Paint shop recommendations?

[Marauder]

One thing that no-one seems to have directly mentioned yet is when looking for a reference, don't look at the aircraft painted last month, or even last year - look at aircraft they painted 5 or even 10 years ago, and how they are holding up. It's all very well getting a paint job for half the price, but if it needs doing after a third of the time...... If you 'just' want a quick 'tart up' to sell again soon, or get a 'best presented' award at the next fly-in, your requirements are a lot different to the owner whose bird is a keeper and is going to stay with it for years. The 'quick blow over' does exist, and although cheap is neither good for longevity or payload! Ben This is a great comment. What I'm really looking for is a good value. I don't really want a quick and cheap job, I want something that will go the distance. But there seems to be a bit of a range in costs for what people here have reported as quality jobs - just like in most ventures. If I can go with a company that charges less (because for whatever reason the economics work that way) that's what I'm shooting for. If I can pay $10k or $12k for the same quality that someone else is charging $17k, sign me up. And from what I'm seeing here, that sounds to be the case. I may just need to fly an extra couple of hours to get it - and that's not a bad thing.

An even stronger point is what paint was used? Mike and Alan have seen my paint job. I will need to look at my logs, but I think it was painted in the early 80s using AlumiGrip paint. Although I don't have the shine as others, my paint is continuous without bare spots on the leading edges or signs of wear.

[Glenn]

Prices if you don't mind...

If memory serves me, Sturigs charged a little over $13,000, including aileron skins, all new stainless screws, and new static wicks.

[Parker_Woodruff]

You really have zero to go on but the shop's reputation. You can pay 20 grand for a paint job that fades in 3 years or 8 grand for a paint job that lasts 20. There are a couple top-rated shops nearby to me, but I am not spending 20 grand on a paint job when it can be had for half that.

Byron,

Though my recommendation for Hawk Aircraft Painting at VDF still stands, check into the paint shop up at Ennis (Southeast of Dallas).

I've heard a couple good reviews there. Just don't get sidetracked on Bonanzas at Hammock Aviation while you're there. (Which, by the way, Jerry Hammock has an excellent shop if you ever do end up with a Bonanza).

[jetdriven]

I like the sound of Hawk.  A friend of mine had his painted at Ennis. It is just so-so, they didnt remove the elevators, there's overspray where tape went over rivets, its not particularly crisp paint lines. Older paint scheme with straight lines and 3" N-Numbers, which is fine, but it should be super easy for a good shop and turned out better.  IIRC he paid around 13,500$.  

[fantom]

You won't be sorry, Byron. I had an interesting time developing a decision tree, visiting a bunch of shops, inspecting lots of planes, and talking to painters. The number of Florida Mooney people who were happy with Hawk, over a loooong period of time, was as impressive as the quality of their work. Good luck!

 

I like the sound of Hawk. 

[KSMooniac]

Throw in a Mooney ride back to Texas and I bet you'll have a deal!  

[Steve65E-NC]

    Who else has had problems with Jet-Glo?  I had my mooney painted in about 1993.  Four or five years ago the paint started flaking down to bare metal on the base white areas.  Now it that process is accelerating and some flakes are off almost every horizontal surface.  The color areas and undersides seem to be holding up.  One paint shop told me this was typical of Jet Glo and that it took at least three coats for good life with Jet-Glo.

    My just previous airplane, a cherokee, was painted with a different product.  I had good adhesion till the color layer just wore away and got thin, no flaking. 

    I also think my Jet-Glo color (Sierra White) seems to  assorb radio energy.  Other products may have this same problem.  I tried painting two different VOR antennas and they both lost effectiveness.  I had considered burying the VOR antennas in my aftermarket wing tips, glad I did not try that with this paint.

    Other comments on paint?  What experience have folks had with Alumigrip and Imron? 

[DonMuncy]

My plane was painted 9 years ago with Matterhorn White, which I think is Jet Glo. It still looks very good. I don't know how many coats were used.

[KSMooniac]

Prep work is key, and short-cutting will lead to poor durability.  Sounds like you got some poor prep, unfortunately.

 

I don't think antennas can be painted with normal paint.  You might check the specs of your particular antenna but I've done that on some COM ones and no paint is allowed.

