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Thread: priming tail feathers

  1. #1

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    priming tail feathers

    Do I need to prime and paint my 4130 tail feathers and fuselage. I am building a double eagle.

  2. #2
    Jeff Point's Avatar
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    Yes, the bare 4130 will rust under the eventual fabric covering. Not only can this weaken the structure but will show through the fabric and paint.

    There are a million opinions on which primer is best to use. My vote is Stewart Systems Ecoprime, top coated with Ecocrylic prior to fabric covering. That's what I used on my 4130 tail feathers prior to fabric.
    Jeff Point
    RV-6 and RLU-1 built & flying
    Tech Counselor, Flight Advisor & President, EAA Chapter 18
    Milwaukee, WI
    "It All Started Here!"

  3. #3

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    I am planning on painting with poly fiber. Is stewart system easy to apply? I have used the fabric glue and that was easy.

  4. #4
    Jeff Point's Avatar
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    If you are going to use Polyfiber then I would start with their epoxy primer. Unless you really, really know what you are doing it is important to stick with one system all the way through from primer to top coat. I prefer Stewarts based on ease of use and less noxious odor.
    Jeff Point
    RV-6 and RLU-1 built & flying
    Tech Counselor, Flight Advisor & President, EAA Chapter 18
    Milwaukee, WI
    "It All Started Here!"

  5. #5
    Matt Gonitzke's Avatar
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    +1 for Jeff's advice...the chemicals in Poly-Fiber will likely readily dissolve the Stewart Systems paint.

  6. #6

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    I have used polyfiber several times with no issues. Have herd stewart system is hard to get perfect. Air temp and mixing the paint has to be right on. Also thanks for the help.

  7. #7

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    IMHO the Eco-Prime is their best product. it is thinned with water, what you don't use goes back into the can, and the equipment cleans up with soap and water. After it is applied and dried nothing effects it. Epoxy stripper won't remove it.

    When the Eco fill is on, and dried you can use any top coat you desire. it will not lift the eco-fill.
    Amateur Home built aircraft builders are not required to adhere to the STC instructions.
    I have 1 aircraft that has Stewarts system up thru the Eco-Fill and top coated with Randolph Ura-? from Aircraft Spruce. It has sat outside for the last 5 years, and still looks new.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Gonitzke View Post
    +1 for Jeff's advice...the chemicals in Poly-Fiber will likely readily dissolve the Stewart Systems paint.
    Not true.

  9. #9
    crusty old aviator's Avatar
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    Eco-prime's good stuff, but you have to lightly fog on the first few coats or it may form an alligator hide texture, even after cleaning it as instructed. Polyfiber is vinyl based and uses MEK as it's main solvent, which dissolves almost everything it's sprayed on, so I can see how Matt jumped to that conclusion. However, Stewart's uses lacquer thinner to clean up their system with, once it's dried, so maybe the MEK in the Polyfiber topcoat won't affect it. However, Stewart's, being water borne, relies on mechanical attachment of one coat to another. Polyfiber relies on chemical attachment, using the MEK as the solvent to facilitate that bonding. So I would recommend using Polywollydoodlefiber all the way, even though Stewart's is an awesome primer.

  10. #10
    Matt Gonitzke's Avatar
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    Clarification: By paint, I meant "Topcoat". My friend had to do a repair on his bird that is finished with Stewart Systems, and I'm 99% sure he used MEK to strip the topcoat off. Unless they changed something in the 3 years since I painted my glider, there was no mention of cleaning anything up with lacquer thinner.

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