stunthanger.com
Building Tips and technical articles. => Paint and finishing => Topic started by: FLOYD CARTER on April 01, 2009, 02:30:19 PM
-
I've never used fiberglass parts (or maybe I don't remember). Now I have some commercial fiberglass wheel pants. My final paint will be Brodak dopes, and I don't know how to prime the fiberglass parts so that butyrate will stick.
Any primer that is readily available?
Floyd in OR
-
Floyd,
you will want to make sure that whatever primer you use is NOT an enamel based. some of the spray can primers are enamel based and using that under laquer is not a happy thing.
Make sure you wash the parts with good soapy water and wax and grease remover too, the mold release can create adhesion problems. I think the Autocolor spray can system has a laquer based primer that should ( I say should, , I havent used it personaly) work.
-
I've sanded the fiberglass parts with 220 paper. Unless something exotic comes up, I'll try a rattle can of grey auto primer. It's lacquer-based, and I've used it as a primer over aluminum, and then Brodak as a paint coat.
BTW, I'm going to McMinnville this Sunday, if it doesn't rain.
Floyd
-
OK, I'm going to have to admit some ignorance here, but this topic is very germain to an iminent step in my present project. I have just applied some CF veil to stiffen my elevator and sanded it mostly smooth (losing some CF in doing so). I was just going to apply clear butyrate over this, but now it seems that I ought to prime it.
The reason I was not intending to spray a primer coat was that I have made fillets from 3-minute epoxy and microballoons for my last three planes, and contrary to the problems reported by so many, I have had no problem applying butyrate directly over the sanded fillets. They are 1/4" in radius, concave, and smooth. So far, I have never had one lift - through setting or crashing (a specialty). I also use epoxy to attach precovered (silkspannned and doped) wings, and these have never given problems, even in the too frequent earthly encounters.
SO...I thought butyrate would just stick compatably. Have I overlooked something? If I really need to prime, I'll be out there tomorrow buying that rattle can of auto primer. I'm ready to be set straight on this. Thanks.
SK
-
Serge,
No need to prime. Use dope just like over silkspan.
-
You do know that Brodak offers a butyrate primer, right?
-
Thanks, Pat!
Ralph-
Yeah, I think I still have some in a box close by - will check. Thickish white stuff? That might be a good start to fill some irregularities.
SK
-
Hey , I cant help it, I paint stuff for like you know a profesional,, so I have bad habits! I do it by the book,,,
anyway, cant speak for Butyrate over resin, just have not done it. I find personally that primer tends to have better adhesion, just my experience,,
sounds like you got some different opinions there Floyd,, guess your gonna pays your money and takes your chances,,
-
The biggest trick is to clean the mold release off of any molded parts with acetone or thinner followed by hot soap and water.
After a cleaning sand with 320 then prime with a compatible primer. the dope should stick then.
Charley Pate had a heck off a time getting dope to stick to some of my Carbon Fiber wheel pants the above was what it took to get it to adhere properly.
Busby
-
Hey , I cant help it, I paint stuff for like you know a profesional,, so I have bad habits! I do it by the book,,,
anyway, cant speak for Butyrate over resin, just have not done it. I find personally that primer tends to have better adhesion, just my experience,,
sounds like you got some different opinions there Floyd,, guess your gonna pays your money and takes your chances,,
The primer will also fill faster and lighter.