Paint issues

A forum about all aspects of the construction and maintenance of the Billy Dawson inspired modified Hatz Classic biplane. Here is the place to ask your questions and get the answers from the real experts.
mmcgrew
Posts: 154
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:03 pm

Paint issues

Post by mmcgrew »

Much has been posted about paint issues with several coming from me. AsI have posted, I have experienced "nib"contamination in my finish paint, even though we have a full size filtered paint booth. We wash the booth down and dry before each paint series - but still getting "nibs". I filter the paint with fine mesh filters. The other day I had used the last of a gallon of red Aerothane and was ready to trash the can. When I started to put the lid on something caught my eye in the bottom of the can. At first it looked like fine bubbles but further inspection revealed it to be very very fine grit. I diluted the remaining paint with MEK and strained through a fine mesh filter. The filter revealed nothing. I then further diluted the paint and strained through a coffee filter. Remaining in the filter was a very sizeable amount of very very fine black grit, sand or particles.???????? There was enough present to feel with a finger tip. Since then I put together two fine mesh filters and turned the mesh away from each other - filtered the paint and sprayed a wing. Remarkable difference. The lesson learned is that the contamination may be in your paint and a double or triple filter may be good advise.

Michael
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