[Steve65E-NC]

OK, so maybe the prep work was just better under the blue and grey stripes, which are holding up fine these 20 years later.

[mooneygirl]

Another thing to consider, which we found out during the Jerry Manthey seminar is whether the paint shops are sealing the plane with tape on the seams. This is very time intensive, but removes concerns of stripper making its way into your wing, etc.  Apparently most shops do not seal the seams. 

 

Artcraft does. And I don't have any financial or fiduciary relationship with them.  Mitch's Ovation painted in 2009, my E model in 2011.

 

It seems like a reasonable thing to ask if they protect your airplane by sealing the seams.  Most shops are using less toxic strippers, but that doesn't mean they wont get into your seams.

[Bennett]

Another plus for ArtCraft. I don't mind the expense if it is commensurate with quality and careful attention to details like sealing seams when stripping. I was really impressed with them when I saw the ailerons, flaps, gear doors, etc all being paired separately. The final "Wow" came when I saw they painted my exact upper wing design on the bottom of the wings - something I had not contracted for, or expected.

[Txbyker]

I like the sound of Hawk.  A friend of mine had his painted at Ennis. It is just so-so, they didnt remove the elevators, there's overspray where tape went over rivets, its not particularly crisp paint lines. Older paint scheme with straight lines and 3" N-Numbers, which is fine, but it should be super easy for a good shop and turned out better.  IIRC he paid around 13,500$.

Byron, I investigated Sky Art 830-420-3491 at a small strip outside of San Antonio. Sub $10K. All American uses him sometimes. Supposed to be good from what I hear. Hopefully it would be drier there.

Russ

[Parker_Woodruff]

I like the sound of Hawk.

Yeah, I'd get on Joe's schedule. Let me know if/when you do and I might be able to help with some logistics.

[fantom]

I like the sound of Hawk.

Yeah, I'd get on Joe's schedule. Let me know if/when you do and I might be able to help with some logistics.

Same for me if you combine it with a visit to your relatives in Boca again. Maybe we get Jim to do one of his infrequent XC flights from north FL and have a MooneySpace party

[fantom]

Jim, and others, the Saturday, July 13th Mooney fly-in is at Williston, X60, much closer to you than it is to me. Blow the dust off, remember your key, and let's get some MooneySpace people there. We can't let the lala land folks and the NE guys outdo us.

 

Regarding paint, do your homework guys, there are no great shops. The difference between a ten grand shop and a seventeen grand job is often just overhead, profit margin, local taxes, environmental laws and advertising budgets. Not to mention that some bigger shops really don't want to mess with 'picky' CB Mooney people. The closer the shop is to your home base, the better.

 

How the plane is stripped, washed, prepped, primed, the quality of the paint booth, and the mood of the workers are all important. The quality of paints, Imron, Jet Glo, Acry Glo the rest are much better than they were just a few years ago. The often overlooked quality of primer is also critical. Newly painted planes, like new born babies all look beautiful. I should have written a book, or at least a blog three years ago.

 

Here's one of many places to start: http://www.slideshare.net/aheffernan/aircraft-painting-what-you-should-know-1204141

 

For the record, I and others have advised about taping seams for years, and any good shop should do it. Last year a number of MooneySpace people publicly and privately reported tank leaks after the often recommended CA shop painted their planes. I never read follow up from anyone. Patrick who couldn't get them to call back, Jeev and Skbrd, at a minimum, all reported issues. Who knows for sure, but it was an alarming pattern.

 

Sorry to be contrary and stuff happen, but those are the facts. I'm glad many have had a good experience with them. Just do your own homework guys, and Caveat Emptor.

 

 

 

 

[fantom]

Schedule and weather permitting, Gary, my keys and I are planning to make Williston weekend after next. Are you planning to be there?

Jim

 

I am now....

[urbanti]

I had my 172 painted by Lancaster Aero at Smoketown a year ago and they did some extra work and fogged the insides of the airframe and wings etc with corrosion preventative for $12k. I get a lot of compliments on the quality of the paint job.

That being said, the downside to having a nice paint job is that you have to immediately deal with bird droppings and dead bugs or the acids will start eating holes in your paint, especially on the leading edges and on the nose of the cowl

Tim