Painting Propeller Tips

[Peanut]

What would be the best type of paint to use for painting the tips of a warp drive prop? I am thinking in terms of duration. They will eventually need repainting, but which paint holds up the longest?

[JRB549]

I use Krylon for my Powerfin but it is trial and errror with any due to tip speed.

[dinoa]

The most durable paints used for finishing composite surfaces are 2 pack urethane acrylic and 2 pack polyurethane.

Dupont Imron would be a top of the line choice.

http://pc.dupont.com/Phantom/content/imron-avi.html


Dino
Athens, Greece

[gyro]

I used a good automotive (high heat) engine paint. It is one of the most durable paints for the money. runs about $7 for a can (gloss finish). I did mine last spring and still looks good as new.

[RockyMeLad]

I use Scotch-Brite tape, bright yellow. Lay along the tip, from trailing edge, around leading edge back to trailing edge, then trim flush with trailing edge.

I checked balance before and after, no change. Still good after a couple of years.

[Arnie Madsen]

The most durable paints used for finishing composite surfaces are 2 pack urethane acrylic and 2 pack polyurethane.

Dupont Imron would be a top of the line choice.

http://pc.dupont.com/Phantom/content/imron-avi.html


Dino
Athens, Greece
I agree Dino. I have sprayed hundreds (thousands ??) of gallons of IMRON since it came out in the 1970's and it is still one of the best paints available. It is a true Polyurethane ... "poly" denotes "plastic" and a coat of IMRON is the equivalent of a tough and flexible plastic coating.

I always used IMRON on any aircraft I painted , but often used it on custom & show cars as well. The best test is on the fiberglass Corvette body where most paints would crack over time. I have seen 20 year old Dupont IMRON paint on a Corvette and no cracks showing , which is outstanding considering our climate of hot summers and cold winters here.

Even today , if you buy a corporate jet for 15 million it comes with IMRON paint.

There is always a downside of course and with IMRON it can be expensive to buy , it is a heavy bodied paint and cannot be thinned out , and many painters don't want the bother.

Anyway peanut , you may decide to use a more common paint to just touch up the eroded areas on your prop and then re-do them again when it wears off . Sometimes this is the most practical way to go. Maybe you could try a different brand of paint on each prop tip and compare how they hold up.

Arnie Madsen
"The IMRON Man"
Bell 47 G2

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ps: a bit more trivia :
A factory composite/fiberglass type prop will use as its "topcoat" what is actually a color tinted liquid fiberglass resin sprayed inside the mold at manufacture and called the "gel coat". It is a harder surface than almost any paint.

Believe it or not "hardness" is not always an advantage . Erosion on a prop is the equivalent of a sandblaster on the paint. Ask any commercial sandblaster and he will tell you the "hard" paints and rust etc will blast off much easier than any flexible coatings. As a matter of fact commercial sandblasters will use thin rubber type coverings over windows etc and the sand will never get thru. Same as lettering etched into granite monuments is done by blasting thru a thin rubber stencil. The granite erodes & rubber does not. Another example is some helicopters use a semi-flexable tape protector on the leading edge of rotor blades.

This is probably ..waay.. more information than you needed peanut , but it is a long cold winter here and I have ...waaaay.. too much time on my hands . :)

I should mention I had a "fussy" Cessna owner who always wanted paint on his prop at all times. I would stop by the airport every few months with a rattle can of acrylic lacquer and spend 5 minutes touching up the eroded areas. Easy and practical.

[Phil_Ruffin]

Go to Dollar General, give the lady a dollar. ;)

Mines been painted for 3 years now. Time to retouch but it has held up fine.

[scottessex]

Gee Phil, you are cheap!

Seriously folks, any paint will hold up fine, props will have to be repainted, Poly will probably last the longest, or Epoxy, but a spray can enamel will last a whole season. lacquers will not hold up as long.
The wheel and engine paints are a good choice for spray bomb.

Imron is good paint but it is very antiquated by todays standards, especially since they took the lead out. A pure poly is very durable and chemical resistant. Todays cross-linked acrylic urethanes are very durable and easy to paint.

But Phils way is the cheapest, and remember after painting, to re balance the prop!

[Peanut]

Thanks for the replies guys. Plenty of good information to digest. Again, appreciate the time each of you took to answer.
:usa2:

[karlbamforth]

and remember after painting, to re balance the prop!

Good point Scott, in fact when I was involved in restoring war birds this is exactly how we fine balanced props. You would be amazed the effect a quick coat of spray paint has on the balance of a huge 9ft dia prop..