[Mike S]

Anybody have any experience with "Lab Metal"???

The specs look like the stuff may be a simple and effective repair for leaking rivets.

In their FAQ section they state it is unaffected by gasoline or petroleum based products.

 

[Greg Arehart]

No experience with this, but I have two tiny weepers on the top of my tanks so would be interested as well.

greg

 

[Mike S]

Another possible candidate is this stuff that Bill R. linked to in another thread.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/dentfiller.php

Anybody out there use it?? How about a book report??

I am almost totally unable to find any reference it on google, except for ACS, and there is a lack of info there I did find one reference in a Kitplane index link, Aug of 1993 referenced it under new products.

Thanks,

 

[az_gila]

I would think a 2-part...

...solution would be better.... the old favorite -

http://jbweld.net/products/jbweld.php

But don't you really need something that will remain a little flexible for a fuel tank repair?

 

[DanH]

...the stuff may be a simple and effective repair for leaking rivets.

So is proseal.....

 

[Mike S]

So is proseal.....

Applied to the tank from the exterior???

 

[turbo]

i swear by this stuff. marine-tex. it hardens like steel and been on the bottom of my wing sealing a leaking tank rivet. have been using it on boats and whatever for 30 years. guaranteed you will be satisfied. dont leave home without it.http://www.marinetex.com/

 

[Mike S]

I also spent a long time on the phone with the #2 guy at the company that makes "PC 7"n and he seems to think his product will work for this issue, applied externally.

Considering my plane is not yet painted, ---(yeah, I know, dont go there) this would be a perfect opportunity to test the worth of these products.

I also talked to the local vendor of the "Lab Metal" product, and he read off the info from them, listed uses include riveted sheet metal, seams in sheet metal fuel tanks.

 

[Mike S]

i swear by this stuff. marine-tex. it hardens like steel and been on the bottom of my wing sealing a leaking tank rivet. have been using it on boats and whatever for 30 years. guaranteed you will be satisfied. dont leave home without it.http://www.marinetex.com/

I just called them, their tech guy recommended "Marine Tex gray" for use on a weeping rivet in a riveted sheet aluminum fuel tank. Pretty sure he thinks this is on a boat

 

[Greg Arehart]

Considering my plane is not yet painted, ---(yeah, I know, dont go there) this would be a perfect opportunity to test the worth of these products.

Does this mean you either have or are willing to generate a statistically significant number of leaky rivets to test?

 

[Bavafa]

I use to use Marine-tex a lot when I was into surfing to fix my boards. But Marine tex dries hard and does not stay flexible at all so I don't know how it will do in an application such as sealing a tank with all the vibration and flexing that it maybe subjected to.

 

[Mike S]

Does this mean you either have or are willing to generate a statistically significant number of leaky rivets to test?

At this time, only one rivet, but then I have not filled the tanks up all the way, only put in 5 gal. in, and so far, only let it sit in the left tank.

I am planning on using one of the products listed here, so far I am leaning to the PC 7------if there is more than one leaking rivet when the tanks get filled all the way, then I am going to try different products on each one, and will report back.

Right now, I am think the first step should be to get samples of each product, mix up a blob of each, and do a soak test in fuel to see how they react.

 

[turbo]

mike, if you want a sample of marine-tex let me know and ill send you out a sample as you like it. no problem. comes in dark gray or white.

 

[turbo]

I use to use Marine-tex a lot when I was into surfing to fix my boards. But Marine tex dries hard and does not stay flexible at all so I don't know how it will do in an application such as sealing a tank with all the vibration and flexing that it maybe subjected to.

with marine-tex you can mix it with more hardener and end up with a more flexible product. never done that though but i may try that on the next leaky rivet.

 

[Mike S]

mike, if you want a sample of marine-tex let me know and ill send you out a sample as you like it. no problem. comes in dark gray or white.

Yes, pleas do so.

I will PM you my address.

 

[Norman CYYJ]

You might want to put a slight vacuum on the tank to draw what ever product you choose in around the rivet. Don't over do it or you will collapse the tank.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

So is proseal.....

Yep.

Drain the tank, let it dry. Close off the tank vent, tape over the fuel cap, etc. Clean the leaker thoroughly.

Then spread a little thinned proseal over the leaker. Draw a slight vacuum to pull the proseal into the void(s) and leave the vacuum for a few minutes.

Turn off the vacuum source and walk away for several days - longer in cool weather.

 

[aerhed]

Drain the tank, let it dry. Close off the tank vent, tape over the fuel cap, etc. Clean the leaker thoroughly.

Then spread a little thinned proseal over the leaker. Draw a slight vacuum to pull the proseal into the void(s) and leave the vacuum for a few minutes.

Turn off the vacuum source and walk away for several days - longer in cool weather.

Same trick works on crankcase seam leaks except use loktite instead of proseal.