Progress and question

C

Chris Martin

Promoted Users
Hi SPI Friends,

I am excited today. Finally we have a week where the mornings are hovering at the 75F temperatures so sprayed my first big part today. All the feedback from this forum and practice with the test panels and small parts payed off. Looks nice. Thanks to all for your patience which I know I tried at times.

Not to my question:

The wing you see in the picture is supported on saw horses at the root (spar) and one point toward the tip that you normally don't see that I sprayed before doing the entire thing. I need to move this wing out of the spray booth and put the other to paint it (this cool morning week may not last.

How long should I wait before I can safely handle the wing and put some weight on the paint? High temperatures during the day will be high 80's and low 70s at night.

At the root, which is the heaviest part, I don't have to touch the painted surface. But at the tip I have to since there is nowhere to hold on from, except painted surface. And then I have to place it somewhere supported at the spar (no problem) but also at the tip, again at the painted surface. The tip is maybe 50-60 pounds or so. I can spread the load a using cushions.

Advice?

Thanks,
Chris
 

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Thanks Don.

I think the whole thing will come out great. The cooler weather is certainly helping and I’m much more relaxed with the gun. Very happy with the block sanding result. Not restoration car level but not bad for a newb.

I wish I could pull it out in the sun. It’s really sunny here now. But I can’t move it :(

Chris
 
Keep it where it's at for as long as you can. I asked Barry and the boys here a similar question recently. Three days minimum was the answer I got. I waited 4-5 days for some parts I had three coats of UV clear on and have not had any issues. I would say to safely lay it down on something, 4 days.
 
Thanks Chris. I will do that. Kind of sad to wait that long since we are going to have a few nice mornings down to 71-75 and I have the second wing ready to be sprayed. But will not risk it. 4 days it will be.

Chris
 
Is it SPI single stage? Its production clear based and hardens up harder than universal faster.

Don
 
Yes Don, I am using SPI single stage.

And thanks for the compliment Chris. I am very happy with it. No runs and no dry spots, it's all very even. It has the usual orange peel (even if following your 75% overlap rule) but at this point I learned to accept it and move forward. No more experimenting! If I don't close one eye and get too close I can't see it. It feels so nice and smooth to the touch. Like a big wet lollipop :) Nibs are still an issue but also learned to accept them.

And if I can pull this off with the rest of the project, this SPI single stage should be good for another 5 mph increase in cruise speed :)

On the subject of speed, anyone knows what they paint F1 cars with? The flat finish reminds me of sanding racing gliders and sailboat hulls dull to get more speed out of them. I guess same applies to those crazy cars.

Chris
 
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