---------------------------------------------------------- RV8-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Wed 09/15/10: 2 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 06:07 PM - Re: Gell Coat Painting (Speedy11@aol.com) 2. 08:47 PM - Re: Re: Gell Coat Painting (japhillipsga@aol.com) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 06:07:18 PM PST US From: Speedy11@aol.com Subject: RV8-List: Re: Gell Coat Painting Bill, I'm no expert in this area. Here is some info I found on the net. It is referring to boats, but the concept would be the same. Stan Use a GOOD primer sealer that is compatible with your Mfg's paint and you should have no problem. I am assuming here that you are painting the entire hull and not just a section, like say a center stripe. The initial sanding will scuff open the gelcoat allowing the primer sealer to adhere, which becomes your foundation for the top coat. Here is the process I have used in the past, with good results 1) Wash boat thoroughly with dish soap and sos pad. Dry boat 2) mask off areas not to be painted - carefully. Cover areas not to be painted with poly. (Essentially wrap the boat and trailer everywhere but the hull) 3) Solvent wipe with Xylene. Constantly rotate through rags (those painters rags at HD are cheap you know). Wipe in a straight line as per the products instructions. 1, 2, and 3 are complete - call it a night and have adult beverage 4) Next day. Sand gel coat with 200 grit paper to break off outer surface. Here you really just want to scuff it. Use a sanding block to prevent gouging. 5) Fill any dents, dings, gouges etc with either epoxy or marine bondo. Let filler dry and relax with adult beverage. 6) After filler dries sand smooth and re-inspect hull carefully for any irregularities. NOW is the time - do not cut corners. Wipe down with tack cloth. 7) Spray on primer (use HPLV). There maybe a learning curve here, so practice. Let primer dry while having adult beverage 8) Sand out primer with 200-220. Wipe down with tack cloth. Spray on second coat of primer. Let primer dry while having adult beverage. 9) Bring in the trigger man for the finish coat. Solvent wash and wipe down with tack cloth - trigger man sprays boat. Let paint dry 24 hours while having adult beverage with trigger man. 10) 24 hours later - LIGHTLY sand with 300 grit paper. Solvent wipe and wipe down with tack cloth. Trigger man shoots second coat. Second coat dries while having adult beverage. 11) 24 hours later VERY LIGHTLY sand with 300 grit paper (you are near the end here). Solvent wipe and wipe down with tack cloth. Trigger man shoots final coat. Celebrate with many adult beverages (if you can still lift your arms) 12) Let dry 24-36 hours and buff to remove any ornage peel effect. Some say you can check the hull and only do this as needed, the boats I did were smaller so I just did the entire thing. If you are not comfortable with a DA buffer - hire this out - Burn in will ruin all your work in no time. Some will say wet sand in step 4 Dear Builder Buds, I'm down to painting wing tips and not sure what to san d the jell coat with to get the primer to stick. What grit sandpaper will rough it enough to allow the epoxy primer to adhere, but not eat into the hard coating ? Best regards, Bill of Georgia RV-8a, N228WP reserved, pain ting in prep for final assembly ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 08:47:30 PM PST US Subject: Re: RV8-List: Re: Gell Coat Painting From: japhillipsga@aol.com Stan, thanks for the info. I have painted the whole plane piece by piece minus the tips, rudder and elevators. I'm prepping them all to be finishe d this weekend. At least I can hope big. I really want done with this pha se. Then I can move my efforts solely to the hanger for final assembly. My buddy Tony is mounting his 8a's wings on Sat. so I'll have to help. See your flying. I envy you and hope to be flying along before year's end. Co urse, I have to finish this damned painting. Best regards, Bill -----Original Message----- From: Speedy11@aol.com Sent: Wed, Sep 15, 2010 9:03 pm Subject: RV8-List: Re: Gell Coat Painting Bill, I'm no expert in this area. Here is some info I found on the net. It is referring to boats, but the concept would be the same. Stan Use a GOOD primer sealer that is compatible with your Mfg's paint and you should have no problem. I am assuming here that you are painting the enti re hull and not just a section, like say a center stripe. The initial sanding will scuff open the gelcoat allowing the primer sealer to adhere, which becomes your foundation for the top coat. Here is the process I have used in the past, with good results 1) Wash boat thoroughly with dish soap and sos pad. Dry boat 2) mask off areas not to be painted - carefully. Cover areas not to be pai nted with poly. (Essentially wrap the boat and trailer everywhere but the hull) 3) Solvent wipe with Xylene. Constantly rotate through rags (those painter s rags at HD are cheap you know). Wipe in a straight line as per the produ cts instructions. 1, 2, and 3 are complete - call it a night and have adult beverage 4) Next day. Sand gel coat with 200 grit paper to break off outer surface. Here you really just want to scuff it. Use a sanding block to prevent gou ging. 5) Fill any dents, dings, gouges etc with either epoxy or marine bondo. Le t filler dry and relax with adult beverage. 6) After filler dries sand smooth and re-inspect hull carefully for any ir regularities. NOW is the time - do not cut corners. Wipe down with tack cl oth. 7) Spray on primer (use HPLV). There maybe a learning curve here, so pract ice. Let primer dry while having adult beverage 8) Sand out primer with 200-220. Wipe down with tack cloth. Spray on secon d coat of primer. Let primer dry while having adult beverage. 9) Bring in the trigger man for the finish coat. Solvent wash and wipe dow n with tack cloth - trigger man sprays boat. Let paint dry 24 hours while having adult beverage with trigger man. 10) 24 hours later - LIGHTLY sand with 300 grit paper. Solvent wipe and wi pe down with tack cloth. Trigger man shoots second coat. Second coat dries while having adult beverage. 11) 24 hours later VERY LIGHTLY sand with 300 grit paper (you are near the end here). Solvent wipe and wipe down with tack cloth. Trigger man shoots final coat. Celebrate with many adult beverages (if you can still lift yo ur arms) 12) Let dry 24-36 hours and buff to remove any ornage peel effect. Some sa y you can check the hull and only do this as needed, the boats I did were smaller so I just did the entire thing. If you are not comfortable with a DA buffer - hire this out - Burn in will ruin all your work in no time. Some will say wet sand in step 4 Dear Builder Buds, I'm down to painting wing tips and not sure what to san d the jell coat with to get the primer to stick. What grit sandpaper will rough it enough to allow the epoxy primer to adhere, but not eat into the hard coating ? Best regards, Bill of Georgia RV-8a, N228WP reserved, pain ting in prep for final assembly ======================== =========== ======================== =========== ======================== =========== ======================== =========== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message rv8-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/RV8-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/rv8-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/rv8-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.