More than just touchup paint but less than a respray?

[Lowe Approach]

Howdy all.

I've read a lot about paint touchups and paint jobs on here and appreciate all the info but wanted to check in before doing something potentially foolish.

On the lower part of my forward cowl the previous owner tried to do a touch up by painting from the nose to the middle of the pilot door. I think this touch up was done with polyurethane enamel.
Unfortunately the color match is not really close. The photos dont do it justice, it is really off white / yellow and I want to try and correct that.

I'm tempted to scuff it with scotch brite or 600 grit sandpaper, clean it really good, then spray over it with caterpillar brand rattle can Matterhorn white. Then follow up with a 2k clear coat rattle can urethane.

I'm wondering if this is simply a bad idea or if there are potential downsides that I haven't considered. Obviously I'm trying to save money or I'd just take it to the paint shop.

Should I go ahead and put a primer coat in there? Zinc Phosphate aircraft primer, or will it matter if I dont go down to aluminum? I just thought I would scuff and sand the white that is there now, but not go down to metal so not sure if primer would be necessary.

I dont think the original paint had a clear coat, so maybe I'd be better off with jetglo in a real gun rather than rattle can.

Photos attached.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks in advance.

 

[AKBill]

On the lower part of my forward cowl the previous owner tried to do a touch up by painting from the nose to the middle of the pilot door. I think this touch up was done with polyurethane enamel.

I use an Acrylic Enamel for my paint work and normally sand with 220 wet/dry paper. I think you would be fine to scuff and paint. Any bare aluminum I would prime with a self etching primer.
edit: do not rattle can

 

[Bell206]

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The paint looks in good condition. Is this just for aesthetics? If so, I would save your money then have a paint shop take care of the touch up and match. Once you break the finish on the existing paint you run the risk those other different type paints will not intermix well. Then you have a bigger mess.

 

[Boyfalldown]

Howdy all.

I've read a lot about paint touchups and paint jobs on here and appreciate all the info but wanted to check in before doing something potentially foolish.

On the lower part of my forward cowl the previous owner tried to do a touch up by painting from the nose to the middle of the pilot door. I think this touch up was done with polyurethane enamel.
Unfortunately the color match is not really close. The photos do do it justice, it is really off white / yellow and I want to try and correct that.

I'm tempted to scuff it with scotch brite or 600 grit sandpaper, clean it really good, then spray over it with caterpillar brand rattle can Matterhorn white. Then follow up with a 2k clear coat rattle can urethane.

I'm wondering if this is simply a bad idea or if there are potential downsides that I haven't considered. Obviously I'm trying to save money or I'd just take it to the paint shop.

Should I go ahead and put a primer coat in there? Zinc Phosphate aircraft primer, or will it matter if I dont go down to aluminum? I just thought I would scuff and sand the white that is there now, but not go down to metal so not sure if primer would be necessary.

I dont think the original paint had a clear coat, so maybe I'd be better off with jetglo in a real gun rather than rattle can.

Photos attached.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks in advance.

Having painted a few cars and done a bit of skylane touch up, here are my thoughts. Definitely buy at the very least a harbor freight hvlp gun as opposed to rattle cans. The finish will look much better, it will cost less in the long run, and will be way easier to shoot. Depending on how far down the belly you go you may find yourself spraying upside down on your back. Who knows how consistent a rattle can will be.

Whatever paint you get I'd keep to single stage, base/clear will not match the rest of your plane. Jet Glo is fantastic, but pretty darn expensive. I've had great luck with PPG Delfleet as a budget minded touch up paint, the last time I bought some it was around $60 for a half pint of color.

Jim

 

[Huckster79]

Second the harbor freight purple gun. My touch ups look great. I had never used one before and no training- it’s not harder than a rattle can- just better. I like epoxy primer on the bare stuff others prefer self etch. Also a testers airbrush for models is great to for tiny dings.

after I paint it, I spray it w a coat of reducer and it blends out easy as if it weren’t a touch up. Look in your logs you may find the paint code they used - I did. It’s a white a lot of auto makers used over the years, my local NAPA mixes me the paint.

 

[Lowe Approach]

I spray it w a coat of reducer and it blends out easy as if it weren’t a touch up.

I’d love to know more about that. So just spray reducer straight on the edges or the whole thing or overlap where the base meets the existing paint? I’ve never done that stuff before so am unsure how that works.

I’ve got a shop that will match the paint and do have the colors in the logbooks.

thanks for the answers all.
Super helpful.

 

[Huckster79]

I’d love to know more about that. So just spray reducer straight on the edges or the whole thing or overlap where the base meets the existing paint? I’ve never done that stuff before so am unsure how that works.

I’ve got a shop that will match the paint and do have the colors in the logbooks.

thanks for the answers all.
Super helpful.

I just hit the whole thing overlapping all a bit; however I also used the different panels as a break if it was a sizable touch up. But yea hit the whole area w a mist of it... won’t hurt a thing and helps eliminate any roomie errors and I’m assuming it softens the feathers edge not the existing paint.

renever it’s single stage so some wet sanding, rubbing compound and polishing compound can do a lot afterwards. WIt a bit till you can’t smell the paint... honest... then polish away for a smooth blend...