Stewart system

I need advice from you folks with experience with different finishing systems. Today, I was told that someone in the area is no longer happy with Randolph, he reported that the quality of the product was down.

I hear allot about the Stewart System. I like the Eco friendliness and safety factor. But, my questions are the following:
Can it be applied on Ceconite or do I have to use different material.
How easy is it to repair, patch, blend, etc, in the case of a Oooops.
Can I rejuvenate and patch my wings that were done in Randolph, with it? How?
How does it hold up to our 4 harsh seasons?
Can I expect the same life out of it as with Randolph?
Do I need to rejuvenate or touch up after a while? What interval?
Has anyone used it and regretted it or would use something else if it was to do over??
If not this, what is your #1 recommendation for my PA-12 in need of re-covering? Hoping to go Cub Yellow, with Burgundy (type) red and navy blue trim.

Thanks for any and all advice.
JD

YES
EASY
YES
VERY GOOD
DON'T KNOW
NO MORE THEN ANY OTHER PROCESS
DON'T KNOW

Stewarts system

Jason helped me with my wing tip when I first took my plane home. The wing tip was rotten and had to be replaced. He cut the fabric back about 3 feet and installed a new wing tip, then finished the repair with the Stewart System. I got to clean up the tools ect, paint cups, brushes and so on. In my kitchen sink, It cleaned up easier than pancake batter with no smell. Infact all of this work was done in my apartment.
When it was time to put the color on, we made a tent in the hanger with heat. Jason sprayed it a few times and it was done. The finish looks better than the rest of the plane and it looks great. I will have him finish another cub I will put together with the Stewart System. Good stuff


Bill

I like working with the Stewart System.

It really works well patching over other systems. It is also easy to get a high quality finish.

I am intrigued by the idea of patching over other systems, how many of you guys have tried this and does it have any longevity to the looks and integrity of the repair?

I have Stits on my cub and have repaired it with Superflight and Stewarts and I like the Stewarts best, mainly because of the easy aplication and clean up, as far as durability they both look about the same at this point (2 yrs) no problems.
The problem would be if it's a legal repair. (different systems)

DW

Stewart Systems

I'm finishing up a NorthStar (SuperCub lookalike), which has been in progress for several years. I started with AirTech Coatings and covered the tailfeathers and primed some interior parts about 5 years ago. That went well and was easy to use. However, this fall I realized my cement and thinner were well past expiration date (not sure how big a deal that was) and one of the threads here talked about cracks in AirTech finishes that had been around awhile and/or subjected to abuse. Avoiding solvent-based products was also a consideration.

So I decided to switch after talking to Dan (at Stewart Systems). He assured me I could just continue from the bare Ceconite stage with Stewart's paints. At this point I've used the Stewart products to cover the baggage door and landing gear legs; these and the tailfeathers have been finished through final coat, as well as a bunch of sheet metal parts. Results have been excellent; only problem has been my lack of expertise with a spray gun which, like welding, is a skill that comes with practice. Things are going great now.

Since I'll sometimes be on floats in saltwater, I wanted an exterior primer that was more corrosion-resistant that their EkoPrime. They sent me a gallon of EkoPoxy; it is a new product that they haven't advertised yet. I found it to have a lot of particulates that clogged my spray gun and clogged the medium filter I used when pouring paint into my hvlp gravity-feed gun. With Dan's help I finally got it to spray by using a larger spray orifice and faster speed, but the particles are still there. The finish might have been nice on an instrument panel but... Anyhow, I think that product still needs some work. I reverted to AirTech light grey primer, let it cure two days, and shot Stewart finish over it. No problems.

At this point I've mixed the two processes to some extent in some places and have been very happy with Stewart Systems. Their top coat seems to go on over other properly-cured products (so I would not hesitate using it for repairs/patches on existing coverings). The green adhesive resembles a rubber cement and is quite strong while maintaining flexibility. The same seems to be true for the paints. The finished surfaces feel almost rubbery but they are strong. I laid a painted stabilizer against a bench three days after painting; two weeks later I realized what I had done. There was a dent in the fabric from the corner of the bench and the shiny finish was dulled. Kicking myself, I left it alone for several days and the dent went away and the finish has rejuvenated itself. Dan says they've had similar experiences.

Dan and company are great to work with, the videos are great, and I'm very happy with the products. Quick, easy, and good results.

