My aluminum, interior Bomar hatch frame (both of them) need refinishing. Need enlightenment here. Sand? Aluminum paint? Rustoleum?
Has anyone had success with a particular method? Thanks for any input.
Bill
meislandbill@yahoo.com
Bomar Hatches
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Michael Bond
Re: Bomar Hatches
I refinished both of my bomar hatches on my 1976 CD30K two years ago. I can't relay any great success stories but will share the following; I completely stripped the entire frame less seals and plexiglass down to bare aluminum. I then thourly cleaned the entire assembly with acetone and applied a zinc cromate primer made for aluminum. Next was two coats of Interlux Topsides enamel. I now have several places where the primer has released from the aluminum frames. Perhaps info from Bomar is available. I don't want to go through the process again without a better plan. If you can come up with another primer or technique please share same.Bill wrote: Bill
Michael Bond
CD30K
"Frivolity"
Seabrook Tx.
bondmichael@worldnet.att.net
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John R.
Re: Bomar Hatches
Micheal,
It is unusual to hear of *zinc chromate* peeling from cleaned, properly prepped bare aluminum. Are you sure it wasn't *zinc phosphate* which doesn't seem to work as well even though it is an etching primer.
I would have the hatch frames powder coated or at the minimum use a linear polyurethane system.
Powder coating can be done at home if you can get the parts in your oven to bake the coating. You can always pick up a cheap old oven at a used appliance joint to stick in the garage or shop. Check out powder coating supplies and procedures on the web. There are many sites devoted to it.
PPG makes a fantastic LPU finish called "Delta". It is incredibly glossy, very flexible and highly abrasion resistant. Used a lot on aircraft these days in lieu of Imron. It also retouches beautifully unlike Awlgrip and performs better than both Awlgrip and Imron. Make absolutely sure you heed all safety issues with this product it is highly toxic. In fact, be very careful using the chromate primers as well, they are very toxic.
It is unusual to hear of *zinc chromate* peeling from cleaned, properly prepped bare aluminum. Are you sure it wasn't *zinc phosphate* which doesn't seem to work as well even though it is an etching primer.
I would have the hatch frames powder coated or at the minimum use a linear polyurethane system.
Powder coating can be done at home if you can get the parts in your oven to bake the coating. You can always pick up a cheap old oven at a used appliance joint to stick in the garage or shop. Check out powder coating supplies and procedures on the web. There are many sites devoted to it.
PPG makes a fantastic LPU finish called "Delta". It is incredibly glossy, very flexible and highly abrasion resistant. Used a lot on aircraft these days in lieu of Imron. It also retouches beautifully unlike Awlgrip and performs better than both Awlgrip and Imron. Make absolutely sure you heed all safety issues with this product it is highly toxic. In fact, be very careful using the chromate primers as well, they are very toxic.
Michael Bond wrote:I refinished both of my bomar hatches on my 1976 CD30K two years ago. I can't relay any great success stories but will share the following; I completely stripped the entire frame less seals and plexiglass down to bare aluminum. I then thourly cleaned the entire assembly with acetone and applied a zinc cromate primer made for aluminum. Next was two coats of Interlux Topsides enamel. I now have several places where the primer has released from the aluminum frames. Perhaps info from Bomar is available. I don't want to go through the process again without a better plan. If you can come up with another primer or technique please share same.Bill wrote: Bill
Michael Bond
CD30K
"Frivolity"
Seabrook Tx.