Blue tube paint prep

What's everyone using too fill the spirals?

Anyone painting the tube with anything too seal it 1st?

I have been using Blue Tube for several years and have used many different materials for filling spirals. Most recently, just simple two part Bondo body filler, (not spot putty). For paint prep, I use oil-based primer (Kilz), but have also used clear sanding sealer.

I'm up to the painting step for my first Blue Tube project. I sealed it with Deft Lacquer Sanding Sealer. Applied it using a cheap foam brush. Sprayed it with a coat of Rustoleum gray filler/primer. Then filled spirals, smoothed filet edges, etc with Bondo glazing and spot putty.

I use West System with a *LOT* of high density filler, then Rustoleum Primer (several coats, sanding and spot Bondo'ing between)

Just did 48" of 3" Bluetube with Elmer's CWF. Knocked it down and Rusto primer 2X with 400 grit. One more coat after 48 hrs and it's onto colour. Always looks great first time on the pad. Afterwards? Meh.....
(I've tried again and again to get them to designate the area we fly in as a sod farm, but nobody has a long enuff garden hose...the Rangers keep pointing to the map and underlining the word DESERT many times ..)

So no one uses a sanding dealer to seal the tube then paint it

Pyropetepete said:

So no one uses a sanding dealer to seal the tube then paint it

Click to expand...

I have done that, but there is really no advantage. It dries slow, and is relatively transparent. Oil based primer accomplishes the same thing and provides a nice base coat color.

I've just been priming/filling it. Seems to work ok.

I used sanding sealer once and was not impressed with the results. It did not give a smooth surface at all and took a lot more work to finish then if I had just used the filler/primer that I usually use.

This is blue tube that had the spirals filled with Bondo Spot Putty, then got several coats of Duplicolor filler primer before painting with lacquer and clear coat which was wet sanded and polished. No spirals here.

Thanks guys. I'll give it s go. UK spray paint wise is not great and finding a primer is the next thing.

Currently it's only 2 body tubes to spray so I can hang them and spin them. Have done this method a few times and get a good spray.

Any suggestions on the primer

fyrwrxz said:

(I've tried again and again to get them to designate the area we fly in as a sod farm, but nobody has a long enuff garden hose...the Rangers keep pointing to the map and underlining the word DESERT many times ..)

Click to expand...

This made me giggle. Probably more than it should have. Heh.


Later!

--Coop

I use Carpenter's Wood Filler on the spirals as well. Sand smooth, sand tube, then a high-build primer (I use Klass Kote epoxies). Finish sand, then usually 2 color coats. I do use sanding sealer (Minwax) on my avbay coupler. I apply it with a brush, then sand smooth. A bit of work, but it makes for a beautiful slip fit in the tube (it works well on regular cardboard as well).

David