Tip Posted September 20, 2015 Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 Has anyone discovered a product to brighten up the mushrooms appearance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted September 20, 2015 Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 I think the newer airplane have a different finish that the older airplanes. The older airplanes have a rough textured surface that will grab on to most cloths. On the older airplanes I have used a lint roller and a 3" foam art brush to clean the dust off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runtoeat Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Tip, do you mean to paint it or improve the looks? My mushroom is an older one which Jim refers to and it's splotchy with dark and light areas. I have been thinking of closing off my cockpit and windshield with plastic and pull out and mask the instrument panels to protect all from overspray and then use an air brush to paint the mushroom a charcoal color to hopefully give it a uniform and updated finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Tip, do you mean to paint it or improve the looks? My mushroom is an older one which Jim refers to and it's splotchy with dark and light areas. I have been thinking of closing off my cockpit and windshield with plastic and pull out and mask the instrument panels to protect all from overspray and then use an air brush to paint the mushroom a charcoal color to hopefully give it a uniform and updated finish. If it was me I think I would pull the mushroom to paint it. It will be a little more work, but it's not to bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 I hate the finish on my 2007 mushroom. That texture grabs *everything*, and makes it hard to clean the inside of the windshield at the bottom. I spilled a dab of plexi polish on it, and now there is a white spot on it that I have not been able to figure any way to remove. Just a terrible texture choice from FD on that, IMO. But the rest of the airplane is so awesome, I forgive them. If I was going to pull the 'shroom to paint it, I'd consider covering it in something thick enough to fill in the texture and make it smooth. Even if it took something like epoxy and a lot of sanding, it would be a one time deal -- the work and the marginal extra weight would be worth it to me, and you could really make that thing pop with the right color choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runtoeat Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 Wish I had a scrap 'shroom to experiment with. Maybe a flat black or charcoal color paint and try different levels of thinning with solvent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 I think the new finish is a egg shell flat or semi flat black. You could have it covered with leather instead of painting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucegoose Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Has anyone discovered a product to brighten up the mushrooms appearance? I built a Sling with a similar moulding and finished it with an American aerosol can product available here from RUST-OLEUM Corporation. They have a full range of similar coatings and colours. If you don't like the rough finish one can finish it off with their 2X ultra cover matte and is UV resistant. Regards Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 One thing to consider if using paint, is you might want to use high temperature engine or grill paint. An in-cockpit fire would be bad enough without breathing in the fumes of burning paint from your mushroom. Just a thought... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runtoeat Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Based on Jim and Andy's comments, I might look for a Nomex cover in black Actually, covering the top and sides with some sort of fireproof cloth might be the way to go. Maybe a lightweight trim fabric applied with 3M spray adhesive like one would do with upholstery. Make it a fabric that doesn't grab my microfiber cleaning cloth that I use to clean my windshield too! Hmmmm. Bruce, thanks for the info. The UV resistant paint would be good. I'll check to see if Rust-Oleum has this in the U.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Based on Jim and Andy's comments, I might look for a Nomex cover in black Actually, covering the top and sides with some sort of fireproof cloth might be the way to go. Maybe a lightweight trim fabric applied with 3M spray adhesive like one would do with upholstery. Make it a fabric that doesn't grab my microfiber cleaning cloth that I use to clean my windshield too! Hmmmm. Bruce, thanks for the info. The UV resistant paint would be good. I'll check to see if Rust-Oleum has this in the U.S. I mentioned covering it with leather a few post back. Leather is naturally flame retardant, and it wouldn't look to bad either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 A vinyl wrap might be possible too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 A vinyl wrap might be possible too. That could put you back with the same problem as some of the paint. BTW, I don't think the original cockpit paint has any special high heat properties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZAV8OR Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 That could put you back with the same problem as some of the paint. BTW, I don't think the original cockpit paint has any special high heat properties. I refurbished an Archer 10 years ago and used a fabric called Ultra Leather, which is an aviation approved vinyl. From my perspective, it's as soft as kid skin and way more durable than leather. I had the shop wrap all of the ugly plastic that Piper used and it came out beautifully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 I refurbished an Archer 10 years ago and used a fabric called Ultra Leather, which is an aviation approved vinyl. From my perspective, it's as soft as kid skin and way more durable than leather. I had the shop wrap all of the ugly plastic that Piper used and it came out beautifully. I grew up around the upholstery business, and airplanes. I know that some vinyl is OK and some is not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runtoeat Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Some good ideas. Thanks. The real problem with my instrument panel is basically the front area around the 3 gage panels. I'm thinking that I could protect the top and sides and mask the front radiused edged of the mushroom to create a defined line around it and paint this. Thinking this could be painted with a brush since the paint would probably be absorbed by the mushroom material and not leave brush strokes? Just want to achieve a uniform "tint" and not apply a layer of paint. Maybe a very thinned out paint. As stated, it would be nice to have a scrap mushroom to experiement with. Bruce, did the mushroom material seem to "soak up" the paint you applied? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tip Posted September 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Andy may be on to something with the vinyl wrap. They are able to cover a bus, including the windows with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runtoeat Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Hi Tip. Lots of good ideas. The wrap or covering ideas Andy and Kevin mentioned might work. Right now, if I could clean up just the front edge of my mushroom it would look a lot better if combined with a refinish of the instrument panel inserts with something like a carbon weave covering. Something dark that won't reflect sunlight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
207WF Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 I like this thread and will be tempted when you guys actually try something and report on how it works! Leather would be cool, but heavy. Would idn't it likely require a new weight and balance calculation? WF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ls6pilot Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 Anyone ever figure out how to make this look better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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