Stewart’s paint repair

[cgoldy]

I can’t weld and I can’t paint. But that doesn’t stop me from trying.

Finally painted my new carbon fibre cowls. I should have taken them to the local shop but I’m too stubborn. Job not too bad but I knocked one off the bench when it was wet and picked up a lot of dust on it. Should have hosed the floor down eh.

Are there any techniques for cutting and polishing out defects in Stewart’s paint? If it was normal two pack I would just wet and dry it and then buff it. But something tells me not to try this.

[Dan Gervae]

I think you’ll have to sand it out, then fog coat the whole thing and final wet coat it again

[wdoubleday]

I’ve had successin buffing out small runs and orange peel by using the 3M polishing system and a 3M air driven polishing gun using foam pads, both on metal and fabric surfaces. Start with the ‘coarse’ polishing compound and advance to the fine polish. It takes time, alot of time, but it does work. Your surfaces won’t have that glass look of a perfectly painted part, but it’s close. Apply wax when you’re done polishing. I believe there have been past posts using this method on Stewarts. For me, the system is a pain in the a*#, and certainly not as forgiving as the organic solvent based systems, but much safer wrt your liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. MEK is ever so toxic with irreversible organ damage. Good luck.

[Bearhawk Builder]

If it's Ekocrylic you can cut and buff as normal. Let it harden a few days at least.
If it's Ekopoly forget it, scuff and respray

[skywagon8a]

Just wet sand out the imperfections and repaint it.

[cgoldy]

Thanks for the bad news guys!

[Dan Gervae]

I had bad orange peel on my Fuselage using Stewart’s ...I wet sanded it and resprayed...I didn’t spend enough time wet sanding and the results are OK, but not great...my metal, wings, and tail feathers came better after I learned the system. It is very unforgiving...beautiful if all goes well, and safe...but unforgiving.

[Hardtailjohn]

You can wet sand and buff Ekopoly, just like any other paint. It's got to dry first. A week minimum. Remember you're dealing with water, not solvent. Longer if you can. If you're in a hurry, just sand and shoot one fog and go to a medium coat and you're done.
John

[Gordon Misch]

John, maybe I'm mistaken - I thought dry sanding was the preferred method with Stewarts. Could you please clarify? Thanks!

[MainlandCub]

I have sanded and polished a Stewart Systems top coat job which I thought I'd have to respray. And that was on fabric; it should be easier on your cowls. You need to sand with finer paper than what they say you can for solvent based two-pack and you do have to use a machine buffer, not by hand. Just in case you don't already realise that.... I kinda followed the instructions a guy on the biplane forum posted. PM me if you want more details. Probably some of the stuff I used is typically available in both New Zealand and Australia, for example the buffer came from Supercheap Auto!

[Hardtailjohn]

John, maybe I'm mistaken - I thought dry sanding was the preferred method with Stewarts. Could you please clarify? Thanks!

Through the process of sanding ekofill, yes. Once the topcoat is dried, then wet sanding is easiest.
The last one I buffed, I took it down through 4000 grit, then came in with compound (I use Meguires 85 to start) on a wool cutting pad. It's definitely not a job you want to do by hand.
John

[cgoldy]

I think I will just respray. Thanks all.

[bob turner]

What is Ekocrylic? I absolutely loved auto acrylic enamel, since I am an amateur and it wet-sanded like dope or lacquer. It doesn't show on Stewart's website.

[Bearhawk Builder]

Stewart Systems is leading the aviation industry in cutting-edge, waterborne coatings technology. EkoCrylic is a waterborne, catalyzed, acrylic urethane topcoat that is formulated specifically for metal and composite aircraft with extreme durability and gloss that does not fade with age. Similar to other catalyzed urethane topcoats on the market, EkoCrylic produces a very high gloss finish that is very durable and resistant to solvents including fuel and even MEK. However, EkoCrylic is not hazardous, flammable, or harmful to the environment which greatly reduces the health hazards and safety equipment requirements for spray applications. As with all Stewart Systems products, cleaning out the paint gun and mixing containers is done in the sink with water and EkoClean – no solvents.
EkoCrylic is available in over 50 standard colors, and a custom color match service is also available. Clear base is available for use as a clear coat, although it is not necessary to achieve a rich gloss. A flattener may also be purchased separately that will produce a semi-gloss, satin or flat finish depending on the ratio that is used.
EkoCrylic is sold as a kit including catalyst and is thinned with distilled water, so there are no reducers or cleaning solvents necessary which keeps the overall cost down. For example, if you order a gallon, you will get three quarts of color and one quart of catalyst making one complete gallon. Although the cost of EkoCrylic is typically similar to competitive products, the coverage is generally significantly greater reducing the overall weight and price of the topcoat. Typically, 2-4 gallons will cover most any light, single-engine aircraft.
Although EkoCrylic was primarily designed as a finish for the complete Stewart System, it is also an excellent option for a repaint over other finishes. Because it employs a mechanical bond rather than a chemical bond, EkoCrylic will adhere to virtually anything that has sufficient surface texture. By simply cleaning and scuff-sanding any paint finish, you can apply EkoCrylic right over it. If cleanliness is in doubt or a previous color scheme needs to be hidden, a light coat of EkoPrime or EkoPoxy may also be used as a base.

• Rich, high-gloss finish
  
• Extreme durability
  
• Less weight
  
• Safe for your health
  
• Environmentally-friendly
  
• Reduced overall cost

There is simply no substitute for Stewart Systems EkoCrylic!

BUY NOW!

[Hardtailjohn]

EkoCrylic is not recommended over fabric. It's not as flexible as the polyurethane (EkoPoly).
John

[bob turner]

Thanks. My curiosity is because as soon as Stewart has a less finicky top coat for fabric I am probably in.

I certainly won't make or break them - I am only doing two more cover jobs.

[Bearhawk Builder]

I'm spraying Ekocrylic now, sprays the same as Ekopoly. Easier to sand and buff if needed, in my opinion.

[Hardtailjohn]

I've used it on a few projects, but it sprays the same and isn't flexible enough to be used on fabric, so I just stick with poly. I like the added flex of poly, even on a hard substrate, especially if it's subject to impact damage. I used Ekocrylic on a horsedrawn sleigh I restored and it really buffed out to a glass smooth finish easily.
John