recover/rebuild coming... Recommendations?

[crispy critter]

Re: recover/rebuild coming... Recommendations?

Not trying to knock off stewarts because it is a good process if you like it but it will crack,any paint system will crack if hit hard enough or in the right place. Todays Urathanes are not as bad to crack if properly used as the used to be but they will crack...especially if applied too thick like most people do,and that is the key trick,keeping coats down to a bare minimum and not over-doing it ....and not just the paint but the underlying coats as well. It any of it is applied too thick or too many coats they be easier to crack right from the start,and even more-so as it ages. I am not a polyfiber man but thier urathane paint seems to have the most flexibiliy of most I have seen but it goes on a little rubbery and is hard to get a perfect slick finish(not impossible,just harder). Superflight is a great process too but very easy to get it too thick. Ceconite(ranthane) is the the best I have found as far as getting that "wet all the time look" and it will not fade(poly fiber will fade some in time)but it takes a little more paint to get a good coverage and it doesn't have as much flex agent in it so if you get it too thick it will crack easily also. IMHO I prefer the ceconite process(ranthane),that doesn't mean it is better then someone elses,but just what I get the best results with. If it gets hailed on,they will all crack and I don't care what process it is or how well it is applied! If the hail balls are big enough,it will crack it....just be glad those hail damaged airplanes are not spam cans.....it's much harder to reskin them.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: recover/rebuild coming... Recommendations?

Not trying to knock off stewarts because it is a good process if you like it but it will crack,any paint system will crack if hit hard enough or in the right place. Todays Urathanes are not as bad to crack if properly used as the used to be but they will crack...especially if applied too thick like most people do,and that is the key trick,keeping coats down to a bare minimum and not over-doing it ....and not just the paint but the underlying coats as well. It any of it is applied too thick or too many coats they be easier to crack right from the start,and even more-so as it ages. I am not a polyfiber man but thier urathane paint seems to have the most flexibiliy of most I have seen but it goes on a little rubbery and is hard to get a perfect slick finish(not impossible,just harder). Superflight is a great process too but very easy to get it too thick. Ceconite(ranthane) is the the best I have found as far as getting that "wet all the time look" and it will not fade(poly fiber will fade some in time)but it takes a little more paint to get a good coverage and it doesn't have as much flex agent in it so if you get it too thick it will crack easily also. IMHO I prefer the ceconite process(ranthane),that doesn't mean it is better then someone elses,but just what I get the best results with. If it gets hailed on,they will all crack and I don't care what process it is or how well it is applied! If the hail balls are big enough,it will crack it....just be glad those hail damaged airplanes are not spam cans.....it's much harder to reskin them.

you hit the nail on the head. Depending on customer preference determines whether I use one system or another. I quit using dope after having plasticizer issues 12 month after finishing a Taylorcraft a few years back. Goldbaum warrantied materials, but I ended up eating the labor for an entire recover, Needless to say I was pissed over that. If someone what a slick dipped in plastic look, I use Airtech, if they want a more original look, I use Stits and either go with Poly-Tone (not preferred) or Aerothane per customer request.