Bryan,
It all depends on what kind or finish you are after. I spent 6 months
working 3-4hours in the evenings and more on the weekends doing body
work alone and then another 2 months at the painter to get a show
quality surface to paint over.
1/3 of that time was learning the tricks of the trade and how it relates to our airframes.
It is easy to waste when not doing the right techniques. I have seen
paint jobs run around $20k or more even when the airplane is in primer
basically ready for paint. The sky is the limit on the body work. The
paint is easy in comparrison to the surface prep. I would set a budget
and live with the best job you can get with that money.
Don't let them grind away to get it flat as body workers do. You have to build up the lows not grind down the highs.
The finish is not cheap but make sure you are making good progress. I
probably worked for about .25 cents per hour on mine as I did not have
$35 k to drop on finish...I probably could have gotten a 2nd job
working for minimum wage and had someone else breathing the dust.
Unfortunately no one will care as much as you do...
FWIW
Randy L. Snarr
N694RS
--- On
Mon, 8/4/08, vtailjeff@aol.com <vtailjeff@aol.com> wrote:
From: vtailjeff@aol.com <vtailjeff@aol.com>
Subject: [LML] Re: Finishing Costs
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Date: Monday, August 4, 2008, 5:59 PM
sounds high
-----Original Message-----
From: Bryan Wullner <vonjet@gmail.com>
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Sent: Sun, 3 Aug 2008 7:46 pm
Subject: [LML] Finishing Costs
Taking a poll to see what dollar amounts you have spent in just finishing your birds. Only include micro fill, prime and paint work. I've been paying to have someone do my 360 and so far I've spent over $9400 in labor and its still does not have paint on it yet. Just trying to get an idea of where I am.......overpaying, right on track, or underpaying.
Thanks
Bryan