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-   -   Priming: How do you see reference marks? (https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=642)

txaviator 02-21-2005 07:13 PM

Priming: How do you see reference marks?
 
As taught in my build class, and as common sense would dictate, all parts of the HS are riveted together, match-drilled, labeled and then taken apart for deburring, priming, etc.

A question just crossed my mind: how did all of you keep from 'erasing' your information noted on the pieces, with your Sharpie marker? Even during the cleaning stages, it would appear to me that the Sharpie references get wiped away, not to mention eventually getting covered up by primer. How did each of you do this? Surely someone has a tip or a special trick or two, learned along the way?

Thanks for sharing these tips with us 'newbie' builders! I know it sounds elementary, but if I were to essentially wipe away all of my reference markings, I would be doomed during re-assembly! :confused:

painless 02-21-2005 07:35 PM

Hi Gary:

After you prep your parts for priming, you can always touch up your references on your parts.

I used Variprime for all my priming and had no problem reading my marks through the primer. Just don't pile the primer on too heavy. A light coat is all you need.



Regards,

JohnJacobsen 02-21-2005 08:00 PM

Tags
 
I make little tags with safety wire and masking tape. Just run a short piece of wire thru a rivet hole twist it a couple times then wrap a piece of tape on the end away from the part. Fold the tape over on itself about an inch or so. It gets some primer on it so I write on both sides. Has worked well for me.

alpinelakespilot2000 02-21-2005 08:54 PM

Gary--

Benefit from my mistake yesterday as I was doing my first prime job. Using Variprime 615/616. Using lacquer thinner to clean the parts first, which removes the sharpie pen.

Mostly I was just careful to remark the item with a sharpie after wiping it off with lacquer thinner. However, one time I got ahead of myself, had the entire left side HS ribs clean but un-remarked and I dropped them all--mixing them all up. "Oh no, how am I ever going to figure out which ones which?!"

The long and short of it was that I could tell which main and nose ribs were the most inboard ones (because the flanges were bent so much--as per plans). However, I had no clue about the other 4 main ribs and other 2 nose ribs. The good news--Van's tooling is so exact that I could use them interchangeably, even having already match-drilled them. Hopefully this will hold true once the skin goes on for the final time tomorrow. I think it will, or that at least it won't be too difficult to pull them into alignment with clecos before I rivet!

Moral of the story--make sure that when you wipe off the market with the cleaner that you have a "foolproof" method for gettting them re-marked once the lacquer thinner dries (which is very quick.)

Steve
(and yes, by number, I'm right ahead of you--#91132)

alpinelakespilot2000 02-22-2005 11:40 AM

By the way, sharpie does bleed through Variprime very easily. In fact, next time I'm going to make smaller, less obvious references with the sharpie. It's kind of ugly when it bleeds through. (Course, since I'll never see those marks except on inspection, I guess it probably doesn't matter!)

Steve

P.S. If you haven't got to the rudder horn brace yet, I would encourage you to check out my earlier post on the topic (thread started about 2 weeks ago). You might save yourself $15.

rbc12325 02-22-2005 05:17 PM

Priming:How do you see
 
Hello, On production aircraft, most alodine and priming is accomplished before drill up and fitting of parts. On my first kit (Swearingen SX-300) the parts came alodined, I then epoxy primed all parts. All parts were then labeled with part numbers and position. It was the an easy chore to load everything in the jig, drill, deburr, cleco, and rivet the assy. Note: I am new to this forum and I am always willing to suggest methods or answer questions on most aircraft building topics from airframe constuction to engine installation.

mike crowe 02-22-2005 05:52 PM

I have found out that marking with a blue sharpie will show best through the primer

Mike Crowe

txaviator 02-22-2005 06:48 PM

Yep, the blue Sharpies also seem to last much longer. Strange indeed! Since they seem to last longer AND show through better, I think I am switching to blue!

Kind of like running red chalk in a chalk line....if you get the red chalk on concrete, as the label says "there is no known means for removal". This is So true. I have a slab I poured for my BBQ smoker about 10-years ago. It still has red chalk lines on it!

alpinelakespilot2000 02-23-2005 12:11 AM

Red line on your patio... That's kind of funny... especially since it isn't my patio! I bet you see that line every time you go out--I would! :) The best thing about building an airplane is that I learn all kinds of other things not to do!

Steve

rswalden 03-23-2005 09:56 PM

Engraving, Anyone??
 
My RV7 plans call for lightly engraving markings on the components. Since that is what Van's recommends (see his directions under PRIMING) how many have gone that route?


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