[tomhanaway]

As I get closer to deciding, I'm very curious as to what everyone did.

Feel free to post comments if that helps clarify.

 

[plehrke]

I voted that I painted myself but a more accurate description is that I did all the prep work and my hanger-mate, John, did the taping and spraying (with me in the booth operating the rotisserie). We made the spay booth in our hanger. John has painted several other planes so thought it best to have him spray which was a great decision (although John could not have just stood by and watched me do it myself).
So, no I did not have it professional done but I did not do it all myself either.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

I painted mine myself and am very pleased with the results. The process, however, was miserable - probably the most frustrating part of building the airplane.

Of course, this was the first thing I ever painted, so I had a steep learning curve. Which brings up a key comment - practice on something else first - your buddy's beater pickup, a set of lawn furniture, etc. Its kinda silly to spray the first $100 pot of paint on an expensive item like an airplane when you could learn just as much without getting frustrated by spraying el-cheapo paint on something less important.

 

[pierre smith]

Yes and no...

...my building partner and I have two professional autobody painters/repairmen for friends.

We did the sanding, prep and priming. When it was all masked and sanded, one of them came by on a Thursday evening and sprayed one color. Then, the next week, after we had re-taped and masked for the second color, he came by again....turned out really nice...base coat/clear coat,

Best,

 

[RV8R999]

I concur! I just completed painting my -8 myself and wholeheartedly agree it was the single most frustrating part of the build process but I wouldn't have done it differently (except I'd use a different paint). I'd painted before but never with the Stewart System paint, so I might as well have never painted previously.

Honestly, my paint job is OK. Not really up to my standard but not horrible either. Luckily, the stewart system poly can actually be buffed to a remarkable shine so I've got a little work to do once the paint fully cures in about 30 days.

If you use Stewart and you have a dark top coat I recommend you do not use their white primer but use the darker charcoal grey instead. The top coats are very very very translucent and you'll never be able to get the full color in only 4 coats with a white base - this led to 90% of my frustration as more than 4 coats would run like crazy if sprayed too early or orange peel if too late (no way to tell when to early or to late was). I ended up shooting 4 coats, letting it dry, Then shooting an additional 4 coats in exactly same process. Way to much work.

Good luck!

 

[Sheldon]

I painted my 6A myself.. Yes, lots of work.. Didn't come out as good as I would have liked, but wet sanding and buffing made it better.. The sanding & buffing was a big job too... A learning curve there also... Even so, it was worth it... get lots of comments on it.. "You painted it yourself..?? WOW..!" As I'm wiping it down, making sure my rag is over the run part..

 

[aerhed]

I ended up shooting 4 coats, letting it dry, Then shooting an additional 4 coats in exactly same process. Way to much work.

.
Wow, that's a lot of coats. Like doing lacquer. There's no way I can lay 8 coats without screwing up. I'll stick with good old Poly-U. My experience with "waterbornes" has been almost infuriating. Anyone remember the Blue River products? Yuck.

 

[Bill Wightman]

I did paint my RV4 myself, but had access to a professional paint booth. Things like ventilation, lighting, cleanup, support materials - all were in place for me. Without that support, I don't think I'd try it on my own.

 

[Jim P]

I covered and painted my first aircraft using PolyFiber process, but I farmed out the RV to Grady at GLO Custom. It's not my favorite thing to do but if you do paint it yourself, it's certainly a huge sense of accomplishment.

 

[Jimd]

Painted It Myself

I voted painted myself and I would do it again.

A LOT OF WORK, but very satisfying! The worst part for me was all the glass prep, so if you think your going to do that part anyway I say you might as well shoot it also, if you have the area to do it.

I had painted two pickup trucks back in highschool nearly 35 years ago so I feel like I had basically no previous experience. I used a simple homemade plastic booth, sprayed the floor with water and used an average gun with automotive enamel for the entire process.

YMMV

Jim D.

 

[L.Adamson]

I do think it's wise to have a plan to start with. If you have the space where building, or easy access to a booth.........and don't want to part with the extra cash, then do it yourself. If you know that you can immediately fly an unpainted plane for a professional (and costly) paint job, then great.

But...............to put off painting with the excuse that the "bugs" will be worked out first, is just that, an excuse. More than not, the plane ends up unpainted year after year. It's a big pain or expense to do later; and the RV isn't really "that" close to being finished without paint. Paint is very labor intensive!

As to myself, I painted my own. My fiberglass isn't as perfect as a few professionals I know. I did a great job with lines and using four different colors, but I don't really care to do it again.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

 

[videobobk]

I always hated replacing parts that I screwed up during the building process. I figured one of the most expensive "parts" was the paint. Not only would I have had to buy more, but sand off anything I screwed up. I let a pro do it, and would do that again.

Bob Kelly

 

[fl-mike]

Don't fear the paint grasshopper, BE the paint.
Bet you had never driven a rivet before you started this project, so why not learn to paint too? Do this and you will never look at car paint jobs the same again. Most factory jobs are pretty bad, Porsche is amazing.
Yes, I painted my plane and it came out pretty well. Sure, there are goofs, but the average person sees the "whole". The one thing I never want to do again is strip paint. That was brutal.
I used Sherwin-Williams Ultra 7000 auto paint. Top of the line base-coat/clear-coat system. Quite pricy (especially red, which is always the case) but well documented and the local shop would actually talk to me, as opposed to the Dupont/PPG shop.
Basecoat is incredibly easy to put on (and take off if necessary), and the clear can be sanded and buffed to remove runs, orange peel, etc.
The key, as noted by others, is to PRACTICE before shooting a plane part. (Use black, shows defects best and is cheap). The auto guys suggest getting some hoods from the wrecking yard as practice pieces. Browse www.autobody101.com for general knowledge and tips. I have the painting 101 DVD if you want it. Pay shipping and promise to pass it along to the next newbie.
Use quality supplies and gear for least frustration. Good tape, paper, gun, filter, suit, respirator, paint system, etc.
Oh, and start browsing car lots for colors now. Took me a year to decide. (hint, VW has some very nice colors)

 

[LarryT]

Double check your results data

At the time I viewed the poll results 10/10 respondents had their aircraft painted professionally and would do it again.

19/22 of the individuals that painted their own plane would do it again.

My interpretation of the hindsight percentages are different than the poll reports.

LarryT