Imron?

[Paul Folbrecht]

Is there any way to tell if my plane is currently painted in Imron? One
paint shop I'm considering won't touch it if it is. The log entry
doesn't say.

The previous owner had put some clear packing tape over the wing root
vents for winter flying, and when I peeled the stuff off it took paint
with it, leaving me with spots of bare metal. That would lead me to
believe it's NOT Imron.

P.S. I realize this is a stupid question and that it probably doesn't
take a lot of knowledge of paint to tell Imron from Lacquer. :-) Takes
more than I have at the moment though.

[Steve Robertson]

Don't use that paint shop. Imron is widely used on aircraft, and a good
paint shop will have no problem stripping it off. If you are seeing major
flaking down to bare metal, it doesn't necessarily mean it was or wasn't a
particular kind of paint. It usually means that the aluminum wasn't prepared
properly for painting.

I have seen where a number of paint shops don't want to deal with Alumigrip
brand paint. Supposedly it's particularly hard to strip. Also, most shops
won't paint your plane if you have had a recent ant-corrosion treatment due
to the oil seepage. But I've never heard of a shop that won't work on an
Imron plane.

Let me advise you strongly to avoid having lacquer paint sprayed on your
plane. It won't last nearly as long as a modern paint like Imron. In fact,
Imron is my paint of choice.

Best regards,

Steve Robertson
N4732J 1967 Beechcraft Musketeer

Paul Folbrecht wrote:

> Is there any way to tell if my plane is currently painted in Imron? One
> paint shop I'm considering won't touch it if it is. The log entry
> doesn't say.
>
> The previous owner had put some clear packing tape over the wing root
> vents for winter flying, and when I peeled the stuff off it took paint
> with it, leaving me with spots of bare metal. That would lead me to
> believe it's NOT Imron.
>
> P.S. I realize this is a stupid question and that it probably doesn't
> take a lot of knowledge of paint to tell Imron from Lacquer. :-) Takes
> more than I have at the moment though.

[Jay Honeck]

> Is there any way to tell if my plane is currently painted in Imron? One
> paint shop I'm considering won't touch it if it is.

I'll "second" Steve's motion: Find another paint shop.

Imron is the paint of choice for airplanes. It's more difficult to work
with, but the results are much more long-lasting.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Otis Winslow]

Question along the same line. What can I get to touch up some chips and
such on an Imron paint job. Is this something an auto body paint store
could mix up a small amount from the Imron paint #'s?


"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:XlQhc.2102$w96.436062@attbi_s54...
> > Is there any way to tell if my plane is currently painted in Imron? One
> > paint shop I'm considering won't touch it if it is.
>
> I'll "second" Steve's motion: Find another paint shop.
>
> Imron is the paint of choice for airplanes. It's more difficult to work
> with, but the results are much more long-lasting.
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>
>

[Paul Folbrecht]

Ok, I got some bad information and thus made a confusion post: I was
told that Alumigrip IS Imron. The paint shop told me they wouldn't
strip *Alumigrip* because of what you described - they didn't mention
Imron. When I asked around about Alumigrip I was told it was the same
as Imron, and thus the use of that word in my post. Guess it isn't.

Just goes to show, one should rely on the Internet for really important
information. Hmm.. I wonder if there actually might be something to all
those member-enlargement-drug emails I get...

Steve Robertson wrote:
> Don't use that paint shop. Imron is widely used on aircraft, and a good
> paint shop will have no problem stripping it off. If you are seeing major
> flaking down to bare metal, it doesn't necessarily mean it was or wasn't a
> particular kind of paint. It usually means that the aluminum wasn't prepared
> properly for painting.
>
> I have seen where a number of paint shops don't want to deal with Alumigrip
> brand paint. Supposedly it's particularly hard to strip. Also, most shops

[G.R. Patterson III]

Otis Winslow wrote:
>
> Question along the same line. What can I get to touch up some chips and
> such on an Imron paint job. Is this something an auto body paint store
> could mix up a small amount from the Imron paint #'s?

If you know the name or number of the Imron color, most auto paint shops can mix you
up the same thing in another paint. If the inspection plates are the color you want
to match, take one in. Some paint shops can match old paint pretty well.

