Thunderbird Paint Help

[Richard Entwhistle 823412]

I was given an old Thunderbird (six years old) and it is a wonderful flying plane.  It made me look like I know what I was doing.  The paint had always felt a little tacky but would not "finger print".  After a few years the covering would break if you looked at it hard.  I put it on the wall for a winter time recover repaint project two years ago.  The time was right so off the wall it came.  The paint now looked as if I had used paint stripper on half the body.  I could grab an edge and remove four to ten square inch sheets.  In a few places the paint was solid and had to be sanded hard to remove.  The wood looked to have been paper and dope covered and then painted.  It still felt a little tacky.  It looked to be oil soaked and it was.  I spent some hours with a hot covering iron and almost a whole roll paper towels blotting out oil.  It looked good and felt good. It also sanded well.  I had a nice and new can of Ultacoat paint in just the right color I wanted to use.  After a good cleaning and wipe I put on the paint.  It looked great.  Good coverage and great shine.  Instructions on the can say to let dry for 72 hours.  Just to be on the safe side I let it dry for 100 hours at 68 degrees.  Half the paint is still tacky and will "finger print" and the other half feels dry.  Is there any  hope for this plane or should just build a new one ?

Later
Richard

[Mike Haverly]

The best thing to do with a "nice new can of Ultracoat paint" would be to leave the top on it and let it get nice and old; don't use it.  It behaves badly when you try to put it over contaminated surfaces or an unknown base.  Get yourself a big can of Acetone and some paper towels and start over.  Roy DeCamara would be able to help you out if he is in town.  I had a similar experience and learned from it.

[Gerald Arana]

Richard,

I recently stripped the covering off a "Free" plane (see the building
 section).

Here's how it went, soak paper towel with acetone, wipe, repeat. After three wing panels and a qt. of acetone, I discided to try my heat gun and it soften up the covering/adhesive enough to pull it off easily. DUH!

So, I'd suggest you try a little heat and then (If that fails) use the acetone/paper towels.

Good luck, Jerry

PS: Let us know how it went. OBTW; corn starch with the acetone will remove most of the oil.

[Avaiojet]

Richard,

I personally would remove and replace any wood that had oil in it.

But that's me.

CB