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Engine baffle question

If you're in an area where they can corrode, they will. I've seen plenty that did.

I powder-coated a set and they held up pretty well but in a couple small areas the paint delaminated from the baffles.

You might try anodizing them.

Dave
 
Charles in SC said:
I am working on my baffles. Is three any reason to paint or otherwise treat them against corrosion?
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I read that bug guts are a prime cause of corrosion. I alodined, painted with chromate primer and a urethane top coat. Way overdone by most standards.
 
I agree with the overdone statement......everything else is painted...why not.......

20160521_1126020_zpsiyxpliiv.jpg
 
Short answer - yes. Just like priming while building, paint all bare aluminum, engine and elsewhere. I've seen a lot of relatively new RVs with corroding bare aluminum on the engine. This really takes away from the rest of the plane.

To simply the painting process I stick to a medium gray and dark gray paint scheme for the interior and other non-exterior parts. The medium gray is the main color for the interior. The dark gray is used for the panel, rudder pedals, the engine baffles, plenum, wheel pant and other various mounting brackets.

I use a PPG single stage paint over PPG DP-40LF primer. This has proven to be exceptionally durable. It is also easy to get a perfect match later on when you decide to change something on the panel and need to cut and paint a new one.

Carl
 
Painting Baffles

How do you hold or position the baffles so you can paint them?

I am hanging my baffles from wires and sprayed primer last night. But they move around from the force of the air coming out of the spray gun and I don't think this way of holding them will work for paint. Plus the spot where the wire is will probably deform the paint.

So, does anyone have a good idea for how to hold the baffles for painting? I thought about placing them on a screen and shooting twice, but . . .

thanks
 
For painting small parts I have a rectangle frame made out of 2 x 4s with some 1/4 inch mesh wire on it. I can lay the parts on the screen and spray away.
 
sglynn said:
So, does anyone have a good idea for how to hold the baffles for painting? I thought about placing them on a screen and shooting twice, but . . .

thanks
Click to expand...

Hang each part by a wire. When it is time to spray a part, grab a corner with your gloved hand, then spray 99% of the piece while steadying it. Then, let go of your handhold and spray the unpainted corner...

It isn't sophisticated, but it works.
 
The paint shop at work hang smaller parts in a simple rectangular frame and wire them top and bottom so that they can't blow around. The frames stand vertically so that both sides can be done in one go.
 
I did not paint mine and after seven years, there is no sign of corrosion.

The reason I did not paint them is that in the event of an engine fire, the paint is one last thing to burn and give off additional toxic fumes.

Besides, they easy to replace, if they do corrode.
 
David Paule said:
You might try anodizing them.

Dave
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Thin aluminum baffles would be the very last place I'd utilize anodizing. The anodized layer is aluminum oxide (ceramic) and is brittle - even when hydrated by the dyeing process. The fatigue strength of thin aluminum is significantly reduced by anodizing - thin baffles tend to crack in the best of circumstances; why ask for more problems? On thicker stock anodizing isn't much of a concern

Anodizing has been used to modify the surfaces of aluminium and its alloys for several decades. It is used because its significantly increases the corrosion and wear resistance. However, it can also significantly reduce the fatigue endurance of these alloys. This reduction in fatigue endurance is ascribed to the acceleration of crack initiation due to the brittleness and consequent crazing of anodized layers and the presence of defects in these layers. There is also evidence that anodizing also accelerates crack propagation.

Want more ? Good reading >>
Effect of Anodizing on the Fatigue Properties of
Aluminium Alloys
Bruce R. Crawford
Air Vehicles Division
Defense Science and Technology Organization
DSTO-TN-1180
 
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To stop the part from swinging while painting I attach a wire to a low hole and hold onto it while painting.
 
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