Comanche Needs a New Paint Job

Need a airplane painter for my Comanche

  • Thank you so much

    Votes: 1 100.0%

  • Appreciate this information

    Votes: 1 100.0%
  • Total voters
    1
  • Poll closed .
Magman said:
Lacquer loses weight when drying.

Polyurethanes cure and lose little weight.

Painting control surfaces can make the tail heavy and subject to “ flutter”.

Sorry I can’t send a link but google “ Commanche Tail,Flutter “

and then comment of it’s serious.

Trust your painter?
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Bell206 said:
Can you answer the question? :rolleyes:
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yes, if you check you mils when applying the paint you can do the calculation prior. simple math dude
 
midcap said:
simple math dude
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True. But I already know how to calculate paint weight. The only question I asked was as follows: "Is there something that makes Axel advantageous over the current aviation products I'm not seeing?" Do you have an answer for it?
 
I didn’t paint stripes on my control surfaces, single color only to keep them as light as possible.
 
Magman said:
Lacquer loses weight when drying.

Polyurethanes cure and lose little weight.

Painting control surfaces can make the tail heavy and subject to “ flutter”.

Sorry I can’t send a link but google “ Commanche Tail,Flutter “

and then comment of it’s serious.

Trust your painter?
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Not arguing the fact that out of balance control surface are not good, in fairness that video has nothing to do with paint.
 
midcap said:
we aren't painting a 747 here, 15 gallons pre dry for alexseal

30 lbs isn't gonna make of break the useful load.
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Maybe on some airplanes, but not the one I had. There was a reason I removed the wheel pants and rear seats.
 
Bob Noel said:
Maybe on some airplanes, but not the one I had. There was a reason I removed the wheel pants and rear seats.
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but in your case, all of that weight was very far from the moment of enertia, where as when you paint a plane the weight is spread out over the whole plane. Depending on thw eight distribution, you could come out pretty much in OG W&B specs.
 
midcap said:
but in your case, all of that weight was very far from the moment of enertia, where as when you paint a plane the weight is spread out over the whole plane. Depending on thw eight distribution, you could come out pretty much in OG W&B specs.
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Probably 2/3 of the total surface area of the airplane is behind the CG, with a big chunk of that hung way out back. Repeat after me.... "Paint always moves the CG aft."
 
midcap said:
but in your case, all of that weight was very far from the moment of enertia, where as when you paint a plane the weight is spread out over the whole plane. Depending on thw eight distribution, you could come out pretty much in OG W&B specs.
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You weren't talking about CG, you talked about "useful load"... and 30 pounds of useful load reduction is quite significant in the airplane I had, regardless of impact on CG.
 
kyleb said:
Probably 2/3 of the total surface area of the airplane is behind the CG, with a big chunk of that hung way out back. Repeat after me.... "Paint always moves the CG aft."
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Paint always moves the CG aft
 
kyleb said:
Probably 2/3 of the total surface area of the airplane is behind the CG, with a big chunk of that hung way out back. Repeat after me.... "Paint always moves the CG aft."
Click to expand...
Paint always moves the CG aft.
 
Bob Noel said:
You weren't talking about CG, you talked about "useful load"... and 30 pounds of useful load reduction is quite significant in the airplane I had, regardless of impact on CG.
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I am not talking about your plane....we are talking about the ops plane
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
Why?
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Think about where the empty CG is on your airplane. Draw a spanwise line through that point. Estimate how much of the surface area of the airplane is behind that line. Probably 60% or more. Then think about how far aft a big chunk of that surface area is because of the area of the empennage.

So if you get a relatively even coat of paint on the airplane, it's gonna move the CG aft, because that's where the area and moments involved drive it. On something like a Mooney, I'd bet the absolute floor on a new paintjob is 20 pounds or so, 30 if you prime, and that's the floor. Up to 50 pounds probably isn't exceptional.
 
midcap said:
we aren't painting a 747 here, 15 gallons pre dry for alexseal

30 lbs isn't gonna make of break the useful load.
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30 Lbs is about average for the Two Seat Vans aircraft. Probably closer to 40 or 50 on a 4 seater certified aircraft with a light application. 4 to 6 gallons at 11lbs a gallon. Strip is the way to go and it’s not cheap. To do it properly the control surfaces need to come off at a minimum. After paint control surfaces need to be balanced and aircraft reweighed. If you are buying a aircraft that has been painted make sure this has been reflected in the logbook. If you sand and paint you will shift the CG aft as pointed out in other posts.
 
