Kitfox Aircraft Stick and Rudder Stein Air Grove Aircraft TCW Technologies Dynon Avionics AeroLED MGL Avionics Leading Edge Airfoils Desser EarthX Batteries Garmin G3X Touch
Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Repainting kitfox V

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    albury australia
    Posts
    14

    Default Repainting kitfox V

    Hi all,

    I am looking into repainting my kitfox V project due to disliking the current scheme and colours. The fabric and paint is in quite good condition with poly-tone over stits used previously. I am wondering if anyone here can give me some insight into respraying over existing paint. I have contacted stits/polytone and the response seems to be quite easy with just respray the silver and topcoat it. Any help with experience in this area would be great.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Reddick, FL
    Posts
    82

    Default Re: Repainting kitfox V

    I am not a professional painter. That said, I have been painting my cars, horsetrailers and four airplanes in the past 50 years. Getting fresh paint to adhere to older well dried paint is a challenge. This inquiry is really valid.
    Pro auto body shops have recommended Sanding old surfaces to remove the old oxidized surface and create a substrate that is roughened. Doing this on surfaces with rivets and rib stitching inevitably leaves spaces that defy sanding. Not to mention the numerous hours of tedious sanding.
    I have recently done paint on 20 plus year old polytone. Light sanding of tape edges and any rough spots. Then i wet the paint with rejeuvenator. Seems to have taken a single cross coat of poly spray (silver) and the final coat of polytone very well. Only many years from now can I be sure. This should start the responses.
    Bud
    IV Speedster
    912 UL
    IVO ground adjustable

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Boise, ID
    Posts
    249

    Default Re: Repainting kitfox V

    I spoke with a rebuilder when I had the same thoughts. Agree you’re going to have your hands full getting longevity out of it. And you’re going to add a lot of weight if you topcoat and paint over it.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Chisholm Mn
    Posts
    1,562

    Default Re: Repainting kitfox V

    When I rebuilt my Avid MK IV, the tailfeathers were in good shape so I didn't strip them down and recover them. They had been painted for maybe 6 or 7 years by then. I wanted to put a fresh coat of paint on them so everything on the plane looked the same when it was done. I put some MEK on a rag and gave the parts a quick rub down to remove any oils or such on them, and sprayed them with the rest of the plane. I wasn't changing colors or anything, and so I didn't shoot any poly spray, just poly tone on them. You can't tell the difference today after about 2 years. MEK is pretty strong, and it starts to remove the poly tone pretty easy, so you need to be careful with it. Regular Poly fiber products to some extent melt the previous layer and blend in with it. That probably helps it not to peal on a recoat. If poly fiber says you can do it, they are most likely correct. JImChuk

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    wales,ny
    Posts
    710

    Default Re: Repainting kitfox V

    There is a less invasive product from polyfiber called C2210 that I use as a cleaning solvent (like on the belly of the airplane to remove oil and exhaust staining) that will not melt the polyfiber coatings as aggressively as the MEK will. When I first finished my airplane , I called the polyfiber folks to ask about cleaning the painted fabric and they suggested that I always try dawn dishsoap/water solution first and for stubborn or oily area use the C2210 and rub lightly. Works great , I always keep a quart of this stuff around. Bruce N199CL

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Chisholm Mn
    Posts
    1,562

    Default Re: Repainting kitfox V

    I agree that the C2210 would be better to use then MEK. I had the MEK, and did it fast and got away with it. I cleaned an entire plane that had sat for a few years after the first coat of poly brush last summer. I was a bit worried about it cause there were some greasy oily spots, but it all came out fine, and didn't get any fish eye when I shot the rest of the coats of poly fiber stuff. JImChuk
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by avidflyer; 03-18-2019 at 03:28 PM.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Dave S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    St Paul, MN
    Posts
    1,833

    Default Re: Repainting kitfox V

    James,

    Your project is dramatically eased because of the fact you have polytone & intend to put polytone on top.

    Polyfiber has a manual for its products - if you don't have it, get it - plain language and covers just about anything you would be considering, including your project.

    Also, if you can call up a polyfiber rep - you can get a lot of information from them - they know their stuff.
    Dave S
    Kitfox 7 Trigear (Flying since 2009)
    912ULS Warp Drive

    St Paul, MN

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •