Where do I find the paint for maules?

[PNGpilot]

I have been looking for where to find the paint used on maules so I can do some touching up in the places where it is flaking. I tried the to raise someone in Moultrie, GA at the factory but haven't been able to get a response. I have a '95 Mx-7-160 that's flaking on the fuselage in a half dozen places. It has the white/frost blue/and (I think) maule blue paint job. To keep the fabric in good shape for a few more years I need to find the paint. Relatively new to maules so any help would be appreciated!

~collin

[rjb]

In the front of my 2006 airframe log book is the paint (Dune white 2002 / utech). If you search the forum, you will probably find Jeremy saying when the paint got changed to the more flexible longer lasting paint.

Not that the information was useful to me when I wanted to do some touchup. I eventually went to an autobody shop who referred me to the paint store they get their paint from.

I did some practice with a HVLP paint sprayer before getting anywhere near my plane.

Good luck

[aero101]

A good auto body supply and paint store can shoot a special camera at old paint, gives them a code they can use to match paint with.. I've had local store come by and do it right off the airplane... Then just buy either acrylic enamal, or urethane, have them add some bumper flex agent to it, and I've rolled on in small areas, or you can actually have them fill you up some spray cans and do that way. Of course if you have air and spray equipment, that works as well. Doing matches this way has worked well with me except Reds can be very difficult to match perfectly... Another option is Aerothane (polyfiber process) if there are any colors on paint chips that match (and is probably most durable, flexable, and crack resistant of all the urethanes I've used on fabric)... Not sure what Maule uses, but that may be worth a try as well....

[PNGpilot]

Ok, thanks! I found the #'s for the paints. Now my next question would be where do I need to go to find the paints? That is, to buy it.

[Mr. Ed]

Use caution buying paint using the color listed in the logbook. I did that with the white and blue on my '96 MX7 and neither matched. You can pop off one of the inspection covers that has the color you want to match and take it to the auto paint store. As mentioned by Jim, they are very good at matching the color.

[gulf200]

Ok, thanks! I found the #'s for the paints. Now my next question would be where do I need to go to find the paints? That is, to buy it.

I had to match a wingtip on our plane. The paint chip that I had was too small to match so I took the whole wingtip into the store and they matched it perfectly. It might be worth taking a picture with their special camera to compare the results. You might be able to match the fading? The store was willing to borrow us the camera.

The store I go to is a PPG paint dealer if I remember right. I would try a google search for PPG or maybe try a local auto body shop.

[Henry L. Heaberlin]

Normally they will clean the sample and lightly polish it prior to taking the sampling picture. Try to find a cover or piece that realistically represents
the area you are trying to match. If the aircraft has had a lot of UV exposure
(tied outside) the paint will most likely have color shifted some. Look up auto body supply shops that mix paint and they should be able to help you either with aerosol cans or a quart of custom mixed paint.

[aero101]

As mentioned you're probably better off having paint matched unless it's a fairly new airplane. I've had very poor luck with existing Maule paint codes up here... You might call a local auto body repair shop or two and ask them who does best job of matching colors, and if they have the special camera... Matching paint is quite an art and some people are much more careful of blending quantities to get good match. PPG Supply Store would probably be good. I've tried NAPA up here and not had much success on their matches, and they don't have the camera which makes much more difficult... Good luck!!

[PNGpilot]

Thanks guys! I'm already check local auto shops for help.
Appreciate it!
Collin