super Koropon was available at the local aircraft supply house I was using, it was epoxy, and it was advertised as "fluid resistant" as in avgas, oil, skydrol etc. I think it's pretty bulletproof (not literally) and the cured surface seems harder and more scratch resistant than the alclad. At the time it was merely expensive, now it and all other paints are EXPENSIVE. It added a lot of time to the project which is still not finished. I'd probably do it again.
 
EkoPrime for me

I've used EkoPoxy, EkoPrime, Rustoleum Pro (not self etch - so manual scuff), Duracolor and Rustoleum self, etc. For me, EkoPrime was the winner by a landslide. Super easy to spray, and no waste since it doesn't get mixed with a catalyst. It's plenty durable , and like most primers gets tougher the longer it sets. The bonus is that it doesn't stink up the place forever while it dries. The rattle cans are fine when I just have to hit some small parts, but I've found it all to be very soft initially and not very durable even after weeks of curing (at least relative to Stewart).

I've primed virtually everything in the plane so far. That being said, for the next plane, my strategy will change to only priming mating surfaces and parts that aren't alclad. With that approach, I'll probably switch to something like SEM for the convenience factor. If I were in central Oregon and that's where my plane slept most of the time, I'd 100% go with the minimal priming approach for mating surfaces only.
 
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I answered other, because mine is a combination of many. I started with Sherman Williams P60G2, then it expired so I moved on to SEM rattle cans, and when I found that I got similar results with Rustoleum Self etch I switched to that. I am fine with my choice... I even rattle can painted my interior and frankly I am also happy with that. Once I have seats and baggage, etc in there it isn't going to matter.
 
Current project is no primer, but it is entirely 6061. Very corrosive resistant.
 
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30-years ago, Dupont Veriprime was very popular but is no longer available.

New project only extrusions are getting primed with a rattle can.
 
For the interior mating surfaces, I use the self-etching rattle can.

For the exterior, I use the automotive 2-part epoxy primer sold by Eastwood and SummitRacing.

Note: all the aluminum surfaces were Alodine
 
The interior is a mix of rattle can self-etch and SPI. The exterior is southern polyurethanes epoxy primer. Arguably one of the best out there and very affordable.
 
bertschb said:
As a new builder, I've spent hours researching priming. The one thing I wasn't able to find was a poll on which primers folks here are using. Just curious which primer is the most popular. If you primed, which did you choose?
Click to expand...

Very happy to see you have achieved consensus results with your poll. :D

The old-timers on the forum knew where this was going to end up. Regardless of what you decide, best wishes for an enjoyable journey with your new project!
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Very happy to see you have achieved consensus results with your poll. :D

The old-timers on the forum knew where this was going to end up.
Click to expand...

Even as a newbie I've spent enough time here to know all about the primer wars and was not expecting consensus. Far from it. The purpose of this poll was simply to see what folks are using for primer. Simple as that. So far the replies have been very civil and I've actually found the results interesting and very useful.

For example, based on all the research I've done I didn't expect to see so many people using Stewart Sytems products. Not many people post about it here or on YouTube compared to other products. I also find the prevalence of rattle can usage interesting. Again, it's higher than I expected.

Polls like this may seem like a waste of time to somebody who has been building airplanes for 40 years but if you've never built an airplane and don't know anybody that has, you have to make hundreds of important decisions before you start building. Priming is one of them and we all want to feel like we've made the right choice before we start on a $250,000 project.

Granted, it's a very informal poll but as a newbie working overtime researching everything I can about priming (and everything else about building airplanes), all data is helpful. I really appreciate the folks who have taken the time to vote in this poll.
 
It would be interesting to see a poll that included only RV’s that had been flying for a while. From the testing I did and the planes I see:
Spray can coatings + hours = not pretty.
 
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Stewart Systems for me. In the wing I used the 1 part EkoPrimer. On the fuselage I used EkoPoxy. Have been really happy with both. Watch for shelf life... expiration dates are real.

Here's the first post where i primed last year. Lots of good info in there:

Wing Skeleton Priming Day

Cheers!
 
gasman said:
And if you are inland just a little, it will stay polished FOREVER!!!!...;)
Click to expand...

Will never be polished as long as I own it. I polished my Globe Swift once! ONLY ONCE!

Polishing airplanes falls right in line with working with fiberglass to me.
 
Mikeyb said:
It would be interesting to see a poll that included only RV’s that had been flying for a while. From the testing I did and the planes I see:
Spray can coatings + hours = not pretty.
Click to expand...

Can you clarify what you are implying? Are you talking about interior paint, primed mating surfaces, or what? I don't think anyone is rattle canning their exterior paint, what is it that you are seeing?
 
SEM Rattle can for the empennage. Only planning SEM rattle can for mating surfaces for the rest of the aircraft interior.
 
I'm really surprised to see Stewart Systems primers represented so well here. It's pretty easy to find posts and videos with Akzo. Not so much with Stewart Systems primers. I'm all set up to use Akzo but I need to do some more research on Ekopoxy to see how it compares to Akzo.
 
Weight

Primer is a big decision.
If anyone wants to calculate a weight estimate, I have a spreadsheet with ft² for a 7(a). Figure about 6 grams per ft² for an epoxy primer sprayed per manufacturer. About 6lbs on a 7 if every inside surface is primed. You could cut that in half by spraying one coat.
Basically 3 oz for P60G2. I couldn't get a weight on any samples. All fell within the 1/10g error range per ft² on the scale.
No data on the others but that would be easy to put numbers to the spreadsheet if someone can shoot me grams per ft².
 
wirejock said:
Weight

Primer is a big decision.
If anyone wants to calculate a weight estimate, I have a spreadsheet with ft² for a 7(a). Figure about 6 grams per ft² for an epoxy primer sprayed per manufacturer. About 6lbs on a 7 if every inside surface is primed. You could cut that in half by spraying one coat.
Basically 3 oz for P60G2. I couldn't get a weight on any samples. All fell within the 1/10g error range per ft² on the scale.
No data on the others but that would be easy to put numbers to the spreadsheet if someone can shoot me grams per ft².
Click to expand...

AKZO 463-12-8 lists .0093 lbs/ft2 at 1 mil thickness.
 
P60G2, only because that's what the manufacturer suggested, or rattle cans when more convenient. For alclad parts, I haven't seen any good evidence that it makes much difference what you use (or don't use), unless you live where I do. If you do, anything is better than nothing. I'm building in a shop 60 feet from the ocean in Florida, everything corrodes here.
 
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