“…some other good quality finish”?

[mhorowit]

I’ve finished most of my paint removal and will get the rest of the fuselage commercially blasted and primed. I then need to take it home to do some welding. While at home it will be under a tent, where there is a potential for condensation forming.

I’m using Stewart System’s EcoPrime, so I called them and asked if the tubing would be safe. They thought it would be, but to be safe, recommended using EcoPoly or “some other good quality finish”. Their EcoPoly is not inexpensive, so I was hoping to try some other finish.

What’s your definition of “good quality finish”? What did you use? – Mike

[Ray36048]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

Any of the aircrraft epoxy primers will work. But, you must the tubing primed ASAP. I mean moments after you get it blasted, you can not wait hours or days. Rust starts to form on the tube within a very short time.

[N96337]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

Mike,
All primers are porous...even epoxy primers. What they mean by "good quality finish" is something OTHER than rattle can. You'd be best off to go with their poly.
John

[flyguy]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

Mike, you are aware of the likely serious problems if you use non-epoxy primer on the fuselage, right?
Darryl

[mhorowit]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

Any of the aircrraft epoxy primers will work. But, you must the tubing primed ASAP. I mean moments after you get it blasted, you can not wait hours or days. Rust starts to form on the tube within a very short time.

Ray - it will be primed ASAP after it gets blasted to bare metal. What I"m talking about is the coating after the primer; the finish coat - Mike

[mhorowit]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

Mike,
All primers are porous...even epoxy primers. What they mean by "good quality finish" is something OTHER than rattle can. You'd be best off to go with their poly.
John

Didn't I see $250/gallon? - Mike

[mhorowit]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

Mike, you are aware of the likely serious problems if you use non-epoxy primer on the fuselage, right?
Darryl

I'm aware that some glues don't mix with some primers and I know two part epoxy primers are the best. The Stewart System is a waterborne, non-epoxy primer which is compatible with the glues they will ask for later. Actually, their STC begains AFTER the primer, so any primer will work for their system. I chose theirs because of the less toxic nature. The down side is that in my situation (taking it home and storing it under a tent for several months), I need to look for a "good quality finish" to go over the primer, hence my question to the group. - Mike

PS - remember, Zinc Chromate lasted 60 years. Does anyone really expect this a/c to have 60 more years in her?

[Ragwing nut]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

Stits epoxy, but it is not cheap either. Does not need top coated.

[mhorowit]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

Stits epoxy, but it is not cheap either. Does not need top coated.

Mike - primer decision already made; we're looking for a "good quality finish"; apparently one or two steps up from a rattle can - MikeH

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

If someone doesn't tear it up, and it gets proper maintenance (including occasional rebuilds) there is no reason a Taylorcraft can't go on indefinitely, so YES, I see MUCH more than 60 years of life in these planes.
As to primer and paint, what I did when I blasted my fuselage was to blast an area, wipe it down and IMMEDIATELY prime it with red tinted epoxy primer. This happened in MANY sections as I worked my way down the fuselage. The freshly blasted steel is almost white and the red primer really showed coverage well. Each follow-on blast (obviously after the primer had cured) took the edges off the old primed area so I knew I was getting full primer coverage and all of the steel got blasted. When the whole fuselage was blasted and red primed, I put a second coat of white primer over the red (really easy to see what was painted and what was missed). This was followed by a top coat of epoxy paint tinted to look like the original Zinc Chromate primer used by the factory in 1945.
That fuselage has been stored in a barn in Virginia in high humidity for a decade and doesn't have a spot of corrosion anywhere.
By the way all of the primer and paint was done with a series of $4 Harbor Freight air brushes which are GREAT for painting tubes! I bet I didn't need 20% of the chemicals I would have used with a regular sprayer and my car was right outside the door and didn't get a drop of overspray on it.
Hank

[mhorowit]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

... top coat of epoxy paint ...
Hank

Same stuff used to paint concrete? - Mike

GOOGLING around I see Rustoleum makes "appliance epoxy" - that what you talking abt? - Mike

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

Actually I ordered mine from Petit. It was custom mixed and I got stuff that was unaffected by any of the adhesives or dopes I was going to use on the plane. There are a LOT of different epoxy mixes and I wanted to put the "paint" on all the parts including the aluminum things like the cowls so the color underneath the final colors would be the same.
Hank

[Robert Lees]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

Once epoxy primer has cured (say 7 days), it is inert, so any top coat can be applied...be it epoxy top coat, or polyurethane, or cellulose, or absolutely anything (but it will need de-nibbing or light sanding to make a key for subsequent coats).

(The above is true of any two-pack primer...once inert, it cannot react with anything).

For durability, I would top-coat the primer with a two-pack top coat...remember, it doesn't matter which. You can even top-coat it with single-pack rattle cans, but any single-pack top coat will not be durable against scuffs.

I use a local car-parts paint supplier, who does colour-matched two-pack automotive acrylic finish at about the equivalent of USD60 per US gallon (including hardener & thinners). You should be able to get it much cheaper in the US.

remember, Zinc Chromate lasted 60 years

It did, but only with cellulose fabric cements...the modern stuff will lift single-pack ZC like a whore's skirt. It has no place in today's restorations.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

All of the metal finish materials I used were two part epoxy and they are on as tight as a nuns skivvies. They really are pretty much impervious to everything but blasting media (and even that takes a while).
Hank

[Ragwing nut]

Re: “…some other good quality finish”?

What color do you want, I have a good paint but color choice are limited.