Express Lane to a Better Paint Finish

The aviation finish alchemists at Sherwin-Williams (www.jetgloexpress.com) have whipped up a new line of primers, surfacers, and finishes that will banish the bad reputation of high-solids paints.

"This is the next step in the ongoing evolution of high-solids coatings," explained Jim Stevens, Sherwin-Williams's market development director for Aerospace and Military. "We are continually improving on our system as new raw materials become available.

"This product is far superior to any other high-solids paints currently on the market," he continued, "as far as ease of application, buffability, touch-up, blendability, and burn-in go." Stevens also said that prior to its official market introduction at the 2003 NBAA convention, the Jet Glo Express paint system had already taken off with recoaters and aircraft operators.

One of the major benefits of the new Jet Glo Express line is that it is much easier for painters to mix. "It's a simple two-to-one to one [2:1:1] ratio," he said. "And we use the same catalysts for the base coat as we do for the colors. This makes mixing much easier, which is another big user benefit." And the simpler it is to mix, the less chance a painter will make a mistake.

Stevens also explained that Jet Glo Express demonstrates smoother flow characteristics that result in better atomization of the paint. This leads directly to a greatly improved depth of image and results in a much smoother, brighter, crisper, and shinier finish.

Another key benefit of Jet Glo Express is its buffability and repairability. Prior generation high-solids finishes were notorious for being difficult to repair. Not so with Jet Glo Express. "It's not a good idea to buff any finish, but if you have to, Jet Glo Express is the product," Stevens said. "Done properly, you can't tell if an area has been repaired."

To help your new finish keep its just-painted look, Stevens said that Jet Glo Express provides excellent resistance to damage from chemicals and Skydrol without needing acrylic additives. "We do not jeopardize any chemical resistance with our pure polyester polyurethane base," he stressed. "You won't get any staining from hot oils or chemicals and you don't need the added step and cost of using a clear coat on the finish."

Stevens said that the new Jet Glo Express paints lay down just like other urethane coatings, but just in case you need a refresher course the company runs its own on-site training program. "Whether your requirements are with conventional or high-solids technology, we offer a program for you. We use the tools and equipment you find in actual paint shops and we have fuselages and panels in here," Stevens continued. "Our concentrated program will give a painter about a year's worth of experience in just a few days."