George Patterson
This marriage is off to a shaky start. The groom just asked the band to
play "Your cheatin' heart", and the bride just requested "Don't come home
a'drinkin' with lovin' on your mind".

[Otis Winslow]

"Paul Folbrecht" > wrote in message
...
> Hmm.. I wonder if there actually might be something to all
> those member-enlargement-drug emails I get...
>

No. Don't fall for it. It's a joke. They actually work in reverse.

Otis "Tiny" Winslow

[David Lesher]

"Jay Honeck" > writes:


>Imron is the paint of choice for airplanes. It's more difficult to work
>with, but the results are much more long-lasting.

I seem to recall it's quite hazardous to apply; far more so than
"paint" in general. Once dry, however... Anyone know the details?
--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

[Doug]

One disadvantage of Imron and other polyurethane paints is they have
hardener. So there is no way to have a paint shop put the paint in a
small aerosol can and use it periodically to paint your chips,
scratches etc. If you did this, it would harden.

[G.R. Patterson III]

David Lesher wrote:
>
> I seem to recall it's quite hazardous to apply; far more so than
> "paint" in general. Once dry, however... Anyone know the details?

It's a cyano-acrylic paint. Highly poisonous. Requires a full body suit with no
exposed skin and a external air supply (goes right through filters). Ron Natalie can
provide more details than most people will need.

George Patterson
This marriage is off to a shaky start. The groom just asked the band to
play "Your cheatin' heart", and the bride just requested "Don't come home
a'drinkin' with lovin' on your mind".

[Jay Honeck]

> One disadvantage of Imron and other polyurethane paints is they have
> hardener. So there is no way to have a paint shop put the paint in a
> small aerosol can and use it periodically to paint your chips,
> scratches etc. If you did this, it would harden.

No, but you can get the paint and the hardener separate for a good long
time.

When you need to touch up some dings, just mix a small amount and have at
it, using an artist's brush.

Just beware of the toxicity of the stuff.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article <jMaic.11707$IW1.749429@attbi_s52>,
"Jay Honeck" > wrote:

> > One disadvantage of Imron and other polyurethane paints is they have
> > hardener. So there is no way to have a paint shop put the paint in a
> > small aerosol can and use it periodically to paint your chips,
> > scratches etc. If you did this, it would harden.
>
> No, but you can get the paint and the hardener separate for a good long
> time.
>
> When you need to touch up some dings, just mix a small amount and have at
> it, using an artist's brush.
>
> Just beware of the toxicity of the stuff.

After you touch it up, you CAN work it the same way you do with lacquer.
I have even removed runs and sags.

All you have to do is:

1. Wet (LOTS of water) sand the sag or run with #320 until the sag is
gone

2. Wet sand with #600 to remove the #320 scratches

3. Wet sand with #1200. then #2000 to remove remaining scratches

4. Polish with 3M rubbing compound.

5. Polish with 3M Finesse It.

6. Polish with 3M Prefect It.

7. Wax with a good Carnauba wax.

An old friend who used to be a big Ford dealer taught me the above
system. Steps 4-6 can be either done by hand (very small areas) or
machine rubbed in 2 ft square sections.

I have a Makita sander, which I set to the lowest RPM setting, or you
can burn the paint.

The above system can make an Imron (or Alumigrip or PPG) paint job look
like hand-rubbed lacquer.

Another useful item is an airbrush with a regulator at the gun hose, to
prevent line losses.

As for paint preferences, I have used Imron, PPG, Alumigrip and Finch.
They all work well -- the secret is in preparation. Contaminents can
result in corrosion or poor adhesion.

[Dave Stadt]

"Doug" > wrote in message
om...
> One disadvantage of Imron and other polyurethane paints is they have
> hardener. So there is no way to have a paint shop put the paint in a
> small aerosol can and use it periodically to paint your chips,
> scratches etc. If you did this, it would harden.

You can have acrylic enamel mixed to match and use it for touchup. Aerosol
for touchup is not the way to go. There are much better methods. Get a good
auto paint manual for instructions.

[Ben Haas]

"Dave Stadt" > wrote in message >...
> "Doug" > wrote in message
> om...
> > One disadvantage of Imron and other polyurethane paints is they have
> > hardener. So there is no way to have a paint shop put the paint in a
> > small aerosol can and use it periodically to paint your chips,
> > scratches etc. If you did this, it would harden.
>
> You can have acrylic enamel mixed to match and use it for touchup. Aerosol
> for touchup is not the way to go. There are much better methods. Get a good
> auto paint manual for instructions.