FYI: using Ceconite 102 (medium weight) that I bought from AirTech. Just got 6 yards of unbranded heavy dacron (2.9 oz) from Spruce that I'll use on the belly.
The color coats don't hide completely; be consistent in the color of the base. I've mixed white and light grey (under Cub Yellow) with nondiscernible difference, but a small place where I sanded through through the white filler and exposed the dark grey shows slightly through the yellow.
Mixing paint/catalyst/water by weight is darn near foolproof! Works the same every time.

Hi-

I used Stewarts and the glue and Silver are great to work with. Three different people with two different guns tried to get a nice paint job. I'm not happy with the results. The paint will go down in labratory perfect conditions. I had better luck with the trim color compared to the white. Maybe a bad batch? It was a bad deal. Very Expensive. I would topcoat with Aerothane or something else.

That's my experience.

I'm working on a plane with a comination of Poly Fiber tail feathers and dope finish on the fuselage. The finish on the fuselage has been flaking off and is in poor shape, I've scraped and sanded (open coat 120 paper works well) off the loose paint, peeled off the tape strips and retaped and applied the Eko-Fill, it looks good....much better than what was there. Applying patches, tape and fill over old finish works very well with the Stewart system.

As far as the final top coat goes, I'm not looking for a wet look, high quality finish, but the Eko-poxy is a two part finish that has a much higher quality finish than I care about and looks great. It is simialr to spraying and Airteck finish.

My first application of Stewart top coat I tried to paint too many pieces in a batch. It was taking about 25 mins from start of a coat till I got back for next coat. The paint was setting up too much and resulted in a rough surface; no flow of final coat. Turns out timing and fluid control is VERY important. Mist coat at first, then increase on successive coats, and ten minutes per coat, fifteen for final. Viscosity probably plays a role, but measuring/mixing by weight is very reproducible. I'm not deviating at all from the directions and it works. The DVDs are excellent.
The AirTech epoxy primer I've been using seems to give good results with less attention to painting parameters, but I don't know how that compares to their top coat.

I pulled this from my other post -



It starts with a water based glue that works like a contact cement. You no longer need spring clamps or clothes pins to hold you fabric in place while you work.

You can use and mix ANY certified fabric. The glue is so strong that no sewn seams are required and a 1" glue joint in an open bay is approved.

The primer "Ekofill" is a water based single part product use straight out of the bottle. It fills the weave, provides flame resistance, adds the UV protection, and is the primer for the top coat. The first cross coat is brushed in to the weave, then you spray 2 more cross coats.

The top coat paint is a catalyzed 2 part water born polyurethane. It's a gloss type finnish that is solvent and stain resistant. A flattening agent can be used along with modifying your spraying technique to get mat finnish.

The system does not continue to shrink, can not be rejuvenated (not required) is naturally flexible and it has extreme resistance to fading. It's the ONLY part-23 certified covering system which means it's been tested to much higher standards than any other system available. It's also the only system approved to make repairs and re-paint over other systems. It's lighter than other systems because less product is required which also means it costs less $$. Typical weight of a cub cover job is 40-45lbs, It's safe to use, Absolutely 100% non flammable ( I paint with propane heaters in the booth)

I highly recommend purchasing the DVD set.

http://www.stewartsystems.aero/product/fb9769f9-d9db-4cc3-aa57-0052416b3e89.aspx


http://www.stewartsystems.aero/benefits.aspx


Merry Christmas

Jason

Hello Jason,
I checked on-line but couldn't find a material list. Have you created a full list of materials for a Supercub?

Merry Christmas.
Jerry

Getting ready to recover the wings on my Wag Aero Cub and considering using Stewarts.

I had used the Blue River process on my first homebuilt, and the paint cracked and started peeling after one summer outside. So you can see I'm a little hesitant to try another waterborne system.

So I only have one question.

How does the finished system stand up to outdoor storage?

I'd like some real experience here from customers, and not just assurance from the factory reps. After all Blue River promised me there system would last 20 years, and I got one out of it.

Yes, I do keep my plane in a hangar, but that may change in the future. Don't want to have to recover just because I had to leave the plane out for a year.

Contact Vicki at Tamarack Air in Fairbanks. She has been using it for several years up there. I know she did some tests (beat it with her fist at 40 below ).

Hi Jerry,

I can send you a materials list for a supercub. Let me know what kind of paint scheme and what colors you want.

How's your project coming along?

Jason

Ulpilot,

I have been covering and patching with the Stewart System for three years here in Alaska. My experience with the process, factory support, cost, shipping, compatibility and durability has been excellent.

Specifically, Ulpilot, to answer your question about outdoor storage, I have seen no problems in three years of airplanes and components stored outside. No fading, no discoloration, no cracking, no peeling, no lifting tapes and no looseness of the fabric.

