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Yes, some paint manufacturers are pushing
the water-based products, mainly because the EPA is coming down ever harder on
VOC's (volatile solvents) in the older formulations. Having had one bad
experience with water-based primers, however, I'd say stay away from them until
they've been in use long enough to have a large, happy customer base. In
other words, let someone else be the guinea pig on something cheaper than your
Lancair.
As for seeing fabric weave, in just the
right light I've been able to do that with all three planes I've finished, one
painted with Siemens products, one with PPG, and the third with Imron.
Check some of the planes at your next local fly-in. It seems that
polymerization (cure) of these paints is not quite an on/off, 0 or 1
affair. Over time, the process goes slower and slower, but probably
doesn't reach near zero until after you've done your wet-sanding and
buff-out. If you're really a perfectionist, you might want to fly for a
while with the as-shot paint finish, zits and orange peel and all (What?
You don't get any of that when you spray?) , then wet sand and buff out in
maybe six months.
I've used the WLS primer and found it to be
great stuff, but it's beastly hard to sand. I've also used PPG epoxy
primer, with which I had some fish-eye problems (probably silicone lubricant in
a syringe, but that's another story), then DuPont's Corlar epoxy, with is very
good, and more recently, an acrylic urethane primer sold under the Transtar name
and used commonly by auto body shops. Both the Corlar and Transtar have
good build, and are relatively easy to sand; these sorts of primers are often
called primer/surfacers in the auto trade. Both are compatible with common
finish coats, both single stage and base/clear.
Water-based paints sound good, but I'd be
very wary of 'em.
[BTW, another problem with flying in primer
is that it's a bear to really, really de-grease the primer before proceeding
with the finish coat. If you've had any silicone products anywhere near
it, like windshield goo that some folks like, or Lemon Pledge, which I've had
recommended to me by certain factory personnel who shall remain nameless, you
haven't a prayer of getting a good finish coat without a
huge amount of work.
Jim Cameron
Boerne, TX
Legacy N132X (reserved)
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