ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

To Harold A:  That is one fine looking paint job. I sure hope to see your plane on day. What did You use. Charlie

Thanks, I used Valspar American Tradition lifetime 100% Acrylic Exterior Latex SemiGloss paint. Sprayed it on with HVLP sprayer. I bought the paint at Lowe's and used their stock white but had the blue customed mixed.
Harold

Harold, your paint is good, very good and clear visible gloss (even with Latex) but paint on the pictures is unbeatable. The pictures from Blois (France)

Quoted from hacheson Thanks, I used Valspar American Tradition lifetime 100% Acrylic Exterior Latex SemiGloss paint. Sprayed it on with HVLP sprayer. I bought the paint at Lowe's and used their stock white but had the blue customed mixed.
Harold

Harold, what did you use to seal the fabric?  What about base coats?

The base coat was the same paint but thinned with water (about 40% and rolled on. �The reason (I was told) for this is to get the paint into the weave of the polyfiber to get a good adhesion for the top coats (about 4-5 thin topcoats, thinned 20%). �There's a downside to this method. �"Bleed through". �You need to be real careful and not be to aggressive to roll it on. �I built a test frame, polyfiber'd it and practiced on it, but I still had a little bleed through on some spots. In the picture you can see the bleed through on some of the braces. �Had I to do it over, I would just thin the paint 20% and spray all the coats on. �Why 20%? my HVLP sprayer and 5 hp compressor couldn't handle the paint straight out of the can. Paint technology sure has made a quantum leap over the past decade. Harold

Thanks Harold:   Good information

Harold, do you keep your plane inside?  When was your plane completed; ie. how much sun has it had?

Mike

My plane has always been hangered and I completed it July 2000. I've got 96 hrs flying time in it. �It's in my workshop now as I completed the 100 hr maintance on the engine and I want to redo the pull starter on it. �The starter handle was inside down between my feet and I want to route it outside on the side. �I just found a new hanger to put it in as the owner of the old one came down with Parkinson's and can't maintain the runway anymore.

Harold