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Orange Peel Removal

RV701775

Active Member
I just primed my VS with AKZO and there are some small areas with orange peel that I would like to remove. What is best way to remove and respray small areas without leaving marks in the primer coat. Can the paint be blended somehow?
 
Cut & buff

I just primed my VS with AKZO and there are some small areas with orange peel that I would like to remove. What is best way to remove and respray small areas without leaving marks in the primer coat. Can the paint be blended somehow?

Outside or inside?
Inside, leave it. Outside, depends. If your plane will be painted by a shop, don't spray anything unless you and the shop have agreed on products. If you plan to paint, I would still leave it for later and wet sand it before final prep.
If you really want to smooth it out, wet sand. Process is called Cut & Buff. Look for Dan Horton's thread or look at my blog for a link.
Basically you block wet sand starting about 800.
 
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It is on the spars of the VS. Not the outside of the skin. Some may be visible at a few locations, so I was going to try and sand it out and respray the small areas.
 
Orange peel

It is on the spars of the VS. Not the outside of the skin. Some may be visible at a few locations, so I was going to try and sand it out and respray the small areas.

We are cut from the same cloth. Visible or not, drives me nuts. I can't leave it even if no one will ever see it! :D
If it's not assembled, wet sand it. Start with 800. If it doesn't remove it fast, drop back to 400. Use a rubber block or wood block so it stays flat. Watch edges. They break through quickly.
If assembled, that's a tough choice because it's really tough to get it sanded flat.
 
Smooth out orange peel with scotchbrite pad. Try and do before primer cures. Maybe after and hour or so.
 
It is on the spars of the VS. Not the outside of the skin. Some may be visible at a few locations, so I was going to try and sand it out and respray the small areas.

Nope.

In general, during construction you only want to primer (if you primer) those parts which will not subsequently get a color coat...mostly hidden stuff and between parts.

Why? Most of the epoxy primers must be recoated (the color coat) within a time window, typically a few days and less than a week. If not topcoated within the window, they will need to be sanded and resprayed with fresh primer.

So, it is pointless to worry about primer orange peel on visible parts at this time, and certainty pointless to respray them now. Keep building, and spend the spare time experimenting with scrap and a little slower reducer ;)
 
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Smooth out orange peel with scotchbrite pad. Try and do before primer cures. Maybe after and hour or so.

Agree with Dans comments, but wanted to note that this approach is a really bad idea for any exterior surface that will be top coated with a gloss. This work must be done with sandpaper and some form of block. otherwise once the clear coat or single stage is on it will be wave city.

Larry
 
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