Someone mentioned painting problems. Initially I had orange-peel painting problems. My technique is getting better and my painting is getting better. I purchased the exact gun that they use in the videos and bought a 5hp dual stage larger compressor. Additionally I measure the paint by weight on a triple-beam gram scale and Follow The Directions.

It was difficult to change from the Stits Proces after working with it for 30 years (Ow! I feel Sooo Old...) But the safety, reduction in potent chemicals, no head-achey smells, cheap shipping and faster application time has me strongly recommending the Stewart Process.

Vickie

Jason, I sent you a pm. Thanks.

I keep getting told that it is the old Blue River system with a different name.

How is the Stewart System different from the old Blue River system which had a real bad reputation up here.

Thank you,

Crash

Viki, Thanks for the reply. I used Stits on the last plane I built, really liked the ease of application, but hated the smell and headaches.

So right now I'm trying to decide if I'll go back to dope, or try Stewarts.

Thanks for all the great replies.
I will order the videos and try and convince my AME to give this SS a try.
From all accounts, once one understand and adjust the application as per the instructions, it should be the best way to go.
JD

Hi Crash,
Stewarts isn't Blue River, period. The only thing that may be the same or similar is the cement. I'll let Jason provide any other details if needed.

Crash said:

I keep getting told that it is the old Blue River system with a different name.

How is the Stewart System different from the old Blue River system which had a real bad reputation up here.

Thank you,

Crash

Click to expand...

I have watched many of the YouTube videos and the process looks interesting? The priming and painting process seems very slow? Four cross coats for the topcoat is a lot of passes over the same spot.
The Blue river system came out in the mid 80's (I think); comparing waterborne paint chemistry of the 80's to current paint chemistry is like comparing a 1980's computer to a current model.
Can this system be frozen and then thawed? It is impossible to ship stuff in the north without having it frozen even when labeled “DO NOT FREEZE”.

Phil,

We ship product to some of the coldest parts of the north and have figured out how to get around the freezing problems. Regarding the priming/painting times it actually goes much faster than you would think. You get a complete wing painted both sides (2 x-coats) in an hour and your done. With help it's possible to paint both wings and a fuse in one day and that includes letting them sit in the booth for an hr while the paint cures enough that dust wont stick. You really got to boogie, but it's not impossible.

Regarding Blue River - that paint was water based - Stewart's is water born. Phil is correct about the significant advancements is water born paint technology. Everyone that I have ever talked with about a bad Blue River paint finish said that it happened about 1-2 years after it was applied and it was always the same issue, a cracking surface that looked like alligator skin. I have heard about and even seen some less than perfect finishes from aircraft painted with S.S. products but that's completely end user related and has nothing to do with the paint. That kind of stuff happens regardless of which covering system you use. I honestly can say that I have never once heard of the paint cracking like the B.R. paint. Also there were other things about the B.R. systems that made it different than S.S. than just the paint.

I can tell you that product has been blowing out of the factory almost faster than they can make it. I'm guessing its the second most popular system after Stits. When I hear people talk about covering/painting systems nowadays it's usually about Stewart Systems.

Jason

I'll have to admit my ignorance here.

What is the difference between "water based" and "water born" ?

I think an easy way to describe it would be water based means water can be absorbed into the paint which would dilute the entire solution. Water borne means that water is only used as a carrier for a paint. It is added after the resin has been catalyzed only to reduce it to a sprayable viscosity. It does not combine with the catalyzed paint.

I hope that makes sense.

Jason

Thanks Jason.

Got to make a decision soon, as the wings should be ready for cover in the next week or so.

Nothing but good to say about this product...Started some fabric work today...did one of my tail feathers...through Eco Fill...Easy, clean, and I'm not high... Glued the bottom fabric on, WOW! this stuff is great... clean up with a little soap and water.

Thanks for a great user friendly product.

Ron

















Started my exp fabric work today...using the stewarts...Started with a tail piece...WOW...this stuff is cool. It is quick, clean and I'm not sick and high from chemicals...Glued and shrunk the bottom fabric on the wing...love the glue process...washed my hand when done with soap and water...

Thanks for a safe clean product...
Ron













:lol:

I just finished painting my plane and put it outside in the rain/snowy winter and the stewarts paint has begun to bubble and lift. Has anyone experienced a similar problem?

No, can't say I have. I have flown mine in all WX, from 15F to 100F. Flown in driving rain and snow showers. No problems. Sounds like contamination, but check with Jason for advice.

Yowee! Not fully cured???