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Alternative to P60G2 Primer?

sc_pilot

Active Member
I went to my local Sherman Williams to see what it would cost for the recommended P60G2 wash primer and R7K44 reducer. To my surprise, they said that due to supply chain, Sherwin Williams has stopped production on that product. Not sure whether that’s true or not but I was recommended another product. It’s an industrial water based acrylic primer that was touted as having great adhesion to minimally prepped metal surfaces and good corrosion properties. I kind of like the idea of a water based product for clean up and toxicity.

I’m for sure priming my plane because I live 3 miles from the Ca coast and when I went to look at purchasing an 8 year old rv12 kit at my airport, it had the beginnings of oxidation or corrosion. (White speckled surface over the whole airframe. Not sure what it was but I wasn’t at ease looking at it.) I definitely don’t want that starting on the inside of my plane.

However, I’m thinking I might just forgo spraying with the gun all together and just use a high quality rattle can primer. I used some cheap self etching primer on a zenith rudder kit but wasn’t impressed… even with my low expectations. Scratched off easily.

Opinions on this acrylic product? Anyone used it? Rattle can options? How many rattle cans for a plane? I know Brandon Flores on YouTube used rattle cans for most of his kit but I don’t recall him saying how many he used for each sub kit.

Hoping my kit crates and ships out on time in July :D

Link to the acrylic primer below:
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/painting-contractors/products/pro-industrial-multisurface-acrylic

Product Data Sheet:
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/document/PDS/en/035777897324/

Thanks,
Jacob
 
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May be a California dodge. At least it was available when I needed it, but supply chain shortages sounds as good an excuse as any. When I first read your handle, I was assuming you were a South Carolina pilot, not a Santa Cruz pilot. If you had been, I was going to tell you to drop by and I would fix you up. :rolleyes:
Good luck. This, too, will end . . . I think . . .
 
I would use any of the epoxy primers on the interior. The ones from Kirker, Southern Polyurethanes, Summit Racing, PPG, whatever. All you're trying to do is create a barrier. On the external surfaces, wait until you're ready to paint the exterior and prime at that time.
 
P60G2

I would use any of the epoxy primers on the interior. The ones from Kirker, Southern Polyurethanes, Summit Racing, PPG, whatever. All you're trying to do is create a barrier. On the external surfaces, wait until you're ready to paint the exterior and prime at that time.

Call outside CA. P60G2 is an excellent wash primer. I still use it. Super light.
If not, use a 2K Epoxy like Kyle suggests. AKZO is the standard but I've sprayed a lot of Kirker EnduroPrime. Tough as nails. BTW Kirker manufactures Summit and Eastwood. I buy from Auto Body Toolmart. Look for free shipping coupon code.
 
I was able to buy P60G2 from the industrial SW in Sacramento. I had to call a couple of them before I found one that had the more industrial options.
 
SW acrylic

Looking at the data sheet for the SW acrylic primer, I think it's not really suitable because the dry film thickness is quite thick (up to 2.4 mils = heavy) whereas e.g. the Akzo etch primer that I like (and is no longer available!) is less than 1 mil. Also, the SW acrylic primer is quite slow drying and requires less than 85% relative humidity for application, which will delay the building process.
It would take a lot of rattle cans (more expensive) so better to use a spray gun and quarts or gallons of P60G2 if you can find a source, or one of the other tried and tested products mentioned above.
 
Skygeek.com

I went to my local Sherman Williams to see what it would cost for the recommended P60G2 wash primer and R7K44 reducer. To my surprise, they said that due to supply chain, Sherwin Williams has stopped production on that product. Not sure whether that’s true or not but I was recommended another product. It’s an industrial water based acrylic primer that was touted as having great adhesion to minimally prepped metal surfaces and good corrosion properties. I kind of like the idea of a water based product for clean up and toxicity.

I’m for sure priming my plane because I live 3 miles from the Ca coast and when I went to look at purchasing an 8 year old rv12 kit at my airport, it had the beginnings of oxidation or corrosion. (White speckled surface over the whole airframe. Not sure what it was but I wasn’t at ease looking at it.) I definitely don’t want that starting on the inside of my plane.

However, I’m thinking I might just forgo spraying with the gun all together and just use a high quality rattle can primer. I used some cheap self etching primer on a zenith rudder kit but wasn’t impressed… even with my low expectations. Scratched off easily.

Opinions on this acrylic product? Anyone used it? Rattle can options? How many rattle cans for a plane? I know Brandon Flores on YouTube used rattle cans for most of his kit but I don’t recall him saying how many he used for each sub kit.

Hoping my kit crates and ships out on time in July :D

Link to the acrylic primer below:
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/painting-contractors/products/pro-industrial-multisurface-acrylic

Product Data Sheet:
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/document/PDS/en/035777897324/

Thanks,
Jacob


Try Skygeek.com. Shipping is high because it is considered hazmat.

Manny
 
Thank you all!

Thank you all for the recommendations. I’ll keep hunting down the P60G2 but will explore some of the other options listed above. Of everything, priming has me worked up the most. I’m not very familiar with paints and haven’t touched a spray gun before. I’m sure I’ll learn but would like to keep the learning expense and wasted materials to a minimum.

And I’m sure when you get in the flow of building, not many people want to take a break to prep and prime parts.😂
 
I used Stewart Systems EkoPoxy on my project. I've been happy with the results. However, I have a couple of buddies building a -10 nearby who are using P60G2 and the results have been good.

While I think the EkoPoxy might be a bit better product, it's heavier, harder to spray, and the prep is more critical. The P60G2 is an easier product to use, has excellent availability (here), and cures much more quickly. Yes, I believe the EkoPoxy is easier on my body and the environment, but it comes at the cost of dollars and time.

