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.