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Need Poly-Fiber color advice

Jasperfield

Registered User
NC
I've read the posts about colors but still don't know what to do.

Using Poly-Fiber's system, I want to paint the fuselage a light-cream color like the older Super Cubs, but not a white that is gray or cold. And I don't want just straight-out white. I have a new color card from Poly-Fiber but don't know if the colors on the card are actually representative.

For trim I want to use a red that does not appear real dark or maroon at a distance, and don't want an orange-red. I'd like it to look like the old colors.

I know that Poly Fiber's colors are not now what they once were. Also, which dealer should I use? Give me some commentary or advice.

Thanks
 
I don't know anything about the older colours, but what you see on the sample patches is a pretty accurate depiction, you get those from various distributors.

I got all my goodies from Spencer Aircraft (www.spenceraircraft.com). The materiel costs what it costs, I didn't find any huge variations in cost from one retailer to the next.

They were very helpful though and really did what they could to keep incidental costs down; for HAZMAT shipping to Hawaii, etc. That's a big factor for me.

Just my 2c

Cheers
Pete
 
Two thumbs up for spencer. They even call once in a while to see how things are going. Usually ship the same day if you call early.
 
I am just doing mine now and felt the same way as you about getting the white right. I got poly fiber color 117 Glacier White mixed and am very happy with it. My trim is Randolph Sacramento Green. The color cards are are close but not exact to the finished color. I bought everything from Jim and Dondi Miller, Aircraft Technical Support. Very happy. I used the Poly Fiber process but the color coat is Ranthane. I think the red Piper used for trim was W-3665 Pontiac Red which is a Randolph color.
 
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Call Norm Douthit. He is a Poly Fiber Dealer. Norm has forgotten more about covering in Poly Fiber than most people will ever learn. Norm used to work for Ray Stitts and his name is mentioned in the credits and "thank yous" in the beginning of the Poly Fiber manual...at least it is in my manual. If you wanted a custom color, Norm can mix it for you. 888-811-2232 toll free.
 
I found the color chart to be good. Bought more color a couple years later and it was perfect match(Green and Cream)
 
Sounds like Daytona White may be worth a look see, it seems to impart a kind of a classic/ old timey look. Kind of a cream, not a white/ white, been using it for 30 years on three different planes (with different trim schemes, but the DW as the majority color) and I'm not sick of it yet.
 
Just my opinion but anything other than bright white just looks old to me. Makes the airplane look like the paint job is old and faded. I personally prefer the brightest white I can get. There are some applications for off white, as in antique airplanes where originality is important, but for a Supercub I like a white white.


Opinion only

Bill
 
Beware - the names are the same but the colors are different. If, for instance, you need to match a 1990s Juneau white, you will need it mixed. If you like Bill's advice, I believe Insignia White is a pure white.
 
If you ever need to make a repair it will be difficult to match any "off white". Pure white will be the easier to match.
 
For the red, you probably want Pontiac Red as previously mentioned. Its a clean,bright red with no brown, maroon or orange in it. The whites a bit of a crapshoot but if you want something slightly cream, probably Juneau white is the one. Glacier is somewhat gray. I just had mine painted Insignia white (pure bright white) with Pontiac red stripes and Dakota black trim and I love it, but then I personally prefer straight bright white.
 
I agree on Insignia/pure bright white. Going/staying with that on the AcroDuster 2 but I'm sticking with Tennessee Red cause that's what my Pitts was. Decided on a simple scheme I saw on a Piet on Barnstormers. My plane was already white. I'm leaving the wings and tail feathers white and fus. red. I just love red.......FWIW
 
Here's mine
Glacier White, with Everglade Green ,and Cubby Green trim Poly fiber . If I had to paint it again I would not change a thing.
100_1640.JPG
Danielle
 

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Hi Jasperfield: I have been repairing/painting Cubs for over 60 years and Juneau White is what you want with either Tennessee Red (Insignia Red) or Pontiac Red. We use both
 
How many poly spray and finish paint the interior? This question came up on another forum recently, and it was stated as a no brainer that you must do the INSIDE also, not for cosmetics but for UV protection. This was for a plane that would be hangared. I have never done so, (six planes now) and feel it is gross overkill, just extra work , money, and weight. But it did occur to me to ask if this is a wide spread thought and common place, or right up there with wearing a belt AND suspenders?

Also, anyone ever give any thought to choosing a paint scheme that is instantly memorable to good citizens wanting to report to "the authorities" an airplane doing something THEY thought was reckless or dangerous? As opposed to a paint scheme that is somewhat bland and with no particular color dominant, a paint scheme in other words less likely to be easily identified in a "lineup"? Is this a question I should even be asking? I'm asking for someone I know....any other paranoid pilots out there who like to plan ahead for an emergency, or is my friend planning on doing things he shouldn't? Maybe this is how the traditional Cub Yellow and Black paint scheme came about, ha ha.
 
