stevegauth30

Hi guys, what types of primer and paints are people using on fiberglassed warbirds? I was just at a local auto body supply house and was dumbfounded at the cost of this stuff. I've heard of people using latex, but don't know what to make of that. I don't really have hundreds to spend on paint. This guy was also saying I need special primer to go on fiberglass? Really? Was he just trying to sell me a $125 gallon of primer? What are my options here? It's not going to be a scale comp. plane, but I'd like it to look nice. Thanks a lot, Steve.

sensei

You might go to Lowe's and pick up a gallon of Olympic PVA primer for about $12.00 dollars as I remember, you can roll it on, spray it on, or brush it on, allow it to cure overnight prior to sanding, just make sure that it is good and dry. I have used it over a fiberglass surface in the past with surprisingly good results, I did my sanding with 3M open coat silica carbide 180 grit sand paper and DA disks found at my automotive paint store, you will not find this kind of sand paper or DA disk in the 3m gold at your local hardware stores. This stuff acts allot like primer surfacer so don't go to crazy on your application of it, do a couple of test on something you don't care about until you become proficient with it.

I must be honest with you though, most all my stuff is prime filled with DuPont high build Euro primer, and yes it is as expensive as hell... $300.00 a gallon kit, but I also use a base coat clear coat system on the Euro primer.

Bob

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

Steve, what fuel source are you running with this airplane? Gas VS glow would open up a lot of options. I have been having great success with this system.

http://www.66autocolor.com/category_s/293.htm

stevegauth30

I run only gas these days. No more glow for me. I won't mind paying the money, as long as this project turns out good and I do more glass and paint warbirds. I just don't want to be sitting on 3/4 gal. Of primer that I'll never use.

Jim Simer

My Feedback: (1)

Steve,
Do some more searching on the latex, I was also skeptical like you but decided to give it a try verses spending $1500 on auotomotive paint. I must say that I am very pleased with the outcome of my project and would recommend it for any warbird. The biggest thing with the latex is getting the right viscosity to spray and each color varies a little. Here is a finished picture on the maiden landing before all the detail and weathering.

stevegauth30

Nice razorback Jim. How long did it take the latex to dry? I've heard it takes weeks. I'm having second thoughts on glassing this plane. I didn't realize it would cost so much to paint. Especially with three or four colors. I really want a good looking warbird, but I don't have the best budget for it either.ohh, what to do. I'm at the point of either glassing or wrinkle coating. I need to get off my butt and decide before I go and start building another one like I sometimes seem to do.

raptureboy

Most of us use an auto body primer from a spray can to fill in the weave of the glass and then from there you can use latex. Thin it with a little windshield washer fluid and spray away. You can get small 4oz sample bottles of paint mixed to any color you want for around 3-4$ ea from the home centers/paint stores. Latex takes about 30 days to be considered fully cured under normal temp/humidity conditions, but it is usable in a few hours. Lots of good info here http://www.vaillyaviation.com/Intro.html click on the link under articles.

stevegauth30

Thanks rapture boy, that was the answer I was hoping to hear. Sounds like its in my price range. Now if I can only win the lotto.

raptureboy

Yes flying on a budjet has it's challanges but it keeps the old gray matter going figuring out how to make it yourself or finding alternitive solutions. Good luck with your project, what kind of plane? I have a .60 size P-47 I'm building myself from a TF kit.

Jim Simer

My Feedback: (1)

Steve,

I tried Valspar and it stayed tacky for weeks. I then swithed to the Behr Premium and never looked back. I also thinned it with windshield washer fluid. I sprayed small sample pieces with the model masters paint and had the Guys at Home Depot mix it to my samples. They were spot on perfect matches. When spraying, the first coat is a mist coat just enough to get it to cover maybe 60%. I then used my heat gun and forced dried it, sprawed another light coat and again forced dried it. I did approx. 3 to 4 very very light coats.

After the last coat I washed my gun and cleaned up, hit it again with the heat gun and pulled all the masking paper away. It never was tacky and could be handled right away.

jeffbechtel

Steve,
If you have a Sherman Williams paint store in you town that sales auto paint they usually have a good deal on the paint, with auto paint it not really as expensive as it seems, a quart of paint will make a half gallon of spray and you will not even come close to using that much, you could buy a pint for a 60 size plane and have plenty, the key to auto paints it which color you use, I found that yellow is the most expensive auto paint you can buy. I bought a quart of the high build primmer and painted a top flight Cessna kit with it and still have primmer left. Don't skimp on the primmer and finish work it will be well worth it in the long run. Most auto paint stores carry several lines a high end and lower end, I have always used the lower end with excellent results.