Dan Horton paint question

Dan, I have been studying base/clear painting videos cause I have no experience with base/clear, just 2k Urethanes.

They make a point that silvers ( fine metallics ) must be carefully prepared with 800 to 1000 grit before base to avoid the metal flake from accentuating sanding scratches. This does not sound encouraging for a project the size of an airplane with rivets . So, for that reason, I am thinking a nonmetallic gray might be a better path.

Your airplane is silver I think. Can you share any insight on silver base/clear related to airplane surface painting ?

Larry DeCamp said:

Dan, I have been studying base/clear painting videos cause I have no experience with base/clear, just 2k Urethanes.

They make a point that silvers ( fine metallics ) must be carefully prepared with 800 to 1000 grit before base to avoid the metal flake from accentuating sanding scratches. This does not sound encouraging for a project the size of an airplane with rivets . So, for that reason, I am thinking a nonmetallic gray might be a better path.

Your airplane is silver I think. Can you share any insight on silver base/clear related to airplane surface painting ?

Click to expand...

PPG Deltron, GM Silver Birch and a white pearl whose name I don't recall.

The above grit recommendation only applies to sanding the coat of primer or high build primer immediately preceding the metallic or pearl. Here the DPLF epoxy primer on the aluminum only got a few touch up sanding spots, and that must be done wet (it's a "non-sanding" primer), so 600 or 800 is easy.

Glass parts like the cowl got DPLF followed by K-36, which is block sanded with 600 or higher anyway, again wet.

Just do it. I recommend wet sanding with a cold beer and some music...
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I used Deltron base/clear on my -6 back in 2006. Colors are GM truck white, a Mercedes silver, and an Acura blue metallic. I used catalyzed polyester primer and did final sanding with dry, no-fill type 400 grit (https://www.amazon.com/Norton-Abrasive-Backing-Adhesive-Aluminium/dp/B0002FT28O?th=1) and painted base coat directly on that. No sanding marks anywhere to be seen.

You really ought to paint a sample part first, with the same primer and sand paper as you intend to use on the airplane, and with all the colors with clear too. I did that with the leftover carb scoop my kit came with. Look carefully and you'll see the RH side of that scoop has different blue and silver from what I ended up with. I even went crazy and bought one of those RV-6 RC models and painted it with my paint scheme to see if I liked it.

Our 10 is being painted progressively at a local shop. He does bodywork on exotic vehicles and is rather good.

My build partner chose an Audi pearl white - very subtle pearl.

When we put the first parts into storage, I was startled to see it all with a green hue !!!!

Panicking, we took it outside and it just shone beautifully

It was picking up the very cold light from the led lighting inside.

Moral of the tale - choose a car colour that you can see outside, be happy with the shade - I am not a fan of appliance white aeroplanes, prefer a little warmth. Look at every car you pass and then go to a dealer and find the paint name, then crack on and paint !