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exterior paint

John

Member
Am ready to start thinking about painting. Would appreciate any info.
1.) HVLP or High pressure. 2.) Amount required? 3.) 1 step or two? 4.) Aircraft Paint vs. Automotive Paint 5.) ect, ect
Thanks, John -4
 
re:paint

Be careful with the automotive paint. The RV might outrun it. :D

Marshall Alexander
RV10 builder, wings
 
John said:
Am ready to start thinking about painting. Would appreciate any info.
1.) HVLP or High pressure. 2.) Amount required? 3.) 1 step or two? 4.) Aircraft Paint vs. Automotive Paint 5.) ect, ect
Thanks, John -4

Way too many questions all at once, John, and there's lot's of stuff related to your questions already on the web that you can Google for.

You're clearly in the beginning stages and looking for background, so here's my best shot for what you ask here:

1. Doesn't matter. HVLP will save some material and it's best asset is that overspray can be kept to a minimum. BUT (there's always a "but"), the learning curve to use the equipment is greater and it's really difficult for a first time user to get as good a finish with HVLP equipment than it is with siphon feed equipment.

2. Too many variables to answer this one accurately until you make some decisions on how you want to paint your RV. Even then, in an identical situation, one person may use more or less than another person depending on how they apply the paint.

3. I assume you mean "Base coat/Clear coat" (2-step) or just "color coat" (1-step). There are reasons why you might go one way over another, mainly if you want to use a multi-color scheme. Be more specific about what you have in mind and I'll throw out an opinion based on that.

4. What's the difference? Really, the only paint you'll want to use for a long lasting finish is a Urethane based paint. It's applied to aircraft (making it an aircraft paint?) and it's also the most common type of paint used in the automotive business today (making it an automotive paint?). I've even painted a lawnmower with urethane paint, so if you do use urethane paint, you can properly tell people that you painted your RV with "lawnmower paint".
Some have used acrylic enamel as a cost saving measure, and it looks fine for a while but it won't hold up or look good anywhere near as long as urethane.
Never forget that the durability and longevity of a paint finish is usually more dependant on proper surface preparation, proper use of materials, and compatability of materials (all 3 combined) than it is on the actual material the paint is made out of. A perfectly done acrylic enamel paint job will last longer than a badly done urethane paint job.

5. That's the fun part; there's SO much more... :eek:
 
I will take on question 3...

Single stage! Reason being: most will see it from 1,000' AGL and it is easier to touch up and blend later on when bugs chip it and hangar rash appears.

I plan on painting my parts at the tech school I work at and then moving the painted parts to the airport for assembly. This almost assures that there will be touch ups to be done. Touch ups on single stage are much more easily done at the airport than two stage touch ups!

Keep it simple! Odds are, no one will know the difference!

;) CJ
 
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