What to do with cracking paint

jlwright · Post by **jlwright** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 07:37

My Champ was recovered in 1988 with Stitts and painted with Acrylic enamel paint. The paint is starting to get a lot of hairline cracks and I would like to know what my options are. Can the plane be sanded and repainted or do I have to completely recover everything? Right now she doesn't look bad but can see a paint job or recover in my future.

Thanks
Jim in Arkansas

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 13:17

Jim,
What you're seeing is typical when the plane has been painted with (I assume) automotive enamel. Even if a flex agent has been added. The short answer is you're probably looking at a recover job in the future. However, even aircraft painted with Stitts, Supeflite, or dope will eventually get some hairline cracks. Especially, if the paint has been put on heavy, exposed to a lot of cold weather or pushed on continuiously.
I have a minor paint crack on the front upswept part of my tail from pushing on the tail to break the tailwheel loose when moving it in and out of the hanger.

I had fairly good luck on my wings (had been painted with Imron by a previous owner) by sanding them down, filling the cracks with Superflite primer, sanding again (etc. several times) and repainting with Superflite. Is it perfect? No, but it is acceptable and you have to look fairly hard to see the cracks and ringworms. Eventually, I'll have to do a recover job on the wings, but I can live with it now as long as the fabric still tests OK.

As long as the fabric tests OK and you can live with the ringworms I wouldn't worry about it. Otherwise, you can try priming and spot painting.

Mike Berg

jlwright · Post by **jlwright** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 18:06

I'm just going to fly it for a year or two and then think about recovering.

Thanks for the input.

Jim in Arkansas

Post by **joea** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 00:03

Jim,

Please get someone who knows dope and fabric to look at it. This could last for years or be over in a few hours. Not worth risking your life so please get it checked out.

Nathan K. Hammond · Post by **Nathan K. Hammond** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 00:39

Not to scare anyone, but rather for general information....

My father's covered his J-3 with Irish Linen (High quality cotton) in 1973. Couple day's ago we pulled the wings off because it's getting a new engine and we needed the hangar space. Long story short, there's a spot that has several ring worm's, maybe 1 foot by 1 foot, that have been there for a while. It didn't evan pass the finger test, and when I tried the Maule tester on it, the spring didn't even compress (20lbs) before pushing through. But, when you moved out side of the affected area, it still passed with 60 lbs. So, even though the airplane has never spent a night outside, the elements still took a tole on the exposed fabric. Keep that in mind when you're testing fabric, try and cheat by punching good clean fabric only cheats yourself.

nkh

jlwright · Post by **jlwright** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 07:45

The fabric is Seconite or Stitts version (1986) and in good shape. The problem was in painting the plane using acrylic enamel automotive paint.

Thanks
Jim

Captgrumps · Post by **Captgrumps** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:01

Nathan

Suspect an employee of the Irish Linen Factory had to much Ale at lunch that day and the lad didn't have time to leave the room later. My dog did it to some Grade A once..

made shirts out fo the Grade A later....

Doug

Nathan K. Hammond · Post by **Nathan K. Hammond** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 21:54

You're probably right Grumps!

You should have seen dad's face when I stuck my hand through his wing! I'm standing there with a deer-in-the-headlights look and like a kid caught in the cookie jar.... literally!!

nkh