Tadpole, GREAT progress : Thanks for the pix. Glad Carol and Bob got you fixed up with covering supplies.

Now the Yin/Yang of covering: Being close to home in a heated workspace is a HUGE advantage. But the Stitts/Polyfiber vapours are REALLY nasty to family and friends. I've done a few Stitts covers, trust me just this once on that issue. Consider alternative if family members become sensitised; the young ones seems especially sensitive.

And just remember, what's considered Aircraft Restoration in Elbert County might be considered "huffing" in El Paso County . A headache is NOT a high .

Thanks. cubscout

cubscout wrote:Tadpole, GREAT progress : Thanks for the pix. Glad Carol and Bob got you fixed up with covering supplies.

Now the Yin/Yang of covering: Being close to home in a heated workspace is a HUGE advantage. But the Stitts/Polyfiber vapours are REALLY nasty to family and friends. I've done a few Stitts covers, trust me just this once on that issue. Consider alternative if family members become sensitised; the young ones seems especially sensitive.

Carol and Bob haven't impressed me though. Was told all items were in, picked up and was told two things missing. Did inventory and several more were missing. Very poor communication on this as well. Price was good, but that was it.

Ya the vapors might be an issue we'll see. I wish I had a window in the garage to vent out. I might need to make a box to go under the garage door with an outflow fan to help clear the air.

Did you consider going with the Stewart finishing system? The people who have used it really seem to like it-- even old Polytone diehards. Water-based & non-toxic (or much less toxic than Stits anyway). Lots of discussion about Stewarts on the supercub site- the guy who does all of their airshow demo's is a regular poster there.

hotrod150 wrote:Did you consider going with the Stewart finishing system? The people who have used it really seem to like it-- even old Polytone diehards. Water-based & non-toxic (or much less toxic than Stits anyway). Lots of discussion about Stewarts on the supercub site- the guy who does all of their airshow demo's is a regular poster there.

I have, but since I'm not doing a total recover, I'm matching to the existing fabric, paint, and so on, hence the use of Poly. I'm covering an entire left wing, left aileron, and right wing tip. Painting a nose bowl, repainting the lower cowl. The rest stays other than some small spot touch ups. Even the left flap is already painted, it didn't get damaged. I might have some tint difference in this lot of paint compared to the last time, but it'll be good enough for now. Its not a restoration.

After some discussion with my wife we've figured out how we're going to ventilate the garage. Since I'm building a paint booth inside the garage, PVC pipe frame, plastic walls, floor, and ceiling, all taped and sealed up...we're going to install a dryer vent in the wall of the garage. We'll run tubing into the plastic room, and I'll have a fan vent the air out. This way I can keep the garage door closed and the heat in, yet still vent out the fumes. Guess I'll probably have to do some sort of fan blowing air into the booth unless I don't seal it up super tight. Oh and I'll have a respirator on...or maybe a fresh air respirator if I find a good affordable one.

Guess I'll probably have to do some sort of fan blowing air into the booth unless I don't seal it up super tight. Oh and I'll have a respirator on...or maybe a fresh air respirator if I find a good affordable one.

Tadpole
You will need to build in a door, SO, try mounting / tape up / enough furnace filters in the door to allow good air flow for the exhaust fan. Make sure you get something like a good ample barrel fan to suck that shit out. Also a good face mask. I have also seen fellas use their halogen lamps to heat up the area from outside the plastic tent. I know some who even have the audacity to call it a tool room so that the local authorities can not claim it is a paint booth. Ha.

Take care

Chris C

Oh and I'll have a respirator on...or maybe a fresh air respirator if I find a good affordable one.

Jason, Poly-fiber is a great system, but the MEK solvent is REALLY nasty stuff, and if you use the polyurethane paint, it contains cyanide. I got pretty messed up just from doing a few repairs in a fairly well ventilated area, with a standard paint respirator. A guy at my airport died from paint exposure a few years ago.

If you use this system, I think you MUST have a positive pressure respirator. if you can't swing the bucks for a Hobby-air or something like that, consider finding yourself an old squirrel cage blower (remove the squirrels first) and a long section of vacuum hose.

Hopefully your garage is not attached to the house- I wouldn't want that stuff anywhere near my kids...

-Bill

I do have an attached garage, that's why I'm working on a nice ventilation system. Worst case, I open the garage door and vent it I'm using Poly Tone, doing a left wing, right wing tip, left aileron. Not a whole lot, but I still intend to get a nice fresh air breathing system. I will use the Aerothane on a couple of metal pieces, but that won't be done right away and I will just open up the door for that unless I end up with a great ventilation system.

Tadpole wrote:

hotrod150 wrote:Did you consider going with the Stewart finishing system? ......

I have, but since I'm not doing a total recover, I'm matching to the existing fabric, paint, and so on, hence the use of Poly. .....

From what I'm told, the Stewart system is approved for use on top of other finishes for patchig & repair work. One guy I know has done quite a bit of remodelling of his Pacer wings and used Stewart over (I think) Polytone- he got real good results including good color matching. Might be worth a phone call or some web surfing to find out more about it if it eliminates the health hazards to you -- & since you're doing it at home, your family.

hotrod150 wrote:From what I'm told, the Stewart system is approved for use on top of other finishes for patchig & repair work. One guy I know has done quite a bit of remodelling of his Pacer wings and used Stewart over (I think) Polytone- he got real good results including good color matching. Might be worth a phone call or some web surfing to find out more about it if it eliminates the health hazards to you -- & since you're doing it at home, your family.

Well darn. I already spent a grand getting all the PolyFiber stuff to do the repairs.

