Questions for expert? Paint.

[Saylow]

My J's 12 year paint is needing some touchups.  The log book says Acry Glo Mattahorn White  was used.  I have found the same paint at AeroTouchups.com.  Here are some questions I have regarding doing the touch ups  Your collective expertise and experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

1.  After 12 years, will ordering the same paint be the best match or will it have faded and changed so much that doing a paint panel match at the auto store be closer?

 

2.  The Acry Glow is a urethane paint which requires mixing with a hardener.  Is this the best way to go or will auto paint in a can be good enough for touchups?

 

3.  If the aluminum is NOT exposed do I still need to etch with a self etching primer or can I just sand and paint?

 

4.  Have you tried Acry Glow in the Prevail spray bottles?  Did you have to thin it and if so with what did you thin it with?

 

Thanks!

[A64Pilot]

1. It should be good enough, it might not be perfect though, depends a lot on where and how the aircraft lived. If in Arizona tied down is way different than hangar living.

2. It’s the best way to go, but an auto paint may be good enough, depending on your goals. If it’s just to get through a year or so before the repaint the auto might be OK.

3. Sand lightly and paint. Avoid any stripping if possible.

4 No experience with spray bombs, my recommendation is avoid them, get a decent air brush or touch up gun.

I don’t pretend to be an expert, but know a few, my advice is if you want a near perfect job, hire it out, Auto guy is fine. I think Auto jobs are usually of better quality than Aircraft jobs myself. 

I treat paint like I do fabric, as an IA I’m allowed to do fabric but never have so I’m no expert, but I know several that are  Nothing wrong with hiring a job out if your after perfection, you might be a true artist and hit one out of the ball park first try, but it’s unlikely.

However if you’re just after good enough, why not give it a shot? What do you have to lose, you can always hire it out if you can’t get it good enough.

Do some reading, lots of it. Your asking what to thin it with seems to indicate you need some education.  

Edited April 11 by A64Pilot

[Rwsavory]

My expertise is more in the way of writing checks than anything else, but here’s my advice: having seen some awful DIY touchups, find a shop to do it for you. 

[cliffy]

What is the overall condition of the paint job? Be realistic!

Has it spent its life outside or is it a hangar queen ?

Do you preserve a concourse quality vehicle or is it the average 12 yr Mooney condition?

Again, be realistic. 

Is it a 3 foot paint job or a25 foot paint job?

What are you trying to achieve? Just cover some worn spots  or

bring it back to new condition?

Are the spots small enough and your expectations in line with just a small brush touchup?

Or do you need to have it perfect (if the rest of the paint job is perfect)?

Remember we are talking 40-50 year old antiques here. 

Spec paint may or may not match what you have for weathered paint.

There are many stores that can take a sample of your paint color (remove a cover plate) 

and color match almost perfectly

If you have never done anything like this before (cars, boats, etc) I suggest you only try a small brush on small areas

and not anything extensive or with spray equipment. 

But as always its your choice.

 

[Fritz1]

Matterhorn White is rather forgiving, however as stated before all depends where the painted surface is and how large it is, noting wrong with giving a small spot a try, if it looks worse than before you can still take it to a shop, cowls and anything that you can remove is easy because you can take it to an auto paint shop with climate control and they will most likely do a good job, bottom line, try a small spot with the Matterhorn White, see how it turns out, cover the rest of the airplane well 

[Pinecone]

Modern auto paint is also urethane paint.

Are you repairing chips or worn areas?  Different techniques and tools for the different types of repairs.

[Fly Boomer]

  On 4/11/2025 at 12:03 PM, Saylow said:

2.  The Acry Glow is a urethane paint which requires mixing with a hardener.  Is this the best way to go or will auto paint in a can be good enough for touchups?

Expand  

If you are ever required to burn the currently-available 100UL gas, you will regret using car paint.  If this is a stopgap, and in a less visible location, sometimes the aviation isle at Ace Hardware has a pretty good match.

[Saylow]

  On 4/11/2025 at 12:48 PM, Rwsavory said:

My expertise is more in the way of writing checks than anything else, but here’s my advice: having seen some awful DIY touchups, find a shop to do it for you. 

Expand  

Hmmm! Sounds like a perfect idea. Thanks