REFLECTOR: Oil removal for paint prep

Tue Aug 25 23:43:37 CDT 2009

Brett,

I used simple Green concentrate mixed with water and a fine scotch brite pad or 400 grit or finer wet/dry sandpaper to clean my wings. This removes any dust, dirt, over-spray and oils from your finish, and the fine sanding prepares the surface with very fine scratches for the paint to bond too. You can feel if your surface is smooth under the scotch brite pad. Rinse with lots of water. During the rinse you can tell if you have any oil residue, If your part is clean the water will flow off in an continuous sheet of water. If you have any oil contaminate left the water will bead up or flow around that area. After cleaning I used a squeegee to get the majority of the water off and let them dry in the sun. I then carried them into my paint booth and let them set over night with the air conditioning running all night to remove any humidity from my shop. I used Awl grip 545 epoxy primer and didn't have a single fish eye. I have painted several aircraft,
 and this method has never failed me yet. 

If I need to clean a small area, I will use the recommended solvent or the recommended paint thinner, called out by the paint manufacturer. The key here is to pore what solvent you think you will use in a clean plastic container. It is also recomended to use plain white or unbleached paper towles, not rags. Some rags that are synthetic can start to break down and leave a plastic residue on your nice clean surface. Do not place your paper towel to the spout of the solvent container, whatever was on the paper towel is now in your solvent container, and will now be on every future paper towel that you thought was clean. Each time you go for more solvent from your container, use a new clean paper towel. Use another clean rag to wipe off the area that you just cleaned before it dries.

Andy Ellzey

----- Original Message ----
From: Scott Derrick <scott at tnstaafl.net>
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 9:43:32 PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Oil removal for paint prep

We used freon for cleaning like water when I worked for Rockwell on the
shuttle. 

I guess the environmental hazards  weren't that  well known then....

Scott

Alex Balic wrote:
> I would think that real TSP - Trisodium phosphate -  is still one of the
> best degreasing materials for paint prep- will not attack foam, but will dry
> the heck out of your hands, so use gloves- might be hard to find these days,
> but I don't think it has been banned yet- I have my own stash hidden away
> just in case. For really deep oil stains- Freon is probably the best- just
> pretty hard to handle- but it will remove even the most deeply penetrated
> oil- has extremely low surface tension, so it gets in every pore- just make
> sure to wear gloves, because it makes TSP look like hand cream when it comes
> to removing the natural oil from your hands (personal experience)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of Scott Derrick
> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 6:03 PM
> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Oil removal for paint prep
>
> I just looked at the "Prep-Cleaner" that comes with Awlgrip(Now called
> AlumiGrip).
>
> Its made from Ethanol, Methanol and Ethyl Acetate.
>
> I hadn't thought about MEK eating the blue foam. My bad.
>
> Scott
>
> Andy Millin wrote:
>  
>> Will MEK eat the blue foam?  I'm pretty sure Acetone will turn it into
>>    
> goo.
>  
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
>> Behalf Of Scott Derrick
>> Sent: 08-25-2009 9:55
>> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
>> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Oil removal for paint prep
>>
>> Like Kurt I first used Castrol Super Clean, its a great cleaner for
>> non-aluminum planes. I flushed with lots of water.
>>
>> Then I used the cleaner that was one of the paint components for Awlgrip,
>> followed by alcohol .  Most paint systems have a specific cleaner
>>    
> specified.
>  
>> If your systen doesn't specify one,  MEK is a pretty good cleaner,
>> absolutely use gloves and a respirator if your in a closed space.
>>
>> Scott
>>
>> nmflyer1 at aol.com wrote:
>>  
>>    
>>> Brett,
>>>  
>>> I have had good results using Castrol SuperClean. Comes in a purple 
>>> 1-gallon bottle & can be found at Wal-Mart or Autozone..etc.
>>>  
>>> Then I would follow up with R-M 900 Pre Kleaner. I got mine at a 
>>> professional paint supply (automotive). It is designed to take off 
>>> wax, grease, silicone, etc.
>>> Or, you could ask the same folks where you get your paint. That is how 
>>> I ended up wth the R-M 900
>>>  
>>> Good Luck.  Kurt
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Brett Ferrell <reflector at velocityxl.com>
>>> To: reflector <reflector at tvbf.org>
>>> Sent: Mon, Aug 24, 2009 6:52 pm
>>> Subject: REFLECTOR: Oil removal for paint prep
>>>
>>> Hey folks,
>>>
>>> We're basically ready to paint 44VF, but I haven't been able to 
>>> sufficiently clean the oil off of our belly, so I'm afraid the primer
>>>    
>>>      
>> won't bond properly.
>>  
>>    
>>> Does anybody have a good sure-fire trick for cleaning oil off of
>>>    
>>>      
>> fiberglass?
>>  
>>    
>>> Brett
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