Prime parts?

I have a question that is not intended to be controversial:
I ordered an RV-14 empennage. I have the opportunity to prime the interior of those items.
However, I will order also the Quick build kit, wings in particular. There is no opportunity to prime all of the interior parts.

It is my understanding that the aluminum has a protective coating already, Alclad I think is the name.
I remember my 1952 Cessna, no prime of interior parts and no corrosion.

Why go to the effort to prime the Empennage, when the whole plane will not be primed? What is the real value? What am I missing? It seems most builder want to prime interior parts.
Thanks for your response.
Dave

QB kits do have a light wash primer from the factory.

Recently a non-builders ask me if I used Corrosion X. My reply was Corrosion X is only for to correct problems on planes that were not properly protected from corrosion (e.g. primed).

I know of one RV-14 builder that did a full SB kit so he did not get the Van?s wash primer that is applied to the QB kits. He thinks people who prime are crazy - so decide what camp you are in.

I do slow build kits and fully disassembled and then prime all parts before riveting. My first RV flew without exteriors paint for a couple of years (hangared plane). The day I walked in and saw the white corrosion on spot of the exterior fuselage demonstrated the value of priming all interior parts. I promptly built a paint booth and finished the exterior painting.

Carl

Good question, note that Vans says they use a SW chromate wash primer (clear-ish) for the QB, so that could be used for consistency. Any zinc-chromate or strontium-chromate in a 10-15% solids content is good. Lots of DoD testing to prove it. Available in 1K and 2K versions. And in 1K rattle can from Skygeek. If not top coating, 1k is easier to deal with ventilation -wise. Dense zinc will settle so regular (but not excessive) agitation is recommended if a gallon is purchased.


Flame suit on . . . .

Full disclosure - my research on this was beyond my build stage to use most of it and I am not worried, but did use it once learned. It also adds weight.

Let me make some popcorn...

This sounds like a good start for a "prime war"

Not sure if you have done it already but if you look in the forum and scroll down to
"The Never Ending Debate Section" and
"primer" and then you need to set the view option to
"beginning" and you will find enough reading material for weeks on this very topic.

FWIW: I am building SB wings and prime everything. If you don't feel you need to prime safe yourself A LOT of work, time, and money and don't bother.

Just my 0.02 cents.

Good luck with your -14

QB wash primer

Vans uses Sherwin Williams P60G2 Wash Primer on QB kits. They're mix is greenish/grey. The mix available to us is greenish gold. Lots of info on Vans website plus there some photos of a sample sitting outside for years with no effect.
Whatever you do, spray thin and keep it light.

wirejock said:

And uses Sherwin Williams P60G2 Wash Primer on QB kits. They're mix is white. The mix available to us is greenish gold. Lots of info on Vans website plus there some photos of a sample sitting outside for years with no effect.

Click to expand...

????

The QB kit primer is a very light greenish/grey. Often times people think it is not primed, because of the color, but it is (an easy check is to put a piece of bare aluminum beside it).

About 10 years ago a company in the cheqe republic was building QB kits, and they used a different (white) primer, but that ended long ago.

Greenish/grey

rvbuilder2002 said:

????

The QB kit primer is a very light greenish/grey. Often times people think it is not primed, because of the color, but it is (an easy check is to put a piece of bare aluminum beside it).

About 10 years ago a company in the cheqe republic was building QB kits, and they used a different (white) primer, but that ended long ago.

Click to expand...

Sorry. I stand corrected. Never actually seen a QB inside.
I love the stuff but mine is green with a very light hint of gold.

I primed the empennage for the learning expierence and I also think it?s pretty. For the QB parts I primed the inside of the skins that I attached, on the fuselage only primed, then painted the areas that will be visible, post interior.