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1. 06:29 PM - Definition of Insanity (Robert Reed)
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Subject: | Definition of Insanity |
=0AWhere is everyone?- This list has been very quiet for too long.- =0A
=0AI have often heard the definition of insanity is doing the same thing ov
er and =0Aover expecting a different result.- Well, based on that definit
ion I am clearly =0AINSANE.- =0A=0A=0AI always try to do my research on a
ll the options before I undertake doing =0Asomething.- I try to plan ahea
d and consider all the issues before making a =0Adecision on how to best ac
complish the task at hand.- That is exactly what I did =0Awhen I decided
how I was going to get the plane painted.- The airport where I =0Ahave th
e plane doesn't allowing spray painting in the T-hangars and doesn't have
=0Aa paint shop on the field.- That combined with me not having a paint s
hop at =0Ahome led me to research alternatives.- After looking at many di
fferent =0Aalternatives and paints I found the System Three Paints-which
are highly =0Aregarded for fiberglass boats and yachts use.- First, the p
aints are water based =0Apolyurethane-with very low VOC's.- Secondly th
ey are formulated for either spray =0Aor Roll & Tip application.- My plan
was to use the Roll & Tip for the Primer and =0Afor the Color Coat.- Fol
lowing that, I had decided to try and spray the clear =0Ahigh gloss coating
.=0A=0AI had already put three coats of primer on both wings some time back
and the =0Aprimer went on very smooth using the roll and tip.- I had som
e issues with the =0Aprimer drying a bit too fast and-by the time I got t
hrough the bottom side of =0Athe wing it appeard to show some brush marks.
- The primer sanded down well =0Athough and the brush marks disappeared.
- Now this is where the trouble starts =0Aand insanity rules.- After I
primed the wings I started to SECOND GUESS my =0Adecisions.- I bought a s
econd tank for my compressor, bought some HVLP spray =0Aguns, additional ho
se, filter, and decided to spray the color coats instead of =0Ausing the ro
ll and tip.- Now I know and have known for many years that every =0Asingl
e time I have Second Guessed myself the results have always been BAD but
=0Aonce again, I did it.=0A=0AI took the week off last week to try and get
something done on the plane.- My =0Aplan was to get at least one wing ful
ly painted and possibly a bit more =0Aaccomplished too.- Both wings were
already primed so I took a day to sand and =0Aprep-one wing.- Next I ne
eded to clean out the shop so that I had some room to =0Amove around withou
t falling all over everything.- With two wings, the wing cart, =0Aflaps,
ailerons, doors, rudder, elevators, and all of my tools crammed into the
=0Ashop,-something had to give.- The first to give was the car in the g
arage.- =0AMoved most of the stuff into the garage.- =0A=0A=0AThen I bo
ught a bunch of 3/4 inch PVC pipe, a lot of plastic sheeting, and =0Afabric
ated a makeshift paint booth inside the shop.- It actually looked pretty
=0Agood when finished but took way too much time.- Finally, I mopped, mop
ped, and =0Amopped the floor until I got the sanding dust and dirt cleaned
up.- After =0Aletting the shop set overnight with the airconditioner runn
ing to let any =0Aremaining dust settle and filter out,-I wet down the fl
oor and prepared the =0Apaint for spraying.- I had already tested the spr
ay guns for pattern and =0Aeverything looked OK as far as I could determine
.- I sprayed the first coat of =0Acolor with what seemed like a light coa
t but the coverage wasn't good and it =0Aseemed spotty.- The spray drops
had not joined and there was no flow out.- I =0Afigured the second coat w
ould fill in the color but needed a touch more =0Athinning.- The Second c
oat seemed to be going on much better with good coverage =0Aand I moved dow
n one side of the wing and then the other.- The wing is hanging =0Afrom t
he ceiling and as I was painting everything looked good, no visible runs.
- =0AAfter I finished the-bottom side, I looked down the wing and it lo
oked great.- I =0Adisconnected the gun and went outside to clean the gun
very satisfied with the =0Aapparent result.- =0A=0A=0ATen minutes or so l
ater after cleaning the gun with water and air I went back =0Ainto the shop
.- What I saw was enough to make this grown man cry.- There were =0Arun
s everywhere!!!!!!!!- Both the Top and the Bottom of the wing had runs an
d =0Abald spots where the paint had simply slipped off the surface and down
the =0Awing.- It was the WORST paint job ever.- I am not sure if I put
too much paint =0Aon, thinned it too much, or what but it was a total disa
ster.- I knew the only =0Athing I could do was let the paint dry, sand it
down and either re-prime or try =0Aagain.- Now the one thing that the Sy
stem Three paint is well know for is being =0Aa very tough finish and I am
here to testify to that point.- If the crosslinker =0Ais added to the col
or coat it forms a very HARD, durable, and chemical (gas) =0Aresistant fini
sh.- What that means to me is a finish of runs that are first =0Acousin t
o trying to sand concrete.- This paint is tough and sanding it down took
=0Aall day long with a power sander.- I never did get all the paint off b
ut did get =0Ait smooth again.- Since that much sanding cut through some
of the primer as well =0AI had to reprime the wing with two additional prim
er coats.=0A=0AI was frustrated and angry with myself for second guessing w
hat I decided to do =0Aand I payed the price.- I tore down the paint boot
h-plastic and PVC, cleaned =0Aeverything up and spent the rest of the wee
k priming all the other parts with =0Athree coats of primer.- If I can ge
t the color coats to go on as smooth as the =0Aprimer the paint job will lo
ok great.- The primer is so smooth (NO RUNS)-that I =0Awill only have t
o do a very light sanding before putting on the color.- I didn't =0Aget a
nything fully painted this week but all the removable parts (Wings, doors,
=0Aflaps, ailerons, elevators and rudder) have been primed with three coats
.- Next =0Aweekend I will sand and touch-up any issues but will wait for
the-next weekend =0Ato start color again.- This time, I will NOT SECOND
GUESS my decisions and I =0Awill not get in a rush.- Three light color c
oats using the roll and tip =0Aapplication on the first day.- Sand and to
uch-up if necessary with 600 grit wet =0Apaper and follow with two or three
coats of Clear Gloss coating on the second =0Aday.- The cross linked pai
nt is best applied within 24 hours or full sanding is =0Arequired.- =0A
=0A=0AFinally, if necessary I will color sand, compound, and buff finish.
- It will =0Atake a lot more time, a lot more work sanding, sanding, sand
ing, and some more =0Asanding but I hope the results will be worth it.- W
hat it won't involve is more =0Asecond guessing.=0A=0ANOW TELL ME AGAIN WHY
I DIDN"T BUILD AN RV-6?=0A
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