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Exterior Painting Question

Paint

Two part paint jobs ( base and clear) are more challenging to repair should you have to remove tank after painted. I just removed inspection cover and fuel sender in the confines of root fairing on a 6A . Just a choice, not a right or wrong in my opinion.
 
If you never have to remove the tank it makes no difference BUT if you have to and the screws are painted over it will eat your shorts and a great paint job is now history.
 
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mmmmh, whatever ya do, don?t leave em blank. Unfinished looks, spoils any paintjob....
Only acceptable on polished skins :)
 
Not necessarily....

If you never have to remove the tank it makes no difference BUT if you have to and the screws are painted over you will eat your shorts and a great paint job is now history

I painted mine. I had to remove the tanks to De-Slosh. Used a paint cutter from Bob Avery. Worked beautifully. Put the stainless/torx head screws back in and it looked great.
Still looks great today.
 
I have a nice base coat clear coat and installed SS screws over a blue tank. Step back 15 feet and the screws disappear. Up close they just look ?tactical?. If I ever have to remove the tank the paint job should not suffer.

It is your plane. Not once has anyone commented on the screws.

view


Cannot figure out how to get Google images to just show up.
 
caution is warranted

I'm making a general point of caution as I don't know the details of some of the previous posts in this thread. Not trying to start a debate.

Screws that attach fuel tanks in RV designs are structural fasteners. Changing the screws to something besides what the drawing specifies should only be done after thorough technical analysis/consideration. In general (that phrase again), stainless steels do not have the same strength as carbon steels, especially aviation grade. It is highly probable that some design margin has been lost if you do change the aforementioned materials. The quickest check would be to compare the shear values, if available, for the two fasteners (equal diameters). Just sayin'.

BTW, As to the original post; my two cents = don't paint them. If someone looks and doesn't understand, no biggie. You may get to educate/impress them on integral tank construction.

Build/Fly safe.
 
Masking the tank screws for painting

Give me a few ideas on masking the tank crews so they don't get painted.

I've got an idea but I am sure there are other ways to do that.

I plan to have my 14A painted base coat - clear coat.
 
Don?t mask them. Leave them off until after paint. The z brackets will hold the tank in place in the meantime. Even better, drill a bunch of holes in a 2x4 and stick your screws into the holes. Have your paint shop paint the screws, then install them after the paint on the wings has cured.
 
Most really nice show planes I have seen, of any type, have bare metal screws holding on various panels. I like the look of that. Lots of RVs have painted screws, so it us a matter of personal taste. I know what I prefer.
 
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