[Douglas]

Can you use to much ProSeal? I trying to be neat, but I still get this stuff everywhere. I've clean off any areas outside tank and in areas that will be assembled later, but do I need to clean off spots and smears on the inside tank walls ? I ended up with blobs on the rivets and the Popsicle stick not the neatest thing to work with. Bottom line I've got the ribs and rivets sealed it just doesn't look pretty. Is that a problem???

 

[wirejock]

Too much?

Can you use to much ProSeal? I trying to be neat, but I still get this stuff everywhere. I've clean off any areas outside tank and in areas that will be assembled later, but do I need to clean off spots and smears on the inside tank walls ? I ended up with blobs on the rivets and the Popsicle stick not the neatest thing to work with. Bottom line I've got the ribs and rivets sealed it just doesn't look pretty. Is that a problem???

Eyes of the beholder. No one will behold it so function is what matters.
I suppose it's possible but it's just a little weight.
Make sure the fillets are uniform and completely seal the flanges. Make sure each shop head is sealed. The toothpick swirl method works well on shop heads. Wipe off any globs that could break loose and call it good. Before closing the baffle, triple check every connection and the plumbing.

 

[diamond]

I posed a similar question to a Vans rep at Oshkosh one year. He sarcastically replied, "make sure you leave a little room in there for fuel"

 

[Mike S]

Welcome to VAF!

Douglas---welcome aboard the good ship VAF

Larry pretty much nailed it below.

Eyes of the beholder. No one will behold it so function is what matters.
I suppose it's possible but it's just a little weight.
Make sure the fillets are uniform and completely seal the flanges. Make sure each shop head is sealed. The toothpick swirl method works well on shop heads. Wipe off any globs that could break loose and call it good. Before closing the baffle, triple check every connection and the plumbing.

 

[az_gila]

A syringe with the exit hole drilled to #30 might work better than a popsicle stick.

This is a typical small one from your local hobby store -

http://www.hobbico.com/tools/hcar3785.php

 

[Robin8er]

Why cant you just seal the rivet holes? that's where its going to leak, besides the back part that seals the tank.

 

[Billythekid]

After the ribs and ends have been sealed up, with tank in cradle would it be ok to fill the tank with water just to confirm no leaks. If leak free proceed to remove the water and let things dry.. Of course and then prepare for baffle assembly. I'm not near this point in my build. Just thinking . I will not learn if I don't ask.

 

[Robin8er]

Vans sells a fuel tank test kit. I think its a much better option than using water.

http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?ident=1437872947-134-6&browse=tools&product=tank-test

 

[Av8torTom]

Doug,

Read this thread carefully.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=7602&highlight=fay+fan

I don't know which technique you're using, but the proseal the fay surfaces and cleco together technique is a neater way to go. That way you're not putting down sealant AND riveting at the same time. Proseal and cleco everything together and THEN rivet a day or two days later.

 

[Rupester]

ProSeal is like roofing cement .... it goes EVERYwhere but where you want it to go.

 

[dave4754]

Proseal is made mean and nasty.....

I feel your pain although my tanks are one year behind me. I did it the preferred way by dipping all rivets in alchohol wash and drying then dipping in proseal while riveting the ribs and skin together..... messy messsy messy but in my opinion the riveting action ensured the proseal would take the entire length of the rivet.

The fillet and the shop head events were not pretty but i did clean up any splotches between the ribs so that they did not break off and become fuel contaminants. Since then i have found proseal to stick like welding and I doubt anything short of a bomb would blow it off.

My tanks did test well and I think this fall the bird is due to fly so i do hope the mess was worth it and no leaks.

Good luck, in my opinion just make sure that any proseal just sitting on the skin is cleaned off but i doubt anything holding onto a flange or shop head will ever come off on its own.

 

[Douglas]

Thanks for the input. I am taking a rib out and coating the contacting flanges, rivet holes and all, with a nice layer of Pro Seal such that it looks like a newly asphalted road and then slipping it in place and clecoing every other hole. Placing the rivets and then setting them and then removing clecos and completing the remainder of the holes. The rivet holes ooze of Pro Seal and it is messy but clean it up quickly after all the rivets are set. Also a nice roll of Pro Seal oozes out, if enough applied, from the ribs which makes enough to create the fillets

 

[rv7charlie]

To each his own, but....

On advice of a -6 builder I trusted, I used a small 'donut' of proseal around each rivet location, and a little dollup in each hole prior to driving the rivet. Then a dollup over each shop head after driving. I built both main tanks (-7) and a pair of leading edge aux tanks with a single quart kit of proseal. On the ribs, I had a leaks on a total of ... one... rivet in four tanks.

The only place on an interior rib that can leak is the hole for the rivet. If you want to caulk the entire rib, then just build the rib/skin assy dry, and caulk the seams and shop heads afterward. That's how it's done by the big boys for commercial/military.

Charlie