Akzo: priming the outside of the skins

[Nashpdman]

I'm in the process of priming the interior skins with AkzoNobel 10P4-3NF/EC-117 BAC377 Yellow. First time I've used it, very impressed!

My question, does anyone prime the outside of the skins at the same time. My thoughts were, if you don't prime the outside before assembling, the dimples, under the head of the rivet, is left unprotected. I know I'm probably way over thinking it but.... I am aware I will have to scuff again when I prep to paint. I will paint the plane myself.

Thanks!
Mike

 

[Carl Froehlich]

I prime the the interior of the skins, and the outside of the skins where they overlap. I mask off the rest of the outside skins to keep the primer off. Less work when it comes time to paint the plane.

I would not worry about the area under the rivet heads.

Carl

 

[PaulvS]

I'm in the process of priming the interior skins with AkzoNobel 10P4-3NF/EC-117 BAC377 Yellow. First time I've used it, very impressed!

My question, does anyone prime the outside of the skins at the same time. My thoughts were, if you don't prime the outside before assembling, the dimples, under the head of the rivet, is left unprotected. I know I'm probably way over thinking it but.... I am aware I will have to scuff again when I prep to paint. I will paint the plane myself.

Thanks!
Mike

Affirmative, I did, along the rows of rivet holes on the outside. This was based on local advice that I received 25+ years ago, using zinc chromate primer (that is no longer available).

I'm not sure I would do it again though because the epoxy primer that I am now planning to use on the outside will need the surface cleaned back to bare metal and scuffing. I believe that modern epoxy primers can seal the surfaces very well and will provide good protection if applied to the outside at the time of final painting.

 

[RV7A Flyer]

I masked off and primed the faying surfaces using AKZO Nobel primer. Interior surfaces entirely primed. Was a bit of extra work, but not bad. Any small excess "bleed-through" or bad masking was easily cleaned off with MEK.

 

[bobrv7taildragger]

I do not intend on priming the outside because of PaulvS comments above. what you can do is use the durolac under the rivet heads if you so desire. anywhere i have scotch brite the top surfaces where rivets go ill use durolac. Ill prime the fay surfaces only. the rest will be clean ali on the outside.

 

[fixnflyguy]

I built my -4 and primed everything with Akzo. When I did my skins, I rolled the primer with a foam roller on the inside surface because it's simple and no mess ..even if your spraying, the primer that gets on the edge of the dimpled hole is the important part. I used care on other assemblies to swab holes with a q-tip. The corrosion prone area is the edges, as the skins are alclad, which is pure aluminum coating not nearly as prone to corrosion. I don't recommend any external prime until paint.