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  1. #1
    johnb's Avatar
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    Pro's & Con's of Corrosion Painting

    I am looking into purchasing a RV-12 kit. I am leaning to corrosion painting but because of the limited emtpy weight parameters, I need some input from builders that have and have not corrosive painted their airplane. Any input will welcomed and helpful. (I know that painting the airplane will add about 20 pounds to the weight.)

    Thanks and regards
    john bryan
    677663

  2. #2

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    Jul 2011
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    You are bringing up a religious discussion.

    If you live near the coast where salt and/or humidity levels may be high, prime.

    If you lose sleep or worry about corrosion, prime.

    If you lose sleep or worry about weight, don't prime.

    The is no right answer. What makes you happy is all that matters.

    I did prime my RV-10. I had corrosion issues in my Cherokee and didn't want to go through that again in the RV.
    --
    Bob Leffler
    RV-10 Flying
    www.mykitlog.com/rleffler

  3. #3

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    I don't know about the -12, but on the earlier models, Van's specified "these parts" need priming. Essentially, they recommended you prime any extruded angle or anything else that wasn't alclad.

    I completely primed the interior of my RV-6, but if I was gonna do it again, I'd just zinc chromate prime the non-alclad items and the faying surfaces on the other parts. I live in North Georgia, and my airplane is hangared, so corrosion isn't a big worry of mine.

  4. #4

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    I will note that many Pipers were built "inexpensively", so are more prone to corrosion. RV's use a lot of alclad and so won't have the same problems. I will suggest that you should prime all of the steel parts and the parts that Van's specifically says need protection, and call it good. And I am sure that a telephone call to the factory will get you some good advice.

    Weight is the enemy in airplanes. The challenge is to make good decisions about where to add ounces and where not to. Ounces add up into pounds so if you want good performance you look at every ounce and ask whether it is necessary, which is what you are doing.

    Best of luck,

    Wes
    N78PS

  5. #5
    Eric Witherspoon's Avatar
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    Another aspect to the question - is the RV-12 primarily 6061, or did Van's stick with their traditional 2024 Alclad? There are those who believe that with 2024 Alclad, if every last possible surface isn't epoxy primed, the entire aircraft turns to dust the instant there's daylight beneath the tires. A lot of the lower/slower LSA's are being built from 6061, which is what a lot of boats are made of. It's more inherently corrosion resistant than 2024. How much more? Like someone else said, it depends on your operating / storage envrionment and personal beliefs.
    Murphy's 13th: Every solution breeds new problems...

    http://www.spoonworld.com

  6. #6
    prasmussen's Avatar
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    Thought the pure aluminum coating was supposed to overcome the tendency of the copper alloy to corrode; that the Alclad was, in fact, one of the materials we were to look for? Somebody a metallurgist?
    The journey is the reward.

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