Need to paint?

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zbrown5

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the plane I am looking at (63 debonair) needs paint. There is some bear aluminum on the leading edges and around the doors. Is paint an immediate need or can it wait a year or two? It will be hangared but tied down at Osh Kosh and during weekend trips.
 
If there is no corrosion and it will be hangared then not a big problem. Just keep an eye on it. You can always find someone to do some touch up paint on the worse spots or just keep it waxed.


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For a metal plane, well think youll be ok

348293e093a0dd9e3cd85d827fef89.jpg


Its mostly fabric planes that have imminent issues if the protective paint is gone
 
Rattle can it. Use epoxy with primer in it and spray into cup then brush for touch ups. If it’s a large area, mask it well, spray, wet sand the masking line smooth.

Almost as good as Earl Sheib baby.....
 
zbrown5 said:
the plane I am looking at (63 debonair) needs paint. There is some bear aluminum on the leading edges and around the doors. Is paint an immediate need or can it wait a year or two? It will be hangared but tied down at Osh Kosh and during weekend trips.
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Strip it and polish.
 
James331 said:
Its mostly fabric planes that have imminent issues if the protective paint is gone
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Think about it.. Ceconite is basically a plastic.. how long does it take to rot?
 
Boy the Debonair sure is a sharp looking plane. Beech should have put a pilots side door in...:(
 
Not tried it yet, but if you are concerned with exact match for touch up, I have been told if you get your paint code get a local paint supplier to mix you some and simply use a Harbor Freight airbrush kit... I plan on doing this once weather breaks myself.

Though I think as others have said, its not a 5 alarm emergency...
 
Bell206 said:
Unless it's covered in Grade A Cotton :eek2:
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Cotton is good for about 6 months unprotected.
because it is an organic substance It will virtually rot.
Ceconite, on the other hand, is (Dacron) it is joking referred to as being a molecule off from being a coke bottle.
 
Huckster79 said:
Not tried it yet, but if you are concerned with exact match for touch up, I have been told if you get your paint code get a local paint supplier to mix you some and simply use a Harbor Freight airbrush kit... I plan on doing this once weather breaks myself.

Though I think as others have said, its not a 5 alarm emergency...
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My local auto body paint supply will also mix the paint in aerosol cans. They are actually decent, and spray much better than a typical paint can.
 
Omalley1537 said:
My local auto body paint supply will also mix the paint in aerosol cans. They are actually decent, and spray much better than a typical paint can.
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If those are the 2-part type, with the plunger on the bottom of the can to release the activator, they have a limited pot life once you push the plunger. But, they are much better than the garden variety rattle can. Eastwood's "catalyzed 2-part urethane" spray cans advertise a pot life of 48-72 hours depending on temp.
 
wilkersk said:
If those are the 2-part type, with the plunger on the bottom of the can to release the activator, they have a limited pot life once you push the plunger. But, they are much better than the garden variety rattle can. Eastwood's "catalyzed 2-part urethane" spray cans advertise a pot life of 48-72 hours depending on temp.
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the 2 cans that I've use say 12 hours.
really good self etching primer
 
zbrown5 said:
the plane I am looking at (63 debonair) needs paint. There is some bear aluminum on the leading edges and around the doors. Is paint an immediate need or can it wait a year or two? It will be hangared but tied down at Osh Kosh and during weekend trips.
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My $0.02 is that touch up paint is worthwhile aesthetically if you have a few chips and dings on an otherwise good paint job. Otherwise, you're just wasting time and money on something that isn't going to last long (because the existing paint is already coming loose) and probably won't match very well anyway.

There is no real danger in unpainted, exposed aluminum. Unless in a corrosive (salt laden) environment, airplanes corrode from the inside out, starting with trapped water between surfaces and in hidden corners of the airframe. So a bit of exposed aluminum (like on entire Luscombes, older Bonanzas, Swifts, Cessnas, etc.) just isn't a problem corrosion wise. It just looks ratty.
 
wilkersk said:
If those are the 2-part type, with the plunger on the bottom of the can to release the activator, they have a limited pot life once you push the plunger. But, they are much better than the garden variety rattle can. Eastwood's "catalyzed 2-part urethane" spray cans advertise a pot life of 48-72 hours depending on temp.
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Yes, those are the ones. The pot life is an issue if you’re doing small touch-ups (anyone who’s priced auto urethane knows how $$$ it is), but they work great.

