Paint Booth

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 16:21

This is nothing special, but thought someone might be interested. I spent the last 6 months or more remodeling my shop and building an addition dedicated to working on A/C restoration. While it's only 14 X 24, I don't have to move the tractor and my pickup everytime I want to do something. Right now I'm storing the airframe in the welding part of the old shop. Anyway, the new addition has six inch insulated sheet rock walls, a steel insulated ceiling and I didn't want to get paint overspray all over my newly painted walls so I built a "Norwegian" paint booth of 2 x 2's and plastic poly sheeting. It looks crude, but works fairly well. I have heat from the other shop piped in and the booth is vented to the outside. I have my fresh air supply for painting (save my lungs) coming through an outside wall. It's nice in the morning to kick on the furnace, go have coffee in town with the loafers

and come home to a nice warm shop without having to move a bunch of stuff. I hope to eventually find some 'accordian' type walls to replace the poly plastic, but this will have to do for now. I would have built it bigger, but I'm up against the lot line.

Finally I'm back to working on restoration. I just put the first coat of Superflite on the control surfaces today

.

Mike Berg

15A · Post by **15A** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 18:17

Looks like a good way to keep things together and away from traffic. To me, your paint booth is worth its wieght in gold! Preparation is everything! Keep the pic's coming and good luck.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:23

Mike,

I prefer to get overspray on my toolbox, my tools, the walls, the floor, all spare parts, pictures, the dogs and anything else in the shop. Of course, I also practice the principle of buying high and selling low. It amazes the hell out of me how the slightest problem with the surface to be painted and the damn paint will screw up. But that damn overspray will stick to everything in the shop including a greasy wrench!

Dennis

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 08:53

Here's a good use of Mom's clothes drying rack

. Just finished sanding, washing and cleaning the fabric prior to applying another coat of primer and it's been near zero for the past few days so I decided to dry the surfaces in the house rather than run my propane bill up in the shop more than necessary (last bill was $250 for the shop alone

).

Amazing what you can get away with after 43+ years.

Mike Berg

Flydude_54 · Post by **Flydude_54** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:55

How do you like the results from using the Superflite? I have been using Polyfiber for years, but am wanting a shinier Finish than the Aerothane will produce without putting on tons of weight.

Alan

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 12:18

Personal opinion: I think the Superflite is heavier, but it might be because of my tending to put more paint on than I need. Still learning in the painting department. It is easy to work with. You don't need silver as the reflective material is in the primer (supposedly). This is my third one using Superflite, but I've never used anything else, either. One thing I've noticed is that it will tend to 'hairline'crack if pushed on in extemely cold weather. I've taken cutout pieces from the inspection panels and bent them right around in warm weather without the paint cracking. In cold weather the paint will crack even with a flex agent.

I'd be interested in trying the new waterbased system if I ever do another.
I think they call it 'System Three' (???). My present Champ had the wings covered with the old "Blue River" process and other than some cracks in the paint when some idiot (not me) used Imron on it, they're holding up quite well, although it's in my plans to recover them in the near future.
I don't like all the nasty stuff in the polyurathane systems, although I do use a outside fresh air supply.

Mike Berg

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 13:29

Mike,

I have been using the Airtech process which I think is very similar to the Superflite process. After finishing the fuselage, I cut out the inspection hole for the tail wheel bolt. I laid the removed "finished" piece on the work bench and let it set for several years. In all fairness, it curled up into about a 1" diameter. Several months ago, I picked it up to show it to someone and, when unrolling it, it cracked all to hell. Oh CRAP!! Nothing, however, has cracked on the fuselage, yet. I'm hoping that uncurling the small diameter of the curled "hole" is why it cracked and not a problem with the process. I can't think of any reason someone would bend the finished fabric that much. It does, however, cause me a little concern. I guess time will tell.

Dennis