Bottom line, I think P60G2 is a good product and I'll use it on my next project. My opinion is that you've made a good choice and I'd continue to try to find the P60G2.
 
P60G2

Thank you all for the recommendations. I’ll keep hunting down the P60G2 but will explore some of the other options listed above. Of everything, priming has me worked up the most. I’m not very familiar with paints and haven’t touched a spray gun before. I’m sure I’ll learn but would like to keep the learning expense and wasted materials to a minimum.

And I’m sure when you get in the flow of building, not many people want to take a break to prep and prime parts.😂

I'm no expert but I can spray P60G2, epoxy and urethanes. Feel free to reach out. I've helped a few.
 
I'm no expert but I can spray P60G2, epoxy and urethanes. Feel free to reach out. I've helped a few.

I’ve been reading through the forums and seen a common prep recommendation with your posts. I believe grey scotchbrite scrub with Bon Ami cleanser and look for a hydrophilic surface when washing. Also like the idea of the gorilla tape test to see what sticks. I’ll do a bunch of samples while I wait for my kit and see what works the best.

I also considered the Stewart’s system but I don’t know. Seems the more I read through the primer wars, any primer is better than no primer and is really just a matter of if you can make it adhere properly. Maybe that’s an overstatement. I still am tempted in trying the SEM and Napa rattle cans just to see.

I see all these debates on primer but I don’t see many threads on “I primed with bad surface prep and/or rattle cans, and my plane corroded/broke apart”. If I saw those threads… I think the answer would be clear on what’s the minimum for “acceptable” priming.

As an aside, I’ve also decided on not leaving the blue film on the outer surface. As cool as the blue grid pattern looks, that same rv12 I looked at, you could see a higher degree of oxidation/corrosion/“stuff” forming under the edges of the film. Seems like leaving the surface bare would be easier to see anything that starts to form and address as necessary.

Thanks,
Jacob
 
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Primer

Yea. I guess I step up on that soap box often! :D

Agree. Any primer is better than none if your plane lives in a coastal environment. I use NAPA 7220 on nutplates. SEM is a good product too. If you want simple, consider SEM on fay surfaces. My Mentor, Dave Paule uses it and Stewart as well.

I’ve been reading through the forums and seen a common prep recommendation with your posts. I believe grey scotchbrite scrub with Bon Ami cleanser and look for a hydrophilic surface when washing. Also like the idea of the gorilla tape test to see what sticks. I’ll do a bunch of samples while I wait for my kit and see what works the best.

I also considered the Stewart’s system but I don’t know. Seems the more I read through the primer wars, any primer is better than no primer and is really just a matter of if you can make it adhere properly. Maybe that’s an overstatement. I still am tempted in trying the SEM and Napa rattle cans just to see.

I see all these debates on primer but I don’t see many threads on “I primed with bad surface prep and/or rattle cans, and my plane corroded/broke apart”. If I saw those threads… I think the answer would be clear on what’s the minimum for “acceptable” priming.

As an aside, I’ve also decided on not leaving the blue film on the outer surface. As cool as the blue grid pattern looks, that same rv12 I looked at, you could see a higher degree of oxidation/corrosion/“stuff” forming under the edges of the film. Seems like leaving the surface bare would be easier to see anything that starts to form and address as necessary.

Thanks,
Jacob
 
I ran into difficulty finding P60G2 a few months ago (even posted about it on VAF). I called around to a few SW stores across my region, expanding my search radius to about 100 miles. I too ran across one person who said they weren't making it anymore but I seriously doubt that claim. I eventually found some on the shelf at a store near Baltimore and my back-up option in Virginia which had to order it, did receive it about a week after my initial call.

Don't give up until you've called every SW within your driving threshold.
 
Found more P60G2 :)

When I started building, I got a gallon each of P60G2 primer & R7K44 reducer from my local (Portland, OR) Sherwin Williams "Commercial Paint Store" to try out; I knew I'd need another gallon of reducer since I've had the best result mixing them 1:2 (instead of the recommended 1:1.5)...

... so I was bummed when I saw in this thread that they were discontinued. Sure enough, my Commercial store didn't have it, but said that the S-W "Product Finishes Facility" (5640 NE Skyport Way, Portland, OR; (503) 249-0222) seemed to have it in stock. (This facility's inventory doesn't show up on the S-W website.)

I called and they had it, so I ended up buying another gallon of primer (to make sure I'd have enough for my build), and three of reducer (one to go with the old primer, two for the new one). The guy there said he didn't think they'd discontinued it, and they have plenty in stock. Dunno if they ship it.
 
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I need to get better about posting on here! I read like crazy.

I am also in Colorado and discovered the only place that carries it is the "Product Finish Facility" which is in Denver. He checked and nowhere in Colorado has it except for them. I called the local commercial and auto and they had no idea what I was talking about. The guy in Denver knew exactly what I was talking about, and when I told him what I was doing he said, "Yup that's what it's for". They were sold out but he had more coming in next week, so he took my info and is going to hold it for me. So it is around and does exist. Good luck.
 
Funny thing, I live in MN and made a few calls around the twin cities and found a SW Store in one of the suburbs that had 16 gallon of the primer in stock, and (I didn’t ask how much) the reducer as well. I asked about a price and was told, “likely about 3x what you expect”. I told him I was guessing $150 a gallon and he said that is about right. He quoted $99 a gallon for the primer and $66 for the reducer.

I made the drive a few days later to pick it up. Once they wrote the invoice the lady said “That will be $368”…. Whoa, fortunately I had the original guy send me an account application so I knew who he was. Turns out he was from a different SW facility in the same suburb. Quick trek to the other store and after I opened an account I paid about $150 total for a gallon of each.

Might be worth a few phone calls.

Tim
 
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