Repairing cracks in polyurethane paint

My plane is covered with Ceconite with Ranthane paint. The paint looks good overall, but there are a few areas where the paint is cracking and peeling off the fabric (maybe 3 to 4 spots). Mostly it is around inspection covers or places where the fabric moves a lot.

What can I use to "glue" the peeling paint back to the fabric?

In places were chips of paint are gone, what is the process to re-cover or re-paint the "bald" spot? I know I can't make the bad spot disappear, I'm just trying to protect the fabric and make it as un-noticable as possible. I have the ceconite procedure manual 101, but it doesn't cover these.

Thanks for any help!

Steve, I have used Super Seam and Polytac thinned with MEK to try and hold the broken paint on at areas like you have. It works if the crack is not very big. To fix the raw areas brush two coats of nitrate/rand-o-proof, then spray silver/rando-fill on the area. It will take several coats. After you get 2-3 coats wet sand the edges of the polyurethane with 400 grit sand paper to knock down the sharp edges and then spray at least one more coat of silver. You can cut fine line tape with pinking shears and use some of the tapes on your wings as a stopping point for you new paint. Spray it and after your final coat of paint, while it is still tacky pull the tapes and it with flow a bit and not have such a sharp edge. I have hidden small repair this way. An airbrush works great for this type of work.

Not legal on certificated airplanes, but if it is just an area of paint that has lifted but not left, try an expensive little product called Zap-A-Gap CA+, available at your local model airplane store. Be very careful to not get any on your fingers or on the outer surface of the paint. Hold it together for five minutes! Zap!

Otherwise, Steve's answer above is the only solution that ever works for me. I cannot feather an edge, and have not seen it done totally successfully.

I have used same basic method Steve describes above just break off all the loose stuff . Use super seam to glue the edges and build back up with silver,sand and paint works pretty good.

Thanks for the tips guys. I think I may try using an airbrush.

I know you are supposed to use a fresh air mask when spraying polyurethane, are there any reasonably priced ways to do that? The masks I see on Spruce are $400+.

By fresh air masks they mean one with a hose, with air pumped to your nose from a remote location.

We did an entire Cub a number of years ago, by getting a few miles of 4" surface tape and gluing and taping. Someone had used auto catalyzed paint, and it cracked along all ribs and stringers. Then we had someone else spray Ditzler (PPG) Omni on it. Worked great, and no cracks!

If you do not have a remote air source, or value your health, hire somebody else to spray it.

Airbrush in a well ventilated area should be ok, however I have had this chronic cough lead headed feeling. :lol: