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Priming RV-9 elevator skins

CaptPausert

Active Member
Anyone got any advice on a good way to hold open the elevator skins for an RV-9 while priming them? Need a good way to hold them open until the paint dries. I don't really want to sit there holding it open for 20 minutes each.

Thanks
 
I put clecos in the trailing edge then used some wire wrapped around the cleko and pulled the wire to a nail in the wall to hold it open. I somehow secured the bottom down, can't remember how.
 
Wires holding the bottom down and top open.
 

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Will the skin stand on it's end? Maybe don't hold it open at all, just stand it up?

(Although I tend to agree with "It's Alclad, don't bother priming it" personally. The inside won't get much abuse...
 
Lots of clamps! Some scrap wood to clamp to, and don't be afraid to spread it wide open.

You'll need to rig up something like this when you start riveting in order to get good access.

IMG_7230-M.jpg
 
My 1957 182 was destroyed by a tornado, when I cut it up for scrap I found absolutely no corrosion in the untreated interior surfaces but do what makes you happy.
 
I really didn't intend to restart the primer wars when I asked about a way to hold the skins open but here is my two cents from my job as an engineer on the USAF T-6 trainer program (and thanks for the pictures)

On the T-6 program and several other USAF programs we have found that corrosion on airframes is highly location and operation dependent. The aircraft based on the coast Corpus christi, Pensacola etc. have very heavy corrosion issues and the ones inland only have minor issues for the most part. If you are ever planning on operating near the coast I would highly recommend priming as the salt in the air really can cause a lot of problems. If you live away from the coast and keep the plane hangered it isn't as much of an issue. I like going fishing in the ocean so I am planning a lot of trips down to the gulf so that is why I am priming.

As far as counting on alclad is concerned. The alclad layer on a 0.032" skin can be anywhere from 0.001"-0.0048" thick. with the target being around 0.0016" Any scratches on the sheet will go right through the alclad layer. And if you use scotch-brite to remove the scratches you just removed the alclad in that location. One of the issues we found is that a lot of the corrosion is found where parts mate together and isn't visible during regular inspections.
 
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