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Brad Wilkinson, Bearhawk #1062
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Date: 9-12-2009
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Number of Hours: 2.00
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Manual Reference:
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Brief Description: Boot Cowl, Lower Access Panels - Primer
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Applied primer to the boot cowl lower access panels so they can be assembled.
I used the Stewart Systems EkoPrime white polyurethane primer to get a good coat on the access panels, and reinforcing ribs, before riveting them together. Since this rib and the nutplates are going to be riveted together, I felt it was best to prime the parts for some corrosion protection.
It seems to me that a lot of aircraft parts are alodined (chromated), epoxy primed, or something, but not necessarily painted, where they are internal to the structure of the aircraft. The priming options are all over the place, and the opinions on the need and use of these different types are wide open, too. Of course there are plenty of cases where planes are not primed or painted and they seem to be just fine. In fact I asked Bob Barrows about this at Sun'N'Fun, and he said he has always done it because it's just what you do - but he didn't prime the inside of any of the non-structural parts on the Patrol (his latest aircraft). So my jury is still out on the need for this. But the environment here (southern Atlantic coast) is relative humid, and condensation is a normal thing - so I'm going to proceed with at least putting primer on the insides of the aluminum parts. The wings I purchased from AviPro are primed internally with a strontium-chromate epoxy primer. I looked into getting this stuff, and found it available from PTI through Aircraft Spruce. But I'm not crazy about all of the prep and solvents and respirator, etc., associated with painting epoxy. So I'm going to use the Stewarts' product which is much simpler and friendlier.
I have an airbrush and compressor from my model-building days. I have a couple of spray guns, too - but I don't have a compressor large enough to run them. So until I get one I'm using the airbrush. With the largest tip, it worked just fine. The pattern is just over an inch in diameter and is extremely controllable (it's an airbrush you know) so it was a breeze to prime the small access panels a
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Airbrush setup
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The reinforcing ribs
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Primed panels & ribs
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