VFRDiscussion

Back to it. I installed the decals that I am going to use today. I did the usual and sprayed the cowl and "stick" side of the decals with soapy water. The tank decals were the hardest. It is made up of many singular decals to make the one. Easy to tear, stretch or get floating out of place. Make sure you are not rushed. I did find a couple of paint nubs that showed up under the decal that I missed. Oh well....Yes there are a lot of fibers on the cowl as I used a rag to dry up the water from applying the decals. Not the best idea to use that rag. Just created more work.
I am not going to be too anal on my first paint job

It looks great!

Clear coat today. The first coat, light so decals do not lift, move or wrinkle. 2 heavier coats after that.
Things where going along fine until I tried to move 2 pieces at the same time and touched a wet cowl to the plastic covering of the canopy. Oh sheat!
Another repair once the paint hardens enough to sand. Looks like it took the metalic right off down to the previous colour I didn't like.
Looks like I may have to wet sand the final clear coat lightly and polish.

Lesson learnt, do not move panels when they are wet unless you are in a large area, and certainly not 2 at a time (which where hung by wires)
ahh

maxredline wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2026 11:58 pm I tried to move 2 pieces at the same time and touched a wet cowl to the plastic covering of the canopy.

My painting tip of the day (PTOD): Don't do that!

After doing some sanding I reallized I had to fill the voids where the paint had lifted. I used 3M glaze spot putty. On application it looked like it was going to curtle like the primer did over the base coat on the previous repair. After sanding it looked okay so I base coated and clear coated over top. It looks okay.

Almost

Tank on