Aqualu body tub install so far. How to deal with painting Aluminum.

[mikelypp]

FJ40 - Project Elsie

Through my research I found a lot of wild ideas about what to do with an all aluminum tub when it comes to paint. Who paints aluminum? What would the aircraft people say? That's what I found out, and let me tell you, these guys know their aluminum. 20 year old paint on a P-51 mustang sure looks like new, it'll probably be ok for my FJ40.

Here's the 1st write-up from bare, as-shipped, aluminum to primed ready for anything you want. I'm going to stick with airplane paint, it's super quality AND cheaper than car paint! Thank you EPA!

FJ40 - Project Elsie

 

[neverdone]

Be careful...

Airplane paint is incredible stuff, really durable, and really bad for the old lungs and eyes !! Make sure you use an exterior ventilation suit. And definately don't use when kids are around.

Good luck.

 

[mikelypp]

Oh yeah, its stinky nasty stuff. I have a respirator that I use even outside.

 

[bsmith123]

primer

zinc chromate primer is a common finish on mil aircraft ---you can follow that with a poly or paint of your choice
also may want to check out land rover sites they are alum bodies

 

[propilot]

Actually we don't use zinc chromate much any more. The reason being the "chromate". I manage a large aircraft repair facility where we also do complete paint for the regional airline industry. I'll caution you to make sure you follow the directions on the etch and alodine carefully. If you leave either on too long it can have a negative impact on the metal. Leaving the alodine on too long will actually cause the aluminum to become brittle. Akzo-Noble makes a good product. What are you planning on using for a finish coat? We primarily use Sherwin-Williams and PPG products, but have recently begun to use the Dupont aviation line. All are good products at greatly different prices. For your info, you can also get 2 stage paint in the aviation line. Good luck and it is looking good!

 

[mikelypp]

Oh nice a 2 stage would be pretty trick. I've already picked up my urethane ANAC Alumigrip in the moon dust color. I was going for the Dune Beige look. I got a gallon of paint and a gallon of activator, with a gallon of reducer. It's a 50/50 mix with the component A and component B and less than 15% reducer. It sprays out really nice and with the curing solution I can wet sand it within 2 hours. I was really specific on the prep process. Although I think the specifics of the application for the aviation industry are probably a little more stringent than anything I'd have to worry about. Football sized holes in my body tub probably won't kill anyone, and metal fatigue is just a campfire conversation for the trail, unlike in the hangar where it's life & death.
The guys at the hangar painted the Hellcat with Imron and the Mustang with the Alumigrip and they say the Alumigrip wins hands down. Not that the Imron is anything to scoff at, it looks awesome in Navy Blue, which is a tough color. I think this FJ40 is going to look great for years, and be able to handle "smart" trail runs without too much buffing. I've painted it twice already with rust-oleum professional, and that was a cheap waste of time and money.

 

[bsmith123]

new vs old

another good point is to watch what you wash it with some common household cleaners are no good for alum and will affect the metal

prolly got a point on the "modern" aircraft paint but a lot of things have changed in the painting industry eh? Our mil planes are older now and I know we still use it but I am not a painter.

a lot of the old stuff like MEK was handed out freely but that all changed in the 90s when HAZMAT became an issue

another place to look might be the marine stuff--lots of alum there

Maybe you should use the stealth paint and go ticket free

http://www.ronjoseph.com/painting-aluminum.htm

 

[mikelypp]

LOL I tried to get my buddy Richie who's in the army to get me some Hummwv paint that is supposedly radar absorbing, but he wouldn't go for it. I hardly think I could get a box-on-wheels to be radar resistant.
I pre washed it with a tiny bit of old-fashioned dawn dish soap in warm water. That seemed to go ok. Most of the hot-rod painters use Dawn because it's really easy on the residue and cleans well. That's what I use when I wet sand also.

 

[propilot]

I washed my hands in MEK for years. I'm amazed my kids didn't end up with 3 eyes and 3 arms! You might check with whomever you bought your etch/alodine from and see if they sell an aluminum wash or brightner. Our process is a complete strip followed by Aero Wash, etch and alodine. I like that ticket free idea!

 

[ken_79-fj40]

I actually used regular self-etching primer on my aluminum tub followed up by high build epoxy primer, then urethane enamel. It's been painted for 5-6 years and I have had no issues.

 

[Sputnik40]

I have some Dupont Aluminum cleaner and converter for my Series Land Rover project - that I've been putting off:

Aluminum Cleaner 225-S
Aluminum Converter 226-S

I have yet to use it, preferring to stick to PPG self etching primer. Hope it holds up as well as the post above.

 

[propilot]

I don't think either one of you will have any issues. I am also getting ready to order my tub from Aqualu. I am planning on using a epoxy primer as a base. Followed by a fill primer then the base coat clear coat. I am not planning on the etch and alodine process. The aluminum Aqualu uses is a marine grade which by its own composition is higly corrosion resistant.

 

[dmaddox]

Coming from someone who purchased and installed an Aqualu tub.....

I sanded down all of the visible seams with 60 grit to smooth out using a planer.

I then went over that with 100.

I then used a professional de-greaser and metal prep.

After that I shot with a two-part epoxy etching primer and blocked it out.

Followed over that with another coat of it, and blocked it.

I then used 2 coats of high-build and then after that a primer sealer.

I then hit it with the color (dune beige in my case), and then nearly troweled on the clear.

I then hit the clear with 600, then 1000, then buffing compound, then polishing compound.

Mirror finish, ultra durable, long lasting.

Hope that helps.

Dallas

 

[mikelypp]

I don't know if the tech at the auto body shop was yanking my chain or not but when I asked them for 2 qts of self-etch non sanding & activator he said it was like $450 worth of product. I quickly said.... uh... nevermind. I know they use PPG there, and I knew car paint was expensive, but that'll end up being over $1,000 per gallon with all of the other thinners and curing, etc etc. I've got it down to just borrowing their paint booth on a saturday afternoon. For free! I'm surprised they didn't want to rent it to me.

 

[dmaddox]

I might have paid 100 bucks for my etching epoxy primer......OMNI brand. Now, I do NOT use OMNI for base and clear, but there primers are great.

Your chain was being yanked.

 

[mikelypp]

Ohh I've heard pretty good stuff about the Omni line. That's a reasonable price. Was it a gallon? or a couple of quarts?

 

[propilot]

I to feel your paint guy was yanking your chain! We use some pretty expensive paints, but I have never heard of a primer costing that. Nothing wrong with the Omni line. I think you will find it doesn't cover as well as their other lines, but it holds up well.