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Primer vs Jet Flex

wirejock

Well Known Member
I've mentioned it before. If I ever build another, the interior paint will be primer. No primer and top coat. Just a 2K Epoxy primer. Several brands are available in colors. EnduroPrime is white, gray and black. Mix a neutral shade if you like. Other brands probably have options as well.
I had an interior part get paint damage under the bench. Today I was spraying fiberglass parts with primer. Flat black is flat black so I sprayed the part.
A quart of Jet Flex costs more than a gallon of EnduroPrime and it's no where near as tough. Heck a pint of Jet Flex catalyst costs more than a gallon of EnduroPrime catalyst too. Don't get me started on shelf life.
Here is a photo. Can you tell which one is Kirker EnduroPrime and which is Jet Flex?
20221020_164603.jpg
 
When you spray the primer as a finish layer, do you spray it differently? For example, thicker, to get a smoother finish? More layers? Or do you spray it exactly the same way you would spray it to protect the parts?
 
Epoxy primer

When you spray the primer as a finish layer, do you spray it differently? For example, thicker, to get a smoother finish? More layers? Or do you spray it exactly the same way you would spray it to protect the parts?

My technique is the same regardless of how the primer is to be used. I'm not good enough to adjust. As a primer, I only shoot two coats. On interior parts, an extra coat would be more durable. The part in the photo already had P60G2 and Jet Flex. I sanded it and sprayed two coats as mentioned. Bare aluminum, I would shoot a fog coat followed by a medium coat an hour later then a third after another hour.
I like paint thin so I reduce the primer 12%. I spray to a wet shine. Any thicker and it runs. Coats are pretty thin.
I sprayed two coats of white on my 4x4 wheels. Several years later on CO salty roads, they still look like the day I painted them. Inside the cowls are also two coats of white. Looked pretty good till today. Lots of overspray. :D
 
The house brand epoxy primer from Summit Racing is actually really nice. It sprays very well, tough as nails, and you can't beat the price. $122 will get you a gallon of primer and a gallon of catalyst. Mix ratio is 1:1, so 2gal sprayable. Available in Gray, Black, and White

They do sell by the quart as well.
 
Over time you may regret painting the interior such a dark colour. Mid grey, or perhaps anthracite, is perhaps the darkest I would go but I prefer a lighter shade. Primers are designed to be easy to stick to, so a light coloured primer in the cockpit will attract the dirt, will discolour quickly and will be difficult to clean. 2K polyurethane, or acrylic, is tough and just a better choice for the interior. Have you considered Nextel https://www.nextel-coating.com/? Easy to apply and very tough.
 
Primer is primer

I found it to be very cost effective and not too much effort to apply an etch primer followed by 2-pack polyurethane for the cockpit. I used less than 1 litre PPG etch pro, easy to apply, dries fast, sticks well. Then 2 coats of mid-grey satin polyurethane top coat, 1 litre. The top coat can be tinted to any color. I took a sample that we liked to the paint shop and they matched it. Actually we got it right the second time, the first can of gray was too dark and the cabin looked like the side of a dead elephant.

I'm also not sure about Kirker epoxy primer as the only coat. The data sheet indicates that it is intended to be top coated, there is no suggestion that it should be used on its own. Maybe it will give a unique look and some character to the plane as it develops some patina like an old WW II fighter?
 
Black

Over time you may regret painting the interior such a dark colour. Mid grey, or perhaps anthracite, is perhaps the darkest I would go but I prefer a lighter shade. Primers are designed to be easy to stick to, so a light coloured primer in the cockpit will attract the dirt, will discolour quickly and will be difficult to clean. 2K polyurethane, or acrylic, is tough and just a better choice for the interior. Have you considered Nextel https://www.nextel-coating.com/? Easy to apply and very tough.
The interior is gray. Trim pieces are black. I've owned a few vehicles with black on black.

I'm also not sure about Kirker epoxy primer as the only coat. The data sheet indicates that it is intended to be top coated, there is no suggestion that it should be used on its own. Maybe it will give a unique look and some character to the plane as it develops some patina like an old WW II fighter?

Yes. P60G2 isn't supposed to be used without a primer and top coat but how many QBs are flying around with it. I rub parts with a clay bar. Makes them smooth. Actually the Jet Flex is much worse. Horrible to clean.
 
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Thanks for sharing! I was on the fence on what to use as I have used Southern Polyurethanes epoxy primer on a truck restoration and found it extremely durable without a top coat. Might just go that way for the cockpit.

Pip
 
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