I was out of town on a business trip most of this week - BUT - had the opportunity to spend a few hours in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum yesterday (mall only this time). This was my first visit in almost a decade (since Sept 11, 2001 as a matter of fact - but that's another story). Talk about inspiring!! I couldn't wait to get back in the shop. Arrived home around noon, unloaded the bags and I was off and running. I had previously decided to go the "rattle can" route for priming. The opinions on "best" priming method(s) are all over the board, but a lot of RV builders over the past few years have seemed satisfied with the NAPA 7220 gray self etching primer. After a little experimentation (and a lot of web searching/browsing) I decided that was my choice. I picked up a couple of cases of the primer during the NAPA October sale for $4.99 a can (usually 9.99) before I left town last week. Today I cleaned all of the bare aluminum surfaces on the horizontal stabilizer parts (now all deburred, dimpled, etc. etc.), lightly scuffed the surfaces to be primed with a red scotch brite cloth, then cleaned everything again with acetone. Finally I moved the pieces into my paint booth (a table in my wife's garden potting patio outside my workshop - thanks honey!) and got to work. The conditions were ideal - 70 degrees, gentle breeze and no bugs - and in short order the job was done. Used about 3 cans total. I'm pretty pleased with the results for a first effort.
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