Repair white control yoke enamel?

[nickmatic]

Just bought a 252/Encore conversion from Canada and I'm climbing up the walls waiting while it has a fresh annual and gets a new airworthiness certificate before I can fly it. So I'm thinking of all the things I can do to make myself useful and I wonder if the chipped white enamel on the control yoke can be repaired.

 

Anyone have experience with this or know who to ask?

 

See attached pic.

 

Thanks!

Nicholas

 

 

[BigTex]

I'd send them to Aero Comfort and have them covered. Doesn't break the bank and looks and feels great.

[isaacpr7]

If you plan to powder coat several parts you would be better off buying a cheap powder coat gun from harbor freight tools (on sale for 58 bucks right now):

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=powder+coat

 

If you just want to do your yokes and nothing else, then it would be more economical to pay someone to do it (can be done for about 60 bucks).  Powder coating is super easy. You can find many short videos on youtube on how to powder coat small parts. Just make sure that if you go this route, you also need to aquire a cheap oven from craiglist (around 70 bucks) because you can never cook in it again.

[KSMooniac]

Aero Comfort is a great recommendation... I'm still happy as can be with mine after 5 years of use.

 

http://www.aerocomfort.com/wheel/choose

 

If you're a DIY type, you might consider trying to duplicate their treatment yourself.  A guy on beechtalk did his with fantastic results:

http://www.beechtalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=83928

 

I have larger than average hands and appreciate the slightly increased "volume" of the yoke+leather.  The look and especially the feel are *so* much nicer than the hard and potentially slick enamel.

[orionflt]

I powder coated my yokes and the came out great.

[Hank]

I think mine are powder coated, a nice antique/off-white color. Don't recall seeing any chips . . . I'll have to check this evening.

[OR75]

1st and foremost .... congrats on your purchase !

 

a few thoughts: your yoke does not look bad (I have seen a lot worse, and I am sure you have too)

 

You can have it  done by AeroComfort and it will look great of course (although not cheap ,,, but that is a relative notion of course). 

 

You can doit yourself by  stripping the paint and re-apply enamel or powder coat. A very inexpensive option. You can find most items youneed at Home Depot or Spruce. BUT, just be careful with all the wires that go into the yoke.  Depending how they are connected, it may become a painful job especially if you need to cut wires and need to re-solder.

Actually, evenif you have it done by Aerocomfort or other, the yoke will need to come off. personnaly I don't like electric wires cut and spliced. But again, that's just me.

 

You may want first to just remove the switches bracket and the "Mooney Special Edition" to see what is behind your yoke "skirt".

 

But the way, if someone know where I could get a switches bracket like the one on your picture, please let me know.

   

Fly safe !!!

[nickmatic]

Ahhh so that's called "powder coat"... Shows what I know about paint. Yeah they're not in terrible shape, but it would be nice to cover the totally warn spots where the metal is showing. I'll ask the guy doing the tail numbers if he can do it. Think there's any way to do it without removing the yokes? Removing them is probably more work than I want to do for this little fix.

I've flown a mooney with AeroComfort cover on the yokes. It was very nice. Maybe down the road. For now I was hoping for a quick tweak if possible.

[Hank]

Mounted touch-up will be with the paint of your choice, enamel, acrylic, whatever. Maybe some auto paint will hold up? Powder coating requires time in an oven, one that cannot ever be used for food preparation again. Kits are available, with a small selection of colors, or you can take it somewhere and have it done.

 

I just had all three tie down rings powder coated, because they were getting ugly. The wing rings were Antique White, the tail one had to be done in a red metallic. Cost $30, but should last for many years since I live in a hangar. They're pretty now, and will no longer be usable to ground the plane for fueling.

[rbridges]

mine are black and chipped in several places.  when I get around to it, I'd like to powder coat mine.

[aviatoreb]

I had mine painted w texture paint and I love the result and cheap too.

[nickmatic]

I had mine painted w texture paint and I love the result and cheap too.

What is texture paint and can this be done by hand to cover those worn spots?

[aviatoreb]

What is texture paint and can this be done by hand to cover those worn spots?

 

I wrote about it with pictures here:

http://mooneyspace.com/topic/9171-do-it-yourself-leather-yoke/

 

There's many different brands versions of texture paint.  Here is one

http://www.eastwood.com/ew-textured-rust-encapsulator-black-aerosol-15oz.html?srccode=ga220010&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=zzproduct_ads&adtype=pla&kw=&matchtype=&network=g&creativeid=27631100727&placement=&producttargetid=54067463727&gclid=CKn-6rfZ9LoCFcs-MgodDicAHg

[nickmatic]

I wrote about it with pictures here:

http://mooneyspace.com/topic/9171-do-it-yourself-leather-yoke/

 

There's many different brands versions of texture paint.  Here is one

http://www.eastwood.com/ew-textured-rust-encapsulator-black-aerosol-15oz.html?srccode=ga220010&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=zzproduct_ads&adtype=pla&kw=&matchtype=&network=g&creativeid=27631100727&placement=&producttargetid=54067463727&gclid=CKn-6rfZ9LoCFcs-MgodDicAHg

 

Very informative, thanks! Seems like a makeshift tent is quick and easy. Not sure I'd go for the textured option, now that I see it. The finish on my control wheel is smooth and polished and I think I like it that way. But it seems like there are non-textured rust-encapsulator paints on the eastwood site, for a starting point. Thanks again.

[BigTex]

For reference, here's a picture of my yokes after being recovered by Aero Comfort....

 

http://mooneyspace.com/gallery/image/34723-/

[nickmatic]

For reference, here's a picture of my yokes after being recovered by Aero Comfort....

 

Look great! Love the Mooney insignia

[Hank]

Rustoleum is always an option, and it comes in several colors in half-pint cans. Acid brushes work best on small parts.

[fantom]

Rustoleum is always an option.....

 

IMO it would take a senior CB to use Rustoleum on an Encore, but that's just me.

 

The plane deserves the best.....Aero-Comfort.

[Hank]

You're right, I was just looking at the picture. Anything with a brush will be fastest; spray-in-place is difficult to get evenly coated while keeping the rest of the plane clean; powder coat will be most durable; leather will look and feel the best.

 

It's all what you want to do. Guess next time I'll have to make sure to include   even though they are not available to select on my phone, which is how I made that post.

[Yetti]

For small chips you can use finger nail polish.  There are lots of colors so you can find the one that matches.  If you mess up you can use the finger nail polish remover which is just acetone. If you want to have a nice smooth finish, build it up in a couple of coats letting dry in between.  You can smooth the finish to match with some high grit (400 grit) sand paper and then apply clear coat of clear of clear finger nail polish. 

[nickmatic]

For small chips you can use finger nail polish.  There are lots of colors so you can find the one that matches.  If you mess up you can use the finger nail polish remover which is just acetone. If you want to have a nice smooth finish, build it up in a couple of coats letting dry in between.  You can smooth the finish to match with some high grit (400 grit) sand paper and then apply clear coat of clear of clear finger nail polish. 

 

Seems easy to try and easy to clean up if I screw up... thanks!