Little rust on the fasteners?

[AlexLev]

I have a little rust on some fasteners.. on the tail -- is this little itty rust anything to worry about (picture attached)? What can be done about it so it doesn't spread?

I rubbed a little Corrosion X on it today, but otherwise -- what are some tips to make this '68 airframe last at least another 20+ years?

Would love to learn more from other's experience:

* What to do about small surface rust (I assume this is what this is) like this? Can it turn into anything more serious/dangerous?
* I've been working to get the remnants of a birds nest out of my tail for the last month or so. Any tips? I think I got 99% of it out, but sometimes I find a piece. Is this the sort of stuff that can promote corrosion?
* I have the plane based far away from any salt water and in a hangar. What else can be done? Is using soap on the wings bad to wipe down the bugs if it's that crappy liquid soap that may have some unfriendly elements?

...yet another rust topic!

Edited April 21, 2017 by AlexLev

[Yetti]

I am trying to figure out how aluminum rivets are showing orange oxidation.

What kind of soap.  I learned that Dawn soap is not good.  I use just water and spray wax

[MooneyMitch]

My opinion, this appears to be a paint issue only.  I personally would try using some quality polish in an attempt to remove that rust. 

[carusoam]

Note: always use the word fastener... could be a bolt.  Could be a screw. Might be a rivet...

See if there is something on the back side of it.  If that is a rivet, the rust must be coming from somewhere else? Or it's not rust?

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[Dream to fly]

After you clean the stained area up I would like to recommend sealing it with clear nail polish.  It will seal it and allow you to inspect it in a few weeks to see if the condition is still occurring from the other side.  If it checks out good nail polish remover takes it off then paint it.  We use this trick on older metal dash board repairs when wind shields leak.  It sucks to paint things only to find out it is still corroding from the blind side.    just a thought

[Seanhoya]

Clean it and touch it up with touch up paint.  

Always use the tail cover (never let the plane sit without it - especially in the Spring) - no birds should be able to nest with the cover on. The Velcro goes through the tail to connect both sides and the cover should be snug around the vertical portion of the empannage. There are two areas of the cover that you need to make sure are flared out within the tail to not allow birds to pass (in the tail by the control rods, as seen looking into the tail from behind, pull the netting left and right to cut off access to the inside).

You might also consider putting up a fake owl on the tie-down space, although they are only partially effective.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Seanhoya

[AlexLev]

10 minutes ago, Seanhoya said:

Clean it and touch it up with touch up paint.  

Always use the tail cover (never let the plane sit without it - especially in the Spring) - no birds should be able to nest with the cover on. The Velcro goes through the tail to connect both sides and the cover should be snug around the vertical portion of the empannage. There are two areas of the cover that you need to make sure are flared out within the tail to not allow birds to pass (in the tail by the control rods, as seen looking into the tail from behind, pull the netting left and right to cut off access to the inside).

You might also consider putting up a fake owl on the tie-down space, although they are only partially effective.

Thanks, Sean - I promise I'm taking good care of her and have her hangared! Fake owls.. there was a nest from it sitting at Airmods that although mostly removed, I still find a little piece of every now and then -- used compressed air to get most of it out and will use water to spray it down once the weather warms up to do another wash & wax.

As far as cleaning up that rust or whatever it may be, I just take nail polish to remove and then touch it up with that touch up paint you provided?

I put a couple new EGT probes in her today and changed her oil! She got me down to Charleston, SC from Buffalo a few months ago safely.

Thank you for maintaining her so well before me and caring so much about her. She's a true joy to fly.

Edited April 19, 2017 by AlexLev

[carusoam]

Sean,

are you flying in the Ukraine?

Missionary work?

Fill us in.

Best regards,

-a-

[Guest]

The balance weights are secured with steel fasteners, hence the rust.

Clarence

[Yetti]

Good to know... Still trying to figure out from the photo on where that is on the plane.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Yetti said:

Good to know... Still trying to figure out from the photo on where that is on the plane.

Sure looks like an elevator balance weight to me.

Clarence

[bradp]

I had some. Clean it up. Inspect it. Paint it. Your tail won't fall off.


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[jetdriven]

Iron rivets. Hit them sparingly with rust converter then touch up paint 

[AlexLev]

So forgive my ignorance - I'm hoping to educate myself on this; never done this before and not too educated on rust, but making my way through this: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_43-4a_.pdf and http://www.themooneyflyer.com/issues/MooneyFlyerOctober2012.pdf

To fix:

I would spray the surface with something like this: http://www.tcpglobal.com/TAL3509.html?gclid=CI_fx8TDtNMCFc2KswodOdMFcw#.WPlxzVMrK1s and then either apply clear nail polish to it in order to see if the condition continues to occur and then use nail polish remover and then touch up paint?

I'm intimidated, maybe I should talk to a shop or a friend who is an aircraft owner who can help me become more confident on working the plane. I'm a young guy in my late 20s and consider myself a bit mechanically intimidated, also afraid of rust condemning the airplane at some point.

The aircraft did have a lot of service in Monterey, CA during its last 5 years of life so perhaps it lived on the coast for at least 5 years, it looks great but was painted in 2012; but did pass a prebuy at an MSC with the inside of being really clean.

Anyway - thanks for all the replies so far!

[carusoam]

Alex,

The important thing here is more what you are painting.  Elevators and airlerons (control surfaces) have a balance related to painting them.

You can search around here for an explanation as some have posted the MM pages on how to do this.  The MM is terrible at explaining enough detail for an ordinary PP to handle.

Just don't accidently change the weight of things while trying to cure the rust stain.

Best regards,

-a-

[Seanhoya]

On 4/19/2017 at 6:12 AM, carusoam said:

Sean,

are you flying in the Ukraine?

Missionary work?

Fill us in.

Best regards,

-a-

Hey ladies and Gents,

No missionary work in Ukraine - I am at the US Embassy.  I have flown a couple of times - a Yak 52 and last weekend in an Aeroprakt A-32. Miss my Mooney (Alex's Mooney - glad it is in good hands), but thinking about getting something with a bit more push next time and flying it across the pond. We'll see. Until then, thank God the spring is here! Do zystrichi!

 Clear Skies!

Sean

[Yetti]

Hey look there is some iron back there on the tail.  Looks like my weight has been messed with as evidenced by the missing paint.