Painting

[daedong]

I am building a aluminium boat,http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/sho...5427#post95427 probably jumping ahead of myself a little but i am looking for advice on painting it.

[daedong]

I don't believe that no one has any advice, come on share you knowlege

[marshmat]

A lot of people really like the bare aluminum... some go to great lengths to keep it looking welding-shop fresh, even polishing for hours before and after each trip!
If you want paint, Awlgrip and Interlux are popular. Interlux dealers have a lot of free booklets that detail exactly what surface preps and priming techniques are needed for the common hull materials. You'll want a urethane paint; the 2-part ones are more durable but the 1-part are a bit easier to use. Unless you have a car body shop's downdraft spray booth, and the skills to use one, your best bet is the roll-and-tip method. The technique is detailed in the Interlux brochures.

[gonzo]

Dupont makes Imron, which is used in a large percentage of aircraft. It is well suited to use outdoors.

[daedong]

Thans for the advice so far.

I have never done any serious spray-painting before so bear with me. I had a flying trip to the city so I thought I would get some paint and bits and pieces to paint. I went to Pro-tech spoke to them and come home with boxes of stuff. Thinners, etch pro, acrylic primer, acrylic lacquer, W,G remover, lightweight filler, etc. I talked to them about acid washing first and they assured me I don’t need to do it on new material. I guess my next question is can someone talk me through the steps from go to whoa. I’m not looking for a professional job, I am just looking for something reasonable. By the way, I will only be painting insides and sides, not the bottom.

Vin