Painting an Airplane

[dcg9381]

My real question about the explosive potential of the paint was related to it being in the hangar. If I'm spraying in a hangar/paint booth filled with fumes, and somebody outside starts up their plane, have I just created a situation where I'm basically standing inside a big bomb?

Same deal on the hanger. If you don't contain the overspray (IE, plastic sheets minimum) you're going to overspray the hanger.. It'll have a fine "mist" of paint on any place where dust settles. I'd know because I've made the mistake before (not on an airplane).

Will it explode if a plan starts outside? That wouldn't be my worry. Know how many times A&Ps have dumped 10 gallons of 100LL "accidentally" in a hanger? Meh. Technically light switches can cause a spark..

 

[KSJeff]

I know you're trying to do this on the cheap, but I'd suggest you reach out to your group of friends and see if anyone knows an automotive painter. Painting, like welding, isn't super difficult, but you need to know what stuff looks like and how to adjust when you see it going wrong. I'm guessing you could find a body guy that would help you with material suggestions, and supervise the start of the shoot for less thank 1K. That would be worth it just for the cost of materials you could waste chasing down an issue.

 

[IRQVET]

If you're painting in a hanger, big ticket item is to plan out your ventilation, most importantly, what direction it will vent too; as well as where your fresh air will come from. As others have discussed, if you get overspray on another aircraft, you're going to have issues. Airports are small entities with very noisy people.

When we used the MEK to strip, it was on an outdoor cement pad next to the paint shop. Like anything else, just make sure no other aircraft or cars are parked anywhere near where you're chemically stripping.

I remember my first year at the paint shop at the age of 16, the paint shop owner was getting ready to spray a plane. As a dumb kid, I was cleaning my car just outside the paint hanger. I remember applying tire shine to the tires. What I wasn't paying attention to was the wind, and the fact that the hanger door was cracked open.

Needless to say, fisheyes everywhere on the plane after the paint dried.

So when people start taking ventilation and overspray, knowing your surroundings, etc. Its comes from a place of painful experience, lol.

Our paint shop was in a stand alone hanger on the opposite side of the runway, far away from any other hanger or parking area. So we didn't need to worry about much. I can't image trying to do this in a bank of hangers with things nearby.

 

[dcg9381]

I know you're trying to do this on the cheap, but I'd suggest you reach out to your group of friends and see if anyone knows an automotive painter.

Painting aluminum might be different. I believe most aircraft are often coated in zinc chromate primer. It's toxic, but provides corrosion protection. And most auto-body guys are going to do a lot of sanding, may not be a great idea for riveted aircraft.

I'm not up on "modern" paint for aircraft, but I see these:



I've used Imron before as final coat, but it had issues too (way back when I used it) - single stage, no clear...

The Vans RV guys will definitely know.

 

[micromind]

If you're painting inside an enclosed hangar and the paint vapor is explosive, when you turn the lights on of off, the hangar will very likely blow up. Same with when the compressor starts and stops.

 

[adickenson85]

TL;DR: I'm painting an airplane. I need help figuring which equipment and paint to buy, and some tips on technique.


I know this isn't the kind of thing that's normally posted here, but I've actually found more useful information on vehicle painting in this forum than anywhere else. What I'm painting is a lot like a car, it just... has wings. If nothing else, this could be very entertaining for you guys.

I have an airplane that needs painting. As in, there's missing paint all over it. It needs to be painted for corrosion resistance, but in the process I also want to make it look better. Most airplane owners are loaded and would just pay somebody $25k to do it for them, but that ain't me.

My standards aren't exactly high. I want the colors (white on top, red on bottom) to be solid and have a clean line between them. I need the paint to be smooth for aerodynamic purposes. Shiny would be a bonus. Showroom perfect is not necessary - anything would be an upgrade from what I have right now. Wet sanding between/after coats is not a problem.

I've never painted with a HVLP sprayer before, but do have a little experience touching up cars (read: rattle cans only). I'm very mechanically inclined and am usually pretty good at picking up new things like this quickly, so I'm hoping that will be the case here as well.

I've already purchased a 3M full-face respirator and appropriate filters. I've also got the yellow 3M masking tape and blue fine line tape, as well as tape with plastic already on it. I have a 26 gallon 5.5HP 9.9 CFM air compressor. I don't have the cash to spend on something bigger, but could purchase a receiver tank or something if needed.

I don't have a gun or any accessories. I keep reading that the Harbor Freight purple gun would be perfect for my needs and is more or less disposable, so that's what I'm considering. I'm doing my research, but haven't yet figured out exactly what else I need with it.

I also need some advice on what kind of auto paint to get - I want something simple that won't require a lot of extra coats or a more complicated process. Again, my standards aren't high, so simplicity beats something that will take a lot more work but only look 10% better. I'd love to be able to complete the process over the course of a few days, but I'm seeing a lot of things about not taking too long of a break between coats or between base and clear.

The biggest complication is that I can't move or disassemble the plane. So I'll be painting at all angles, including while underneath it with only about 18" of clearance. I've seen videos of people using the purple gun to spray upside down, but I haven't yet figured out how they're doing it.

I have removed any flaking or chipping paint, and sanded all the edges down to give it as smooth a base as possible. Stripping the plane is not an option, unfortunately. I've also primed all bare metal with a rattle can zinc phosphate primer to prevent corrosion (very important in aviation). It sanded down nice and smooth with some wet 2000-grit sandpaper.

Feel free to give me a hard time - I'm definitely taking on a big job and am not quite ready for it. But any helpful information you can give along with that ribbing would be greatly appreciated.



*For any of you who may be familiar with planes and FAA regulations about painting them: I am following all required rules & regulations while doing this. It's being done under the supervision of an A&P, and will be properly checked out & signed off. I've left out some of that information above for the sake of brevity & clarity.

Attached is the site I suggest you refer to. Chapter 8 specifically. In my experience the A&P maintenance and mechanical technicians are mainly within the areas of literal airframe and power plant divisions of their company and painters are separate and their is so much involved in the correct way to do this. Specific airflow, humidity, ventilation…. Correct and precise coverage of all ports, antennas, engine components ad infinitum.. I’m a diy’er of many many things. I gather you’re being honest about the mechanical aptitude you have. This shouldn’t be a lone task. Very unsafe, I know this simply because your omitted, highly important info… The Planes Make! Maybe if you like I can forward your info to one of 6-7 current painters that literally do this daily and know the FAA side of all this project of yours. Just felt I had to share my insight and insistence of it being way more than I feel you know you’re getting into with this. Even I wouldn’t try even if I’d had the right paint gun, booth and paint.

Ashley