In for paint

n9144p

n9144p

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Sep 9, 2015
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N9144P
Still a long way to go. The plane is out of the strip shop. They filled the surface to cover the hail damage and dings but haven't sanded it out yet.
 

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Well..if I'd just looked up the plane by the user ID :) N9144P is a comanche :)
 
well right now it looks more like a boat anchor, but it is a '66 260B Comanche in it's former (and future) life.
Before:
in for paint.jpg
 
A proper Pennsylvania airplane, being flown in Pennsylvania. :)
 
I don't like bondo either. But Would you rather it was totally reskinned at a cost more than the airframe? Or the insurance company total it? They are replacing the movable surfaces Instead of repair. After sanding down almost all of the filler will be off and just result in a smooth surface again.
 
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n9144p said:
I don't like bondo either. But Would you rather it was totally reskinned at a cost more than the airframe? Or the insurance company total it? They are replacing the movable surfaces Instead of repair. After sanding down almost all of the filler will be off and just result in a smooth surface again.
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I have seen 50 million dollar G-V's with bondo on the airframe...
 
N801BH said:
I have seen 50 million dollar G-V's with bondo on the airframe...
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All jets have some filler somewhere.

They would look really silly if the space between inspection panels and the skin cutouts weren't filled with sealant (proseal or equivalent) and painted over too.
 
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Congrats on getting a new paint job. I'll look forward to seeing your progress shots. I just had mine painted last October. There is nothing like new fresh paint on your airplane.

The hardest part for me was getting through the two month cure time before I could wax it. I have managed to wax it twice since then and it is slick as a baby's butt and shines like a new penny now.
 
MickYoumans said:
The hardest part for me was getting through the two month cure time before I could wax it.
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What paint system requires a 2 month wait for the first wax job?
 
N801BH said:
I used Imron..... They suggest NO waxing... and absolutely NO rubbing out with a compound..:nono::nono::nono:
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That's because it is the poorest paint system on the market, with a isocyanide hardener. WE quit using it prior to this century.
 
Tom-D said:
That's because it is the poorest paint system on the market, with a isocyanide hardener. WE quit using it prior to this century.
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What do you use now, Tom?
 
n9144p said:
I don't like bondo either. But Would you rather it was totally reskinned at a cost more than the airframe? Or the insurance company total it? They are replacing the movable surfaces Instead of repair. After sanding down almost all of the filler will be off and just result in a smooth surface again.
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Bondo isn't flexible. I've seen what it looks like when it pops off...
 
I'd be HIGHLY surprised if it was actually bondo, not even a shade tree auto body guy working in the back of a trailer park uses bondo anymore. There are some fillers which will outlast the sheet metal and do flex to some degree.

Fillers on a aircraft aren't new or bad or cheap, it's done on multi million dollar aircraft and at all painting facilities.
 
Tom-D said:
That's because it is the poorest paint system on the market, with a isocyanide hardener. WE quit using it prior to this century.
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Some of the better methods of painting are not used due to EPA issues, not quality issues.
 
A primer coat and now more sanding...
iLALtRsm.jpg
 

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I've had both epoxy enamel and Imron. Both are fine. The enamel needs more wax and care to hold luster.
 
Volitation said:
I'm interested in hearing more about Imron vs. other systems, please.
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The main difference is other paints won't have nearly as mirrored of a finish after 14 years as Imron has.

This shot was taken today. Plane was painted in 2002. Check out how reflective the paint is...and it hasn't been washed in six months:

IMG_20160227_114316210_HDR.jpg
 
Volitation said:
Q


Wow! What are the negatives?
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I have sprayed probably over 100 gallons in my life on all my race cars, race boats, street cars and trucks, street rods, custom choppers, machinery, etc etc...

Great paint, tough as nails, getting kinda expensive, EPA hates the stuff, I can expand if you want the details...
 
N801BH said:
I have sprayed probably over 100 gallons in my life on all my race cars, race boats, street cars and trucks, street rods, custom choppers, machinery, etc etc...

Great paint, tough as nails, getting kinda expensive, EPA hates the stuff, I can expand if you want the details...
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I'm trying to learn as much as I can about everything. Lol.
 
coloradobluesky said:
Imron is a polyurethane right?
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Yep. Most modern auto paints are catalyzed polyurethanes. Imron is just one of 100 formulations. It was probably the first catalyzed polyurethane to achieve commercial success, and despite many reformulations, the brand name still carries a punch.
 
"Looks great so far! Did they mask the tires or did you opt for whitewalls? ;)"

I thought I would keep the white tape look
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n9144p said:
"Looks great so far! Did they mask the tires or did you opt for whitewalls? ;)"

I thought I would keep the white tape look
JN1scZJl.jpg
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I like it! Serious question: Does the gear and in inside the wheel wells get the same paint? How do they clean and prep the hard to reach areas?
 
I don't know the total amount of paint used. Maybe when I get the bill??
They did strip the gear and wheel wells. I'm amazed at how much work that must have been but have to admit even I don't know how they managed all of it. I did see some of the detail work they had to do in other areas, and it is more than I think I could accomplish.
I93K1iGl.jpg

9IEcrxZl.jpg
 
James331 said:
Some of the better methods of painting are not used due to EPA issues, not quality issues.
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This is true,, and why Imron is no longer available to the public. The last time I tried to buy Imron I was told I must have an approval letter from EPA that stated I had a L&I approved vent system in my paint booth.
 
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