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Jeff767 said:
30 Lbs is about average for the Two Seat Vans aircraft. Probably closer to 40 or 50 on a 4 seater certified aircraft with a light application. 4 to 6 gallons at 11lbs a gallon. Strip is the way to go and it’s not cheap. To do it properly the control surfaces need to come off at a minimum. After paint control surfaces need to be balanced and aircraft reweighed. If you are buying a aircraft that has been painted make sure this has been reflected in the logbook. If you sand and paint you will shift the CG aft as pointed out in other posts.
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Op has a Comanche, the best ******** piston 4 seater ever made, you think 15 lbs of paint is gonna matteR?
 
midcap said:
Op has a Comanche, the best ******** piston 4 seater ever made, you think 15 lbs of paint is gonna matteR?
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The entire thread has told you it won't be 15 pounds and that it will matter. What part don't you understand?
 
My Skylane is in for paint right now... This is the 3rd plane I got painted.. Strip, corrosion removal acid etch and alodine went fine. Then the flap issue showed... Both flap skins(top) needed replaced. Lots of hail dings. R. bladder started leaking a few Mos. ago, so,
Waiting for the new R. Fuel bladder to show up & then it will be done... It's worth the wait.
Ace Aircraft Painting, Bartow, FL.
Great communicatior details on the prep job... So far I'm good.
1 thing I learned a long time ago is, Never paint over paint.... Strip. Clean, prep and prime /paint.
 
Yesterday we checked the balance of a C-150 rudder after a Tailbeacon installation. I was shocked to find it was slightly out of limits.On this unit the paint had been stripped! Easy fix but I’m sure the limits are there for a reason.
 
I am still surprised that more people don't paint their own plane by themselves or with an A&P. The cost saving is huge and a dollar saved is about $2 earned when you consider ALL the taxes: Federal, State and FICA. I painted my C-210 for about 3 weeks work and I did not have to take my plane anywhere or stand in line. I was able to use my plane for about 2 of those 3 weeks in need be. The last week was the actual painting the other two stripping, etc.
 
Snowmass said:
I am still surprised that more people don't paint their own plane by themselves or with an A&P. The cost saving is huge and a dollar saved is about $2 earned when you consider ALL the taxes: Federal, State and FICA. I painted my C-210 for about 3 weeks work and I did not have to take my plane anywhere or stand in line. I was able to use my plane for about 2 of those 3 weeks in need be. The last week was the actual painting the other two stripping, etc.
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I can't think of a public airport around here that would knowingly allow you to paint an airplane in your hangar or on the ramp. Where'd you do this?
 
kyleb said:
I can't think of a public airport around here that would knowingly allow you to paint an airplane in your hangar or on the ramp. Where'd you do this?
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In my case in my own hangar on my own airstrip; however, I imagine most paint shops are on public airports. I painted a Mooney and Aeronca at the very public Bisbee-Douglas. Not all public airports (like people) are created equal. How could a fabric airplane be covered without spraying lacquer (dope)? Modern paints dry very fast and wet overspray doesn't travel very far. Another option would be to fly to a nearby private strip. I would gladly rent mine.
 
Snowmass said:
....... Another option would be to fly to a nearby private strip. I would gladly rent mine.
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Exactly what friend of mine did on the Eastern Shore of MD with his project PA28. Rented a hangar on a little private grass strip. No electric so he brought a genny and shot the paint on with an airless sprayer. A little orange peel, but rubbed out pretty good.

Saved a ton.
 
As to control surface balance I removed the elevator and rudder and painted separately and had the balance checked by the A&P that reinstalled these. Weight on a C-210D is rarely a problem but it might be on more weight challenged aircraft. Also, I rarely get even close to gross as I have largely stopped carrying PAX due to liability risks. A $100K/seat limit is a cruel joke.
 
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