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Blasting wheel wells


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I want to clean up corrosion and and loose paint on some gussets/brackets in the whel well. If the rest is properly covered, does it make sense to blast it with glass perls. Plus, will paint hold, if I first apply zinc chromate after cleaning? Which paint would you apply?

Thanks for ideas!

Greets from Germany,

 

Martin

Edited by Martin S.
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Be very careful! Some of the corners in there are the back side of your fuel tanks. If you blast the wrong place, you will blow a hole in your sealant.

I'm speaking from experience here. 

When I got my plane back from Willmar Air Service after getting my tanks resealed (ruined BTW) they had completely destroyed the paint in the wheel wells and main landing gear and the bottom of the wings. In trying to clean up the mess they made, I blew a hole in the sealant (which wasn't mixed correctly anyway) If they would have put hardener in the sealant it probably wouldn't have blown a hole in it.

Edited by N201MKTurbo
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N201MKTurbo - thanks for that comment. Did you cover all small "crevices/edges" with duct tape? What kind of tool did you use? At which point/location in the well exactly did you hit the sealant - do you remember? 

I thought using a "mask" for not hitting anything but the small spots I want to clean.

Edited by Martin S.
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59 minutes ago, Martin S. said:

N201MKTurbo - thanks for that comment. Did you cover all small "crevices/edges" with duct tape? What kind of tool did you use? At which point/location in the well exactly did you hit the sealant - do you remember? 

I thought using a "mask" for not hitting anything but the small spots I want to clean.

I will have to find a picture of the wheel well. I could point out the weak points. Masking them should work. Mostly the corners of the front wall of the wheel well.

I was using scrub brushes and dish soap to clean it up. I used compressed air to blow all the crud out and dry it. The compressed air caused the sealant failure.

I will be out at the airport later today. I will get you some pics and a description of the danger zones.

Edited by N201MKTurbo
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Actually I’m having this done as well.  I got worried about getting the wrong paint stripper behind the crevices or blasting the fuel tank seals... I’m having Advanced at Troutdale do it.  At least they know all about the fuel tanks!  If the color doesn’t match perfectly because they’re not a paint shop, that’s fine.  Just want it cleaned up and no corrosion.

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Aluminum is pretty soft...

So selecting the proper media is going to be important...

I have used glass beads to blast dirt off of stainless steal (non aviation parts)... the steel erodes if blasting seconds too long...

Chemical stripping of paint and sealant is done often... look up which strippers get used when...

PP thoughts only, not nearly as qualified as the gents above...

:)

Best regards,

-a-

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19 hours ago, PT20J said:

How about talking to a paint shop and asking how they do it? I think there is special plastic media made for aircraft stripping.

There is, but it can easy chew up aluminum and remove Alclad etc. The problem with using anything to “blast” paint from aluminum is that the paint is actually harder than the aluminum it’s on.

‘Chemical stripping of course has issues too, it’s corrosive and gets into places you don’t want it and once there it’s tough to impossible to remove.

‘I think I’d try to pressure wash any loose pieces off myself and then hand strip what can be stripped and then prime and paint it. It certainly won’t be perfect but it would protect and look better

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The biggest issue with “Media Blasting” is heat and deformation. Dustless blasting uses a slurry of water and media, Soda blasting works really well for removing paint on thin/soft material. I’ve used Soda (dry) in my Blast Cabinet on very thin (0.020”) with no deformation, compared to Walnut, Glass Bead or Black Oxide which will deform 0.090” Aluminum extremely quick. 

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Just now, Martin S. said:

I must say soda blasting looks pretty appropriate. I might give it a try.

Northern Tools has something that hooks to a power washer , a buddy used it a few years back and it did an OK job, try and stay away from lap joints and seams if your doing it your self

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