Looking for some tips for removing oxidized paint from razorback fabric. Also what to put on as a protective coat. (After my bath of course)

It will depend on what paint is on there...but it should be butyrate dope, if I remember correct. If that's what it is, you can just rejuvinate and it should come right back.
No matter what, you'll have to refinish according to the STC... and I'm pretty sure it specifically calls out for buty....but it's been a long time since I messed with any razorback.
John

hardtailjohn wrote:It will depend on what paint is on there...but it should be butyrate dope, if I remember correct. If that's what it is, you can just rejuvinate and it should come right back.
No matter what, you'll have to refinish according to the STC... and I'm pretty sure it specifically calls out for buty....but it's been a long time since I messed with any razorback.
John

Thanks, John. I'll check with Maule to see what they have to say.

I don't think you will find it to be dope, mine wasn't. Mine unfortunately was some kind of polyurethane paint. Uteck or some similar name. Car paint with flex additive is actually what it was.

Mark, there is a lot of good info on the AOPA site about fabric.

Rob

In the Razorback days BD used Randolph paint. I am not too sure whether it was urethane or not...Jeremy??

I used a auto cleaner wax on my plane when I had Razorback. Mequires I think. It took off tons of oxidized paint and gave it a decent finish, but the years in the sun had pretty much cooked the razorback after 25 years.

get some 3M fine cut rubbing compound and a good orbital buffer. you have to actually remove the top layer of oxidized paint to get the results you want. the trick is, not taking too much off so that a thin spot shows thru.

Mine is an 83 model. The razorback was fine, but the paint and wooden belly stringer conspired to cause me to recover it. What was on mine was urethane, but it was an overspray job done by Maule Flight and cracked badly in several places.

lots of great information. Thanks guys.

Can't you tell if it's dope by putting a little dope thinner on a rag and rubbing in an inconspicious place? I want to think the thinner will disolve dope and do basically nothing to urethane.

MEK will clean dope off like mud, right down to bare fabric...

here's what I did fellas. I went to the auto body supply and they hooked me up with a 3M product called "Perfect it". It is basically a number one rubbing compound. Then applied a seal coat. Did both by hand. I am pleased with the results. Just a little alarmed at the amount of dead paint that was on the rags. Oh well, I guess it is 33 years old. Here is a photo of the finished product.


Now back to my bath!

What is the sealer that you used?

They sold me a product called Wizards shine master polish and paint sealant. I liked how it worked.

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