I have seen planes with no interior fabric. The interior of the fabric is the backside of the exterior fabric. They all used the untinted poly brush. Never heard of a problem. You see most of this in open cockpit biplanes.

As for the paint scheme, I'm sure a lot of people have thought of painting like other aircraft. Your friend might want to consider painting "PATROL" on the bottom of the wings.
 
How many poly spray and finish paint the interior? This question came up on another forum recently, and it was stated as a no brainer that you must do the INSIDE also, not for cosmetics but for UV protection. This was for a plane that would be hangared. I have never done so, (six planes now) and feel it is gross overkill, just extra work , money, and weight. But it did occur to me to ask if this is a wide spread thought and common place, or right up there with wearing a belt AND suspenders?

Also, anyone ever give any thought to choosing a paint scheme that is instantly memorable to good citizens wanting to report to "the authorities" an airplane doing something THEY thought was reckless or dangerous? As opposed to a paint scheme that is somewhat bland and with no particular color dominant, a paint scheme in other words less likely to be easily identified in a "lineup"? Is this a question I should even be asking? I'm asking for someone I know....any other paranoid pilots out there who like to plan ahead for an emergency, or is my friend planning on doing things he shouldn't? Maybe this is how the traditional Cub Yellow and Black paint scheme came about, ha ha.

We are going hi-vis on the S7S, yellow and black as all "cubs" should be by law. :D

Still torn about the interior paint. I guess we'll squirt a light coat in there just for good looks if nothing else.

Finished fuselage base color today:ImageUploadedByTapatalk1388542260.654944.jpg
 

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I finished with Polytone AN Yellow with white, red, and green insignias (I'm not sure which ones). The paint matched the cards perfectly. With time and wax, the yellow has "deepened", a little darker and redder. I like it better now than when it went on, but be aware that the colors drift with time.
 
Thanks, fellows, for all of your help & experience on this subject. Javron is not too far from priming and painting the fuselage frame. I scraped some finish from the Poly Fiber color cards and viewed them under a microscope. This showed me that the color card samples are actual paint samples affixed to the cards. Knowing this, I've viewed the samples in daylight, at different angles.

The fuselage frame will be Glacier White. The fabric will "probably" be Juneau White. The red will be Pontiac Red. Your responses have really been helpful; I'll probably use a bit whiter, white than I would have otherwise.

I'm still eager to hear anything you may have to say.

Thanks,
Jasperfield
 
Funny you mention that. I have been shopping for one all day. I'm embarrassed that I'm not already using one with this paint job…
 
How about some pics of your green Cub? Can't see much in the avatar picture!
The Green is Dodge Charger Sublime Green Poly Tone CHARGER4.jpgcustom mixed by Jim and Dondi Miller at Aircraft Technical Support Inc.The color in these pics are not that great due to the Florescent lighting in my shop, the Camera I'm using just does not do it justice, my avatar pic was taken with my Droid Max HD much better color representation, still got a ways to go before flight though, damn work gets in the way all the time.........:lol: Rick
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Cub jan. 2014.jpg
 

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Sorry for the hijack


Wow Rotto!!
Just went trough your album pics. Awesome built!! Should start a thread to keep us to date. Please...

I never notice how low the engine was on those Smith cubs. How much lower, 6 inch??? The cowling just look perfect! Can you even put that nice plane on skis with a 82+ prop??

Paint scheme is looking just perfect.
 
Sorry for the hijack


Wow Rotto!!
Just went trough your album pics. Awesome built!! Should start a thread to keep us to date. Please...

I never notice how low the engine was on those Smith cubs. How much lower, 6 inch??? The cowling just look perfect! Can you even put that nice plane on skis with a 82+ prop??

Paint scheme is looking just perfect.
Thanks Oli,
The fuselage and wings are Nick Smith just before he sold to Turbine Cubs of Wyoming aka BCSC, the engine mount is BCSC SQ2 as is the cowling, the gear is 3 inch extended and will be eventually going on 31 inch bush wheels, the engine mount is 4 inch lower and 0 thrust line so actual prop clearance should not be much lower then say a stock super cub with stock engine mount on 3 inch gear, although don't quote me on that one, I hope to put her on ski's eventually, as for the prop, I have to call Craig Catto and talk to him about that, it will be one of his pieces of art that bolts to my crank flange, I don't think prop Clearance will be a problem.
I too would like to apologize for the thread hijack,
Rick
 
The Green is Dodge Charger Sublime Green Poly Tone custom mixed by Jim and Dondi Miller at Aircraft Technical Support Inc.The color in these pics are not that great due to the Florescent lighting in my shop, the Camera I'm using just does not do it justice, my avatar pic was taken with my Droid Max HD much better color representation, still got a ways to go before flight though, damn work gets in the way all the time.........:lol: Rick

Great colour.

Andrew.
 
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