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- Jan 6, 2014
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Just curious if there is any interest in a paint thread of the Stewart System paint to finish? I know that this has been done before as Acropilotbret finished his Pitts. But I thought I might show the build up process through topcoats and clear. Specifically the clear coat. I have yet to see any one use this clear with the SS. If someone has I would welcome some feedback on your results.
I will admit that I am skeptical myself about the system but the advantages of not dealing with the toxicity of Urethane's paints is a huge advantage.
I have been involved with several aircraft paint systems processes. The first being Randolph butyrate dope on two planes and the last being PPG urethane base coat clear coat. Both with excellent results and show stopper finishes. The PPG process is much less work to get that finish but after that I swore I would never paint another plane or car with urethane I just think the paint is to hazardous to our health for a home shop. I do have a fresh air system that we used and works well but returning to the shop every day and evening with the off gassing of the paint made me feel unconformable.
I think there is a lot of interest in the SS on this forum but concerns that you cannot get the wet looking show finish that a lot of us want. I to almost 86 the system after stopping in on Smizo and having a look at his ASII Not sure that can be duplicated with the SS but I am going to give it a shot. His paint and work is stunning looking. On the other hand AcropilotBret has a fantastic looking paint job on his Pitts that I also visited and that was SS. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you used a clear coat over the top coats Bret?
After visiting Smizo I went back and called Dan Stewart and asked him if I could spray a PPG clear over his top coat system. His answer was yes but there is no need to, he has a clear coat that keeps me in the same system with out using a urethane that might be more prone to cracking. He is now sending me a sample to try on a test panel to see if I can get the results I want before I use it on the plane.
I should say that I am using a Sharpe HVLP gun and I have a large upright compressor. Here's a few pics of the panel and the plane to date. The first picture of the test panel has one brush coat. The last picture of the panel has two brush coats and one spray cross coat. I am holding it up to a light to show there is complete UV protection. I am pleased with the filling process after the first spray coat. The fuselage has two brush coats applied. Time to build a paint booth.
Curtis.
I will admit that I am skeptical myself about the system but the advantages of not dealing with the toxicity of Urethane's paints is a huge advantage.
I have been involved with several aircraft paint systems processes. The first being Randolph butyrate dope on two planes and the last being PPG urethane base coat clear coat. Both with excellent results and show stopper finishes. The PPG process is much less work to get that finish but after that I swore I would never paint another plane or car with urethane I just think the paint is to hazardous to our health for a home shop. I do have a fresh air system that we used and works well but returning to the shop every day and evening with the off gassing of the paint made me feel unconformable.
I think there is a lot of interest in the SS on this forum but concerns that you cannot get the wet looking show finish that a lot of us want. I to almost 86 the system after stopping in on Smizo and having a look at his ASII Not sure that can be duplicated with the SS but I am going to give it a shot. His paint and work is stunning looking. On the other hand AcropilotBret has a fantastic looking paint job on his Pitts that I also visited and that was SS. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you used a clear coat over the top coats Bret?
After visiting Smizo I went back and called Dan Stewart and asked him if I could spray a PPG clear over his top coat system. His answer was yes but there is no need to, he has a clear coat that keeps me in the same system with out using a urethane that might be more prone to cracking. He is now sending me a sample to try on a test panel to see if I can get the results I want before I use it on the plane.
I should say that I am using a Sharpe HVLP gun and I have a large upright compressor. Here's a few pics of the panel and the plane to date. The first picture of the test panel has one brush coat. The last picture of the panel has two brush coats and one spray cross coat. I am holding it up to a light to show there is complete UV protection. I am pleased with the filling process after the first spray coat. The fuselage has two brush coats applied. Time to build a paint booth.
Curtis.
