Panther Sport Aircraft Forums

I am using PTI Zinc Chromate Primer in aerosol cans from AS. It's available in dark green or yellow. I chose yellow.

Scuff the area to be primed with Scotchbrite pad, wash the part with Dawn detergent and rinse well, dry, wipe part with MEK, Acetone, or Laquer Thinner, then spray primer.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/c ... ckkey=7822
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/p ... mertds.pdf

Mike

PlaneDan wrote:Will someone help me out with this please. I could ask my RV friends, but it is built using alclad aluminum, where ours it built using 6061-T6, and I don't know if the materials or the process is the same.

Dan,

What exactly are you planning to paint? If it's the interior of the cage panels, the prototype was done with rattle cans and looks fine. And for the record, RV or Panther, prep and paint will be the same no matter which paint you choose to use.

Tony

I used to own an aircraft paint shop . There are several ways to pre aluminum for paint .. The traditional is an Aladine and Acid wash ... This etches chemically the aluminum and gives the paint and or primer a tooth to stick to. Zink Chromate is a great primer to use but do not sand after words if you can find it. It puts protective layer on it and seals it so that no corrosion can get under the paint and get started. Caution once you start this acid Aladine wash be ready to paint even the next day if left unprotected after the wash it will then start to corrode the aluminum.

A good product to use that does do both is called Aluma grip .. This can be used after aluminum prep as a primer and utilized the chemical etch in a one step manor. Then after flash a conventional paint can be applied.

Also using Poly Urethane paints especially one step paints are best used for Aircraft. This gives the best airtight coverage with least amount of layers of paint. It give s the base color with a shine instead of two stage paints where you put several layers of color on then get the shine with several layers of clear. All good makes of paint .. Imron, Dupont, PPG etc have good single stage poly Urethane paints.

I hope this helps

Doc Bailey

Will someone help me out with this please. I could ask my RV friends, but it is built using alclad aluminum, where ours it built using 6061-T6, and I don't know if the materials or the process is the same.

There are areas inside the fuselage that I wish to prime and paint as I build, where "prime if desired" is specified. I would like to use a grey paint, that may match closely the grey harness, assuming that grey got enough votes.

So, what preparation is necessary for priming? What primer product should be used? Is it available in a spray can, for convenience where small areas need to be primed? What paint should be used?

I am not priming nor painting where not necessary for aesthetics, to save weight and work and money. I have not previously built an aluminum plane, thus the reason for my questions.