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Baffle paint

wirejock

Well Known Member
Time to spray something on the baffles.
I was going to spray P60G2. It's light and easy to see cracks. Would a 2K Epoxy primer would be better?
What paint did you use?
 
I paint the engine baffles with the same PPG single stage urethane that I use for the interior. Medium gray for most, dark gray for the panel and stuff like the baffles. It goes over the same PPG DP-40LF epoxy primer I use for everything.

20 years on the first RV project the paint looks like new.

Carl
 
Rattle-can high-temp paint. I wanted some corrosion protection but it never seemed worth it to me to get fancier than that under the hood (and still got that award at Oshkosh).
 
I also used used high temp rattle can paint. It has a texture, so touch-ups don’t show, and are easy. Looks good all the time. Protects the alclad metal (which doesn’t need protection), but looks good, and that’s the only reason we do it, right? So that in the unusual circumstance when our cowling is off in public, people will see it and think it’s cool. That’s why I do it. Plus, it pleases ME and is cheap and easy to do, and costs maybe 8 bucks at Home Depot.
 
I powder-coated the baffles on my C180 and now, 700+ hours on them, in one or two areas, the paint has delaminated from the aluminum. I plan to polish the baffles on my RV-3B.

Dave
 
I'm going to Alodine mine. I will use the Bonderite M-CR 1001 Aero. Thats the clear version. Corrosion protection and I like the smooth clear finish it leaves.

These wheel pant brackets have been clear Alodined. These have been handled and are a bit smudged but they wipe clean easily.
 

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Raw aluminum on mine but if you are aiming at a Lindy cover them up with something. Unpainted baffles will look ugly after a decade of flying.
 
I'm going to Alodine mine. I will use the Bonderite M-CR 1001 Aero. Thats the clear version. Corrosion protection and I like the smooth clear finish it leaves.

These wheel pant brackets have been clear Alodined. These have been handled and are a bit smudged but they wipe clean easily.

Similar here; etched then iridite. Left it in extra long to get that deep gold color. 16 years and over a 1000 hours and still looks good.
 
Rustoleum Professional in the large rattle cans is surprisingly good. Dries fast, but takes a couple weeks to fully cure, then it's pretty bulletproof.

I put in on over Akzo.
 
Didn't consided that one. There are a lot of parts.
Did you assemble everything then powdercoat?

I had all the individual parts powder coated (as well as some other FWF parts like the oil cooler mount pieces) and then just followed the plans. However, I have since removed the engine (twice actually) and removed the baffle sections (quarters) largely intact.
 

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I painted mine with rattle can rustoleum engine enamel that's supposed to "withstand intermittent high heat and resists oil, gas, grease" whatever that means for baffling. Of course the first thing that happened afterward is I got a nice big scratch on the air filter box flange. Not sure it's worth it, but it wasn't a hassle since I painted them before installing.
 
P60G2

I decided to spray everything with P60G2. It's cold up here. Too cold to shoot epoxy or rattle can. I can shoot P60G2 in some serious cold without problems. I have sprayed it down to 32°. Today was 50°. It sets up so fast parts can be sprayed then flipped, sprayed then carried inside without any concerns. Both sides of all the parts were done in less than an hour. I suppose time will tell if it survives the engine environment.

By the way, the Harbor Fright Black Widow HTE is one heck of a paint gun. It lays paint down so even and smooth.
20220314_144549.jpg
 
No paint. Raw aluminum. Looks great. No weight. No care.
I don't disagree with your minimalist approach. But weight? Bare aluminum baffles end up oxidizing after the clad wears off (if they were even clad to start with). If someone pulls cowl and you sew painted baffles that matches the engine, it would look more finished, impressive. Is it worth the time? Well not practically but if it makes you happy go for it.

If you go for an upper plenum over the engine, I have seen builders use this as a canvas, for fancy art work. You only see it with cowl off but it is cool. Even just painting the baffles or plenum (typically composite) makes it look better.

DanH photo
Plenum%20Lid%20Ver1.JPG
 
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Plenum inlets

I don't disagree with your minimalist approach. But weight? Bare aluminum baffles end up oxidizing after the clad wears off (if they were even clad to start with). If someone pulls cowl and you sew painted baffles that matches the engine, it would look more finished, impressive. Is it worth the time? Well not practically but if it makes you happy go for it.

If you go for an upper plenum over the engine, I have seen builders use this as a canvas, for fancy art work. You only see it with cowl off but it is cool. Even just painting the baffles or plenum (typically composite) makes it look better.

DanH photo...snip...

Dan
How do you connect between the plenum and the cowl inlets?
What are the rings at the openings of the plenum?
I was planning to fabricate neoprene (wet suit) socks.
Love the idea of airbrushing the plenum. That would look really cool. Also a good project for cold weather down time someday. If I ever get this lady finished!:D
 
Dan
How do you connect between the plenum and the cowl inlets?
(Normally as you know flexible tubes often made from neoprene, ie wetsuit material. Not 100% sure how Dan did it, but he is very active on the forum and likely posted it or be glad to answer. I know of another builder who made the whole diffuser (black part in Dan's picture) out of thick rubber (in a mold process) vs. ridged diffuser and flexible tube between diffuser and cowl. The rubber diffuser "boot" was flexible yet ridged enough to attach to the baffling/plenum. It was a lot of work to fab.)

What are the rings at the openings of the plenum?
(Those fit into the cowl which has a groove, NOT permanently bonded just are seated, and held by top/bottom cowl.)

I was planning to fabricate neoprene (wet suit) socks.
(That is what I did, I called a wetsuit repair shop and they made them from scrap wetsuit leg/arm.)

Love the idea of airbrushing the plenum. That would look really cool. Also a good project for cold weather down time someday. If I ever get this lady finished!:D
(Wish I could've found plane I saw on Web years ago and photo of the plenum. The plenum "dog house roof" was truly a work of art. The guy is a professional painter/airbrush artiest, New Zealand or Australia I recall, who built an RV.)

Yes Sir. Dan rolled his own but this is similar to the Sam James Cowl/Plenum.
 
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Larry,

I just primed mine where the connections are made like everywhere else on my plane using the SEM rattle can etch primer. Gives it that industrial, rat rod look I'm going for. That way, all the dents I put in the AL when I wasn't paying attention will look like they are supposed to be there. :rolleyes:
 
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