Lance Link Posted April 24, 2020 Report Share Posted April 24, 2020 The paint on my plane is original. When flown in the rain, som of the paint on the leading edges gets water-blasted off. The prior owner would spray heavy coats of Rustoleum over the bare spots when this happened. There are what looks to be 5 coats of paint on these surfaces, and big pits. I am painting the leading edges during the lockdown. Is it possible I will hurt the tank sealant (also original) if I use an electric palm sander to prepare these surfaces? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted April 24, 2020 Report Share Posted April 24, 2020 Don't sand the rivets!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaMan Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Don’t sand. Get a harbor freight soda blaster and use that 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscalandro Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 (edited) That’s how mine became the white camouflage that it is. sanding is a good way to total the airplane. Edited April 25, 2020 by chriscalandro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Lance... your sealant, though original, is not on the other side of the leading edge... How aggressive was your plan to sand? How far back are you removing paint? Best regards, -a- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Link Posted April 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Oh Lord, I don’t want to total the plane! The area involved is about 3” up from the front edge and about 2” below it. There are some areas where the paint has been eroded to bare metal by water. I am not sanding any bare metal or removing any paint down to that level, not even down to the factory primer if I can help it, just enough to smooth out and remove some of the built up paint. I plan to prime the few bare metal spots, fill the pits with fairing compound and then paint just the 6” strip of the leading edges. Does that sound like a safe and reasonable plan? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKlott Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 I don’t think placing a vibrator on the wings will get the old girl excited. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Lance, Get some practice... There are aviation paint removers... expensive, yet very usable... very predictable... They are like a wipe on gel... they hate paint... and eat it up... Controlling where the gel goes will take some practice... some high end painter’s tapes... Will probably supply good control... Washing it off is pretty straight forwards... Start small at first... Expect gravity to not be your friend... Search for paint removers around here... there is one made by the sealant removers... Sanding is bad... the anti-oxidation coating on our sheet metal is incredibly thin... accidentally removing it can be a real expensive pain.... once it is removed, oxidation has the right to spread under it... Study up first... attack small ugly spots second... then work on you painting skills... plastic and tape are used to defend what you have... from you. What you lay down first before the paint should be interesting..? PP thoughts only, I have minimal Mooney paint experience... Best regards, -a- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooney in Oz Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 6 hours ago, BKlott said: I don’t think placing a vibrator on the wings will get the old girl excited. You just beat me to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Link Posted April 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 Thanks all. I think I'll just sand off the built-up Rustoleum gently by hand as I had planned, down to the factory finish paint but not through it, and forego the electric sander. That way I will not reveal any more bare metal than the "rain rash" already has. I'll clean the revealed bare metal with rubbing alcohol, prime with SEM self-etching primer, fill the primed areas and the pits in the paint with fairing compound, prime the repaired areas again, and then finish paint the leading edges. If anyone has any more advice or better ideas let me know. Hopefully, the leading edge paint will hold up for a while. Or, maybe a go fund me page for a new paint job..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscalandro Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 Let me make this more clear. DO NOT USE SAND PAPER ON YOUR AIRPLANE. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austintatious Posted April 28, 2020 Report Share Posted April 28, 2020 +1 for not sanding off the paint!!!! Tape off the leading edge and leave paper hanging so nothing can run back on the underside of the wing. Then use a paint remover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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