I am not sure how much time has been spent on painting, or better said prepping for panting.
It turns out my sanders were overwhelmed by the job at hand. I went to the local auto body paint shop and purchased a 3 and 6-inch random orbital sanders. A vast improvement over the HF sanders I already had.
I find it almost impossible to see all of the imperfections prior to primer application. So, doing the best I can I fill and sand everything. Everything gets wiped down first, then I start in with the "process".
I am using Stewart systems water-based paint. First step is a cleaner/degreaser. I clean any printing or tape residue with acetone.
Just as a note, I used rivet tape on a lot of the rivet lines of the tail cone. I made the mistake of not removing it immediately. It left a lot of adhesive residue.
I then go over all aluminum and fiberglass with a red Scotchbrite pad on the sander to clear any tape residue of other general smutz. Next comes eco-etch solution on the bare aluminum. Next is a water wash to clean the eco-etch residue leaving a clean oxide free aluminum. I next go over the whole surface with 90% isopropyl alcohol and a clean towel. And finally, a tack cloth to get as much of the lint and dust as possible.
