Painting an old Cowling
 

I have a cowling I am trying to repaint. Everyone says wet sand till smooth. I did that for 2 hours. Then prime and resand. I did that. Then reprime. I did that. But heres the catch. I still have a step up from the nonpainted fiberglass where the paint completely come off and where the paint stayed on. There is a ragged seam between the fiberglass and old paint. How do you smooth this out? Besides with 3lbs of paint.

RE: Painting an old Cowling
 

I think removing all of the old paint is the only way it'll ever look good and last. What kind of paint is it originally painted with? Model railroaders remove factory paint from plastic locomotive shells with brake fluid. You can soak until the paint comes off with a toothbrush, then clean thoroughly before repainting. Hobby shops also sell plastic safe paint removers for those who don't like the oily mess of brake fluid.

RE: Painting an old Cowling
 

The cowling is fiberglass but not sure what kind (poly or etc.) someone told me to soak in acetone but if it was a certain kind of fiberglass that the acetone would soften the fiberglass. So here I am. Which way do I go?

RE: Painting an old Cowling
 

Wet sand with a 180 grit paper. Prime with a 2k primer surfacer.

RE: Painting an old Cowling
 

I wouldn't soak in acetone. Perhaps a test--put some acetone on a rag and rub a small spot. If the acetone is going to take off this paint it should happen fast, so soaking and possibly softening the whole cowling shouldn't be necessary. Sanding with a coarse sandpaper will probably work, as well. But that'll take a lot of elbow grease and then repeated sandings with increasingly fine sandpaper to get all of the scratches out. I'd try the brake fluid first. I don't think it will harm anything.