Flaperon Spars Dimpled And Primed

Knowing there will not be many more days in the low 50’s, decided to dimple and prime the flaperon spars. The dimpling went rather fast and I was able to set the pneumatic squeezer on the bench at the perfect angle for dimpling the flaperon spars without needing to hold its weight … the right elbow is still complaining about the abuse it took during the marathon wing skin dimpling sessions.

                                             Using the pneumatic squeezer to dimple one of the flaperon spars.

After the spars were dimpled, went ahead and began dimpling the aft flaperon skins after a quick deburring.

                                        Using the pneumatic squeezer to dimple one of the aft flaperon skins.

The “winter” primer came from Aircraft Spruce on Tuesday so decided to try it out on the flaperon’s  spars and nose skins.  Aircraft Spruce stocks the PTI chromate primer (which the data sheet says will work as low as 40 degrees) in two colors a dark gray/green and yellow. I chose the yellow … yep, it’s bright to be sure. However, it is possible to order custom colors and I thought about custom ordering a shade that matched the Akzo primer used up to this point … but knowing there were 50 degree days today and tomorrow for priming I did not want to wait for custom colors.

One can of the PTI chromate primer painted both flaperon spars, four small brackets and one of the flaperon nose skins. It comes out of the can nicely and is easily applied in a thin coat. The DOG Aviation procurement department purchased a neat spray can holder at Home Depot and aircraft supply made by Rust-Oleum  ... which I’m happy to report, worked wonderfully. It has a good feel and nice trigger which makes using a spray can feel more like using a spray gun … plus, there is no paint on the fingers nor the customary large dent in the finger from depressing the paint nozzle.

                             PTI chromate primer and the new spray can holder from Rust-Oleum which works great.

All the flaperon nose skins are now primed and the plan is to finish priming the aft flaperon skins Thanksgiving morning which will be the last of the 50 degree days ... according to the extended forecast, we are headed into the 30's at least for the next ten days. If that happens as planned all of the RV-12’s wing components will be primed.