What you do think is the best paint for clear coating your aircraft ?



Thanks,Jackjet

I would like to know too, or do you guys all clearcoat them at all? I am sure some do, anyone single stage their jet?

I have used the new K&B Ultra Poxy with good results. Straight out of the gun it has a very high gloss.

I then wet sand with 2000 before polishing with 3M Finishing Polish. It doesn't come back to 100% of the gloss, but it is close and you get a really smooth finish.

I particularly like the Ultra Poxy primer. It is white and sands nicely, plus it is very hard and doesn't seem to shrink over time and show the glass weave (I use Z-Poxy finishing resin). No need to spray a coat of white before applying semi-translucent colours like yellow.

Garrett

Hi Garrett,
thanks alot for your input and advice.

Jackjet

I use PPG 2021. If put on right, it does not need to be buffed. But if you do buff it, it comes out great! Can't get it in LA county, I have a friend from AZ send it to me.

I use PPG 2021 as well. I shoot 2 coats, sanding with 1500 in between and then sand with 2000 on the final. I prefer to buff the clear, and although this is much effort and time, the results are well worth it. I use 3M rubbing compound #39002 to buff with followed with their hand glaze #39007. After 30 days or so you can apply wax.
The 2021 ain't cheap, but a novice can shoot it with good results. I just finished a Bandit and it looks absolutely awesome. This was my first time shooting automotive paint! The PPG system is basically goof proof.

PPG all the way! I use the DBC base coats, and 2021 for the clear. I am painting 2 Bobcats right now and after you get the hang of spraying the clearcoat it is almost goof proof. I am spraying with an HVLP detail gun (Walcom STM) and get fantastic results. If you have a scale plane you can also add a flattening agent to the 2021. I can't remember the number off the top of my head.

Why would you sand in between coats?

Is this stuff nasty to work with?
Thanks,
Craig
www.circad.com/craig

Basically, to remove the dust nibs and occasional gnats down here in S Ga. It also levels the paint ridge between your basecoat colors and gives the final clear coat better adhesion.
Like Tony said, you don't have to buff this stuff and it will still look good. However, if you're like me shooting outside in the driveway, you're bound to get dust and bugs in the paint as you go.

David,

I am useing DBC base coat as well.However I'm useing DCU 2002 clear.. What is the difference in the 2021.???Is it better/easier to shoot?? I am useing HVLP gun as well, any tips??

Dan M.

I love PPG. Great stuff. Do yourself a favor though, and ask your supplier for their information sheets on the type of paints you buy. The info will include lots of tips like drying times between coats, etc. I found out the hard way that you DON'T sand and buff DAU 75 clear. You will never get the shine back and it will remain cloudy. Had I read the info sheet before....

PPG's North America web site has all the information regarding application, surface prep, and mixing ratios for all their products.

Can't respond to the differences between clear coats as my only experience is with the 2021.

Joel P.

While we are on the subject of painting. What is the best method of applying the paint/clear coat? Airbrush? Paint Gun? What are some recommendations of manufacturers?

Is there some paints to stay away from for weight reasons? or is it not enough to be worried about?

Ditto on the PPG 2021

These are all great questions, and i would like to know what spray equipment you guys are using, and where to get it.

I'm using a Devilbiss EGA 503 touch up gun blown with a Craftsman 30 Gal compressor. I have 2 paint cups, 1 for the primer/base coat and 1 for clear.
Make sure you cover yourself well, use a good respirator( if you can smell the stuff you need new filters), and wear goggles to keep it from entering your eyes.

Hi Jack:

Have had good luck with PPG systems,2021 clear.
Many thoughts on best appllication,suggest you find someone local who has done a few and help.

Safety note here. This is no **** stuff...you have to take some real precautions. I purchased and use an Air feed system and goggles.
others may say you can get by with less......but ask you self how much your current health is worth and do you want to risk it for a few bucks.

Another idea is to get the jet prepared and find a local Body shop painter who might be willing to come in on a Sat or Sun for a few extra bucks and shoot it for you. Again no substitute for experience and the use of a down draft paint booth cant hurt results and some painters do use a cart mask in a booth because of the low saturation of fumes.

Ok...enoughe soap box.

Any way you do it works well...John Redman has some pretty good instructions on how he paints jets. His results speak for themselfs.

Be prepared to dig deep in your Wallet ...this is not the cheapest systems available.

Good luck Jack..let me know how you come out.

I have been using the Walcom STM HVLP detail gun for several years now and highly recommend it. Mine has the standard 1.2 mm tip but I also have a 1.0 mm tip, and a 0.7 mm tip as well. You can really dial this gun down (or up) to spray paint accurately. The real advantage to this gun is that it is a gravity feed gun so you can mix up very small quantities of paint and spray. For example if you need just a drop or 2 of paint to touch something up, you can do it. Very economical on paint. You can find the gun, as well as many others at www.allsprayguns.com

I took Davids advice on this gun about a year ago, well worth every cent!! 90% of the job is in the gun and the Walcom STM is AWESOME!

I've sprayed automotive a little bit and years ago used a Devilbiss production gun-worked ok. Got a Harbor Freight HVLP gravity feed gun (the purple one) for about $50 and got used to sprying it over the weekend and clearcoated a pattern/practice plane. Man, for a cheap gun it sure worked great! Exceeded my expectations Just keep moving with the clear-like spraying water. The new technology HVLP guns are definately the way to go. The only problem is having enough compressor to push them.

As far as cost options on the product-I tried a new (for me)product called "Advantage" brand automotive Urethane Enamel clear. It came out with that beatiful, wet look-no orange peel. Don't know if it will buff out any, but I don't need to, especially on a practice bird. A quart of this stuff with activator costs $25 and with a good HVLP gun can easily do two or three birds. I just used this stuff because I was doing some low-cost experimenting. If you use a basecoat/clear coat you're usually best off to stick with the manufacturer's system. Mine was over a yellow PPG Deltron acrylic enamel with Createx Auto Air (water-based acrylic enamel) airbrushed graphics (by the way Createx is heresy to "real" auto graphics guys 'cause it's like spraying elmers glue, but it's cheap and safe). All came out compatible and nice and slick.

By the way, I use a dual cartridge organic vapor respirator with HEPA pre-filters. New cartridge each day for sure. Also spraying outside. The problem with these clears is the Isocyanates -they can cause a chemically induced asthma, "occupational asthma" and they can not be smelled at levels that might be harmful. This is the reason supplied air is recommended instead of cartridge respirators, not because they don't work, you just can't tell when the cartridges stop working (kind of bad). I went to a safety conference in Fla. that had a whole session on Isocyanate safety and 3M presented testing evidence that showed respirators with HEPA pre-filters will work at less than 8-hours useage (this is why I change to new cartridges each time/day), but interestingly without a HEPA pre-filter they don't work as well.

Another use of clear coat- Takes out whole squadrons of mosquitos in one brief shot!! They drop like rocks! Down side of living on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Hi...let me know where can I find Mr. Redman
instructions for PPg painting method.
TIA,
Pedro

Hey Fellas.

I too am looking at buying a paint gun. I've come down to two.
The Devillbis SRi and the SATA miniJet 2.
Give em a look at the website David mentioned.

Jeremy

I just recently shot clear on an airplane using the new Concept 2042. It's a FAST flash time of around 20 minutes to tack free. It fully hardens in around 36 hours, but you can handle it without worrying about fingerprints in about 4 hours.

Really easy to spray, and flows out nice and shiney.

-Doug