Further thinking and reading has me thinking I'm just going to wait on the Aerothane (nasty) stuff until its warm and I can spray them in a WELL ventilated area. I'm only putting the urethane stuff on the nosebowl and lower cowl and they don't need paint to fly. I think I'll just hit them with primer to protect them until the spring when it warms up, and just use the PolyTone in my garage paint booth this winter for the wings.

As far as ventilation goes: I built a booth that sounds like what you have in mind. If you use a stack of furnace filters with a box fan sealed to, and blowing into, the booth (box fan on the outside of the filters and outside of the booth) it works fairly well. Have a fair sized vent tube outside and ducted away from your neighbors dog house. Nasty fumes. Vent should extend far enough from the house so that the fumes don't drift up and under the eves and get sucked up into your attic. No fan is necessary on the outflow side as the positive pressure in the booth will push everything out. If you just put an outflow fan in, the plastic sides of your booth get sucked inward and may come in contact with your project. Same happens if you install an outflow fan that moves more air than the inflow fan. Also, if you use an outflow fan you are risking explosion if you have nasty fumes passing through a fan. If you can, keep your lights outside of the booth for the same reason. Get a shoot suit with a full face mask and positive pressure from an air source on the opposite side of your house (upwind too). Rubber gloves and plastic bags on your feet and tape the sleeves and cuffs. That cyanide stuff is nasty. It will go through your eyes and skin, doesn't have to go through your nose to kill you. Brother-in-law just used superglue to attach extra hair onto a fake mustache then wore it to a costume party. The cyanide in the glue was inhaled and put him into respiratory arrest. Dam near died, may have if there hadn't been medical personnel at the party, chemically burned his lungs. Be careful.

Tadpole wrote:Further thinking and reading has me thinking I'm just going to wait on the Aerothane (nasty) stuff until its warm and I can spray them in a WELL ventilated area. I'm only putting the urethane stuff on the nosebowl and lower cowl and they don't need paint to fly. I think I'll just hit them with primer to protect them until the spring when it warms up, and just use the PolyTone in my garage paint booth this winter for the wings.

Start talking to some small body shops with paint booths. They will rent you the booth when they have nothing in it. If you don't want to wait till spring.

When I sprayed in my garage a long time ago. I folded the top panel of the door down and lifted the door up at he bottom about 6" I had an exhaust fan blowing out at the top.

Plastic the door to the house off. Send the wife and kid to the mall for a few hours and spray away. Do use a respirator too.

Good day

Same happens if you install an outflow fan that moves more air than the inflow fan. Also, if you use an outflow fan you are risking explosion if you have nasty fumes passing through a fan.

I'd recommend just the opposite- if you pressurize your garage, tha nasty stuff WILL find it's was into the house. If you suck instead of blow, you won't have that problem, but you will have the problems Mr. Ed describes, as well as dust coming in from unexpected places. But if you use a small enough fan (like a box fan) with an induction motor, there will be no sparks or explosion hazard. Just be sure to turn it on before you start and leave it on until well after the fumes have cleared.

I applaud your decision to use Polytone instead of urethane- you''l be much happier when it comes time to make repairs!

RDUStinson wrote:I applaud your decision to use Polytone instead of urethane- you''l be much happier when it comes time to make repairs!

Polytone is what is already on the fuselage and right wing. They put the same color aerothane on the metal parts, so I bought some to do the same. But since I'm going to hold off on the aerothane, I think I'll just hit the metal with polytone and see how it comes out. I'm not going for perfect matches, just good enough for now so I can fly the hell out of this plane. Not trying to win an Oshkosh award or anything. I can match it perfect later if I do a restoration on it...if I don't end up selling it before then.

Tadpole,
After you use the other systems you will find out how nice the Stewart Systems are. It's all good experience.
Dave

d.grimm wrote:Tadpole,
After you use the other systems you will find out how nice the Stewart Systems are. It's all good experience.
Dave

Very true. I've had DVDs for Stewarts, Superflight, and PolyFiber...and based off videos alone I like the Stewarts. I look forward to getting the chance to use it someday.

RobBurson wrote:

Tadpole wrote:Further thinking and reading has me thinking I'm just going to wait on the Aerothane (nasty) stuff until its warm and I can spray them in a WELL ventilated area. I'm only putting the urethane stuff on the nosebowl and lower cowl and they don't need paint to fly. I think I'll just hit them with primer to protect them until the spring when it warms up, and just use the PolyTone in my garage paint booth this winter for the wings.

Start talking to some small body shops with paint booths. They will rent you the booth when they have nothing in it. If you don't want to wait till spring.

When I sprayed in my garage a long time ago. I folded the top panel of the door down and lifted the door up at he bottom about 6" I had an exhaust fan blowing out at the top.

Plastic the door to the house off. Send the wife and kid to the mall for a few hours and spray away. Do use a respirator too.

Good day

Now I wish I had a picture of Joecub's makeshift spray booth when he painted he's Breezy. It was very simple and cheap. PVC pipe frame wrapped/covered with clear plastic sheeting. Had a fan on the floor with ducting to the outside of the hangar. I think it worked well.

Tadpole wrote: Well darn. I already spent a grand getting all the PolyFiber stuff to do the repairs.

I know several people who got full refunds when they took back the Polyfiber stuff they'd bought, as long as it was unopened. Depends on the supplier I guess. Using Stewart's, I think you'd save on the suit & respirator gear you wouldn't need.

d.grimm wrote: After you use the other systems you will find out how nice the Stewart Systems are...........

That's what I hear too.