The primer Tom referred to works really well also.
 
If it's white get a small can of Rustoleum gloss white and see if it matches OK. If it does, get some enamel hardener from Tractor Supply and mix according to the label directions and spray with a Preval aerosol sprayer (~$5 from Home Depot). Been using this on my 81 model Mooney with original paint with good results. Better results than rattle cans.
 
mooneyflyfast said:
If it's white get a small can of Rustoleum gloss white and see if it matches OK. If it does, get some enamel hardener from Tractor Supply and mix according to the label directions and spray with a Preval aerosol sprayer (~$5 from Home Depot). Been using this on my 81 model Mooney with original paint with good results. Better results than rattle cans.
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The new two part rattle can has a spray nozzle better than my touch up gun.
 
Tom-D said:
Nothing does, what's it take about 25-30 years to affect the strength ?
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Assuming it isn't protected somehow, 3-5 years. Polyester is a somewhat UV resistant plastic.
 
mooneyflyfast said:
If it's white get a small can of Rustoleum gloss white and see if it matches OK. If it does, get some enamel hardener from Tractor Supply and mix according to the label directions and spray with a Preval aerosol sprayer (~$5 from Home Depot). Been using this on my 81 model Mooney with original paint with good results. Better results than rattle cans.
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Bring a cover or something else removable to a auto parts store, get a pint of color matched paint, spray it with the preval sprayer. Wet sand after, then wax.
 
I've changed paint brands, and now use this.

http://refinish.basf.us/brands/limco/

you can mix in any amount as long as the ratio is maintained, and it will be dry in about 20 minutes and hard in 12 hours
 

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Cap'n Jack said:
Assuming it isn't protected somehow, 3-5 years. Polyester is a somewhat UV resistant plastic.
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With the Ceconite process (and I assume Poly Fiber) the fabric is protected from UV by several coats of butyrate dope which has aluminum powder mixed in. Fabric should never be painted with automotive paint--it is not flexible enough and will crack and peel off. There is a special top coat that Randolph sells that is shiny like urethane. I finished my Champ in Butyrate. I like the look of it and it is much easier if repairs are needed.
 
mooneyflyfast said:
With the Ceconite process (and I assume Poly Fiber) the fabric is protected from UV by several coats of butyrate dope which has aluminum powder mixed in. Fabric should never be painted with automotive paint--it is not flexible enough and will crack and peel off. There is a special top coat that Randolph sells that is shiny like urethane. I finished my Champ in Butyrate. I like the look of it and it is much easier if repairs are needed.
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IMHO there are lots better protection than silver dope.
We've come a long ways since Ray Stitz invented the Cecinite and dope method.
There are several methods now that do not use silver base.

But I don't believe you'll find much ceconite on the Beech we were talking about.
 
mooneyflyfast said:
With the Ceconite process (and I assume Poly Fiber) the fabric is protected from UV by several coats of butyrate dope which has aluminum powder mixed in. Fabric should never be painted with automotive paint--it is not flexible enough and will crack and peel off. There is a special top coat that Randolph sells that is shiny like urethane. I finished my Champ in Butyrate. I like the look of it and it is much easier if repairs are needed.
Click to expand...
Tom-D said:
IMHO there are lots better protection than silver dope.
We've come a long ways since Ray Stitz invented the Cecinite and dope method.
There are several methods now that do not use silver base.

But I don't believe you'll find much ceconite on the Beech we were talking about.
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Either way, there isn't bare cloth exposed to UV light, except maybe on some ultralights. The dope, or other coating, protects the underlying cloth from UV light.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Either way, there isn't bare cloth exposed to UV light, except maybe on some ultralights. The dope, or other coating, protects the underlying cloth from UV light.
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The question is, how long will ceconite require exposed to sunlight before it degrades the strength ?
 
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