Fresh paint and screws

[Webb]

At the request of the painter when I stopped by to look at the progress, he asked that I take the smaller parts that are finished to get them out of there. His work is outstanding.

As I looked at the inspection plates and wheel fairings, I am wondering if I should do a light touch on the hole with a countersink before putting the screw in. My fear is I'll "crack" the paint when I set the screw.

[rv6rick]

For clarity....I'm reading this like you DID countersink the holes in your fiberglass and dimple the metal parts for 100deg hardware prior to paint.....and you are asking if the paint will flake when the screw goes in:

'If' you have 'good' paint/primer your paint will hold nicely under the screw and will not flake off with the 'normal' torque required to hold on your wheelpants/fairings/inspection plates/wingtips. However....if the parts come on and off a lot you will eventually see some 'wear' under and around a screw or two. Another option is to use tinnerman washers (use stainless only) under each #6 or #8 screw. These will not only spread the load around your fiberglass but they will protect your paint from the screws on the items that are frequently removed (wheel pants).

I would avoid 're-countersinking' your holes. This will leave a sharp edge of paint that WILL eventually offer a place for the paint to start flaking.

To 'test' your paint I recommend you insert a couple of screws in less visable areas first. Carefully torque your screw onto the paint and see what happens . If the paint holds (it will on 'good' paint) then move on. Be sure to have the mating surfaces flush and NOT use the screw to 'pull' the surfaces together as this will put undo stress on the paint under the screw head.

If it turns out that you do NOT have 'good' paint the above may not work(I've seen this many times on 'new painter' paint jobs) then go with the tinnerman washers. They actually look quite nice.....but again....use only stainless washers.

Originally Posted by Webb

At the request of the painter when I stopped by to look at the progress, he asked that I take the smaller parts that are finished to get them out of there. His work is outstanding.

As I looked at the inspection plates and wheel fairings, I am wondering if I should do a light touch on the hole with a countersink before putting the screw in. My fear is I'll "crack" the paint when I set the screw.

[az_gila]

Rick's tinnerman washer suggestion - you could also try a smaller diameter tinnerman type washer for some of the frequently removed inspection panels.

AC Spruce has them....

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ingwashers.php



Same idea as mentioned above, just less visually obivious....

[Webb]

Gil, haven't seen the smaller ones. I have to place an order later for a few things and will order a package.

Rick - You are correct for clarity. The pants are countersunk and I did use tinnerman on the holes for the mount attachment but not on the holes that connect the halves or on the intersection fairings.

Reason for question - it looks soooo good and I don't want to bugger it up!!!

[erich weaver]

Looks like those smaller washers have the wrong countersink angle - no?

erich

[rvbuilder2002]

Originally Posted by erich weaver

Looks like those smaller washers have the wrong countersink angle - no?

erich

Yes.

They are for 82 deg. screw heads.

All the heads in an RV should be 100 deg (unless you have used sheet metal screws).

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by rvbuilder2002

Yes.

They are for 82 deg. screw heads.

All the heads in an RV should be 100 deg (unless you have used sheet metal screws).

...a quick whack on the dimple machine with a #8 dimple die should fix it....

They are solid stainless, not plated, so nothing should happen to them if you dimple them a little more.

That's what we have dimple dies for....

Thanks for pointing it out Scott...

[Bob Axsom]

After years of taking things off and putting them back on there is wear on the painted surfaces but nothing objectionable appears in the completed reassembly.

Bob Axsom

[8CW]

I've used nylon washers under regular screws before and like how they work. You don't see 'em, and they protect the paint. I was wondering if anyone made a countersunk nylon washer that would work for this...? Or, wonder how a regular nylon washer would work under a countersunk screw? I'm no where near ready for this, so I can't experiment yet. Any thoughts?

[cytoxin]

wait as long as reasonable to install the parts . i think a light pass with the counter sink would probally be ok. on a plane i saw painted with jet glow the paint lifted around all of the fuel tank screws a short while after they were installed. the owner went back later with tinnerman washers and it looks great now. but im certain he didnt want the washers. YMMV