Can you paint or epoxy over old ABS liner?

[souljour2000]

I was wondering if anyone had ever had occasion to try and paint ABS liner like you see in older cars,boats and aircraft, etc. My early seventies boat has it for the hull shell liner and it is starting to look pretty rough.especially with old holes from installations and so forth...I want to epoxy fill the holes and perhaps paint this liner with a good oil enamel but I am not in a hurry until I'm sure it's the best approach..Thx..Morgan

[hoytedow]

Maybe this will be useful.:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...5/ai_n8886774/

[souljour2000]

Thanks for the article...i grew up building model planes and tearing parts off of "trees'.I never new that it was the stuff was actually ABS though and injection-molded the same way...I'll try the oil enamel..always liked rust-o-leum oil enamel...the smell reminded me of my old hobby paint!...lol...Thanks again!

[Petros]

It should paint fine, I would think you want to sand it first so the paint will stay attached, and of course clean it real good.

I am not sure I would use epoxy on it, there are ABS solvent glues that can be used to install "patches" or plus in any holes, might stay bonded better than epoxy.

Good luck.

[souljour2000]

Thanks for your reply Petros...I agree that fairing it with epoxy is a bit much and not needed...In retrospect I think you are right...just patching and painting should be fine...glad you mentioned ABS glues..I think that you are also correct about that...I think I can find some ABS specific glue..they used ABS for awhile for sewer pipe and other applications and joined each piece with glue I am sure..,probably still some around at plumbing supply stores....or there will be other application glues special to ABS that I should be able to find and hopefully sand after doing the patch.Thanks again..