For small touch up spots Imron will dry ok without the activator mixed
in. I have been using Dupont on all my street rods, hydros, race cars
and alot of other things too. Now that it's getting to the 300. $ a
gallon level my currect choice is to powdercoat as much as I can. Also
I want to add, Imron is nasty stuff to spray but it is not as bad as
some people make it out to be. The post that started this mentioned
paint peeling off, thats the failure of the prep work/ primer
application, not the paint itself.

Ben Haas N801BH

[Scott Lowrey]

Paul Folbrecht wrote:
>
> The previous owner had put some clear packing tape over the wing root
> vents for winter flying, and when I peeled the stuff off it took paint
> with it, leaving me with spots of bare metal.

Man, that seems like a stupid (but functional) way to block an air
intake. I'm not an owner, though. Is there a "correct" way to do this?

-Scott

[G.R. Patterson III]

Scott Lowrey wrote:
>
> Man, that seems like a stupid (but functional) way to block an air
> intake. I'm not an owner, though. Is there a "correct" way to do this?

Not usually. Most of us either stuff something in it or tape over it. If it's the
intake to the oil cooler, some companies used to market "official" winterization
kits, but product liability laws put a stop to that.

George Patterson
If you don't tell lies, you never have to remember what you said.

[Mike Spera]

The "correct" way to get a leaky air vent to close is to replace the
seal material on the flap. It is a pain in the butt because most Pipers
use a design where the seal material is sandwiched between 2 aluminum
plates that are riveted together. This is similar to the flap in the
carb air box. I believe Piper sells the assembly, but I predict the
price is probably high (like $60). I believe that is what I paid for an
air box flap replacement. I never compared them, but they look VERY similar.

The seals on my '74 air vents work fine.

A temporary fix that does not screw anything up is to stuff a Nerf ball
into the plastic vent diverter. However, many cheapskates have broken
vents that they won't replace. In many Warriors and Archers, the front
vents are situated too far back to be of any use, even if the plastic
diverters are in place. On my 140, they are just forward enough to blast
on the front of my body and face.

Good Luck,
Mike



Scott Lowrey wrote:
> Paul Folbrecht wrote:
>
>>
>> The previous owner had put some clear packing tape over the wing root
>> vents for winter flying, and when I peeled the stuff off it took paint
>> with it, leaving me with spots of bare metal.
>
>
> Man, that seems like a stupid (but functional) way to block an air
> intake. I'm not an owner, though. Is there a "correct" way to do this?
>
> -Scott


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[Jay Honeck]

> > The previous owner had put some clear packing tape over the wing root
> > vents for winter flying, and when I peeled the stuff off it took paint
> > with it, leaving me with spots of bare metal.
>
> Man, that seems like a stupid (but functional) way to block an air
> intake. I'm not an owner, though. Is there a "correct" way to do this?

The correct way to solve a cabin air leak is to replace or repair the faulty
duct or flapper. In our case, a previous owner had actually *removed* the
flapper control for our fresh air ducts, which meant we were relying on the
little ceiling mounted louvered ducts to shut off outside air. Not good.

When the outside air temp is below 10 degrees, ANY infiltration is
noticeable. Thus, we ended up replacing the missing flapper control, the
flexible ductwork, control cable, AND the ceiling plastic.

Since this is a giant pain, some people take the easy and cheap way out.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Paul Folbrecht]

I agree with that assessment!

And, I'm in Wisconsin and have flown several times where the temp was
right at the point that my FBO *allowed* their planes to fly - like 5
degrees F - and did not see a need to block the wing roots even then!
Once the heater is going you're fine.

Scott Lowrey wrote:
> Paul Folbrecht wrote:
>
>>
>> The previous owner had put some clear packing tape over the wing root
>> vents for winter flying, and when I peeled the stuff off it took paint
>> with it, leaving me with spots of bare metal.
>
>
> Man, that seems like a stupid (but functional) way to block an air
> intake. I'm not an owner, though. Is there a "correct" way to do this?
>
> -Scott