Prime VS Spar

I am about to a point on the VS where I can start riveting. I plan to start priming tomorrow and realized that the rear of the rear spar (VS-1003) will be visible after assembly and was wondering about final paint. I t seems that if I prime that side then the painter will have to remove the primer to use his own. I've watched videos and looked at build sites and it seems that everyone primes that part. So I am wondering if the rear of the rear spar is really visible in the final build and how the painter handles it if it is primed already.

I have a feeling I am really missing something here so looking forward to someone setting me straight.

If you use a good epoxy primer, final paint will be a light sand then prime with the rest of the plane, followed by top coat.

Carl

Primer?

“Primer? We don’t need no stinkin’ primer!”

Well, that depends on where you are. Where the OP is, he probably will.

Dave

Very humid here and I fly to Myrtle Beach a good bit so primer is a must for me.

I am using AKZO so I guess it is is a good primer

And this wasn't really a post about prime or not, just how the final paint is handled with primer. Also, Vans says if you plan to paint the rudder hinges then scuff them up. How many people paint the rudder hinges and scuff them at this point?

ronshort2000 said:

Very humid here and I fly to Myrtle Beach a good bit so primer is a must for me.

I am using AKZO so I guess it is is a good primer

And this wasn't really a post about prime or not, just how the final paint is handled with primer. Also, Vans says if you plan to paint the rudder hinges then scuff them up. How many people paint the rudder hinges and scuff them at this point?

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I’m at the exact same point in my 10 VS build. I’ll be priming this weekend and I’m using SEM self etch primer. I was thinking on the hinge brackets too and I think I’ll just leave em. No matter what color we paint, I don’t think small white powder coat brackets will be unsightly or detract at all, but that’s IMO.

The VS Rear Spar won't really be visible since it is hidden behind the rudder. I would still prime it (I primed mine).

No one really answered the OP (are you guys actually reading the question or just using the opportunity to fire another shot in the 'primer wars'?).

The answer is, go ahead and prime so that mating surfaces will be taken care of. By the time you send it to a painter, the primer will have cured and the paint shop should have no trouble working over any exposed primer there. Small areas such as rear spars, hinge brackets, or some overspray where the steps get riveted to the fuselage skins won't be a problem and the priority is to have primer between the mating surfaces. Even skin lap joints. You can mask in some cases to keep the overspray to a minimum. But if you are priming for corrosion protection, as opposed to paint prep, then that takes priority. For instance, you should prime any non-powder-coated steel or non-alclad parts regardless of if they will be painted later.