When did you paint your interior?

I'm planning on being somewhat sparse in my interior at first flight - Van's style. Cushions, armrests, maybe some FW insulation. That will evolve.

Regardless, I will paint the interior. When did you paint? I'm getting to the end of the QB fuse, working forward fuse, with no systems installs yet. I may paint the roll bar this weekend, just as it's getting a different color and I can't remember the last time I lit off the paint gun(and I need to paint some miata parts too).

Did you paint over tubes? Wires? Screw heads (those -515's!)? Your little brother(somebody name the song!). Did you install everything, then disassemble and paint?

Thanks in advance!

Rick 90432

I painted before starting to intstall any "systems". You do have to carefull to avoid, or be prepared to accept some level of "hangar rash" though. I used Rustoleum Professional machine grey in two tones.
Jim Sharkey
RV6

two ways

We have two different approaches.

For a slow build: We paint before pieces are riveted, yes we make sure the mil thickness between the parts is minimal. This makes all the rivets uncoated and polished. There are no dry lines, no runs (well not many anyway) No over spray on wires and stuff. Looks really professional, like you thought before you acted.

Next: if we are doing a quick build results are not quite so good.

Get the cockpit parts fit,
Do not rivet down the seat back hinges
Get the front and rear skins fit, paint these separately
paint all the cockpit panels and parts separately
Fit the canopy rollover bar
fit the canopy rails
get the canopy frame to work perfectly (minus the slider latching mechanism)
Remove the canopy frame Paint this separately
Paint the cockpit

Now you can proceed with everything else, eventually you WILL run out of things to do and you WILL fly it.

After most of the systems were installed

...but then again, I did not paint the forward cabin, where all that stuff lives. I painted the cockpit area only. I masked off a lot of stuff with masking paper. And my paint job (Rustoleum rattle cans) will win NO awards. I'll do the baggage compartment once I'm done working on the aft fuselage (a/p servo, top skin, etc.)

Cheers,
Martin

I'll let you know when I get around to doing it .

Been flying for over 5 years....and yeah, every now and then I think "I need to paint this interior."

,
d

No Paint for Doug

Doug, just curious, do you have any pics of your interior.
I would be like to see how it looks.

Thx

I did most of the structural fitting, including panel, then disassembled and painted. When I did the paint, the basic fuselage looked like the QB canoe. Then there was all the panels, flap assembly, and forward upper fuse parts that got painted at the same time. After that, it was systems, wiring, and canopy.

Souintenly!

http://www.vansairforce.net/N617ARVirtualTour/cockpit1.jpg
http://www.vansairforce.net/N617ARVirtualTour/cockpit3.jpg
http://www.vansairforce.net/N617ARVirtualTour/ADI_panel.jpg
http://www.vansairforce.net/N617ARVirtualTour/Panel.jpg

Course it looks older and more scratched up currently (also the instruments have been moved around over the years).

b,
d

TGRV7 said:

Doug, just curious, do you have any pics of your interior.
I would be like to see how it looks.

Thx

Click to expand...

I plan on painting mine as well... although have not put much thought into it... Seems alot of people are using the rattle cans... how easy does it scratch/chip off? Are you painting the panel with the same stuff? Anything stronger that can be used that will not scratch/chip?

I'm planning on painting my interior in the next couple of months after fitting everything and removing it using krylon indoor/outdoor rattle can paint. technique question: I seem to remember somewhere that the internal parts were already primed clear--at least with the QB. Is that true? If so I'll clean everything with soap and water, otherwise I'll use MEK & prime first.

I sprayed the interior just before wireing. In fact I had to remove some wireing I'd begun in order to start spraying.

On my slow build I'm priming and painting as I finish the interior pieces before they are riveted in place. I expect to have to do some touch up after everything is finished.

On my QB-8 I fitted all the floor panels ,took everything out primed and painted with Sherwin Williams PolaneT . This is a very hard durable 2 part high solids urethane coating that will hold up . Be sure you clean the inside of the QB fuse b/4 painting , the paint will lift if you don't .