Here is a related question. My Imron-painted aluminum mast and boom has the
usual assortment of fittings and attachment methods typically found on a
twenty-year-old boat now on it's fourth or fifth owner. For the most part
the paint is in good condition, (and stainless bolts protected with TefGel
or similar) but here and there next to older stainless fittings, or around a
weld there are the usual smaller-than-a-pea pustules of corrosion. Sooner or
later I plan to have the entire mast repainted professionally but in the
meantime what is the best etch/prime/paint touchup method to minimize
continuing damage? I assume there is a more or less standard sequence and
bill of materials used by aircraft or aluminum boat maintenance shops. Any
suggestions re online or local vendors would be much appreciated.

Scott
S/V Itchen

Brian Whatcott brought forth on stone tablets:
On 27 May 2007 10:55:18 -0700, CB wrote:



Time will tell.. I'm sure it's fine for the application. Thanks for
everyone's comments, especially those regarding the aluminum riv-nuts.
I will look into those for next time.

Cheers,

-CB


Riv-nuts cost peanuts and go on with a pop rivet gun.

But if you were paranoid about electrolytic corrosion, there is a
species of rubber expanding nut with an internal metal threaded
insert. That might suit some low strength applications too.


Indeed. These are commonly used (or were...) for mounting air
conditioner condensers in cars, where galvanic corrosion is also a
problem. Unfortunately, however, the only ones I have seen have the
threaded insert made of brass. Not a good choice in a marine environment.

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle

Brian Whatcott wrote:
On Sun, 27 May 2007 20:26:14 -0400, Dan "dhapp-at-wmis,net" wrote:

Brian Whatcott wrote:

Aluminum riv-nuts are easily obtained, easily fitted, and reasonably
replaceable when the time comes. Screw a SS screw into a riv-nut
Brian, do you have a link to a source for these riv-nuts? I can't seem
to find them.

I googled "riv-nut" for 30,000 hits.
I googled "riv-nut supplier" for 3000 hits.
Here is one of them. It has a cross-section diagram to give you the
idea

http://www.cardinalcomponents.com/fasteners.htm

Brian Whatcott Altus OK
I see that now. I must have had an blond moment. Thanks for the link,
Dan

On Tue, 29 May 2007 19:51:53 -0400, Dan "dhapp-at-wmis,net" wrote:

....
I see that now. I must have had an blond moment. Thanks for the link,
Dan


I'm so envious: wish *I* could have a blond moment,
or brown, black or gray. I specialize in pink moments. so to
speak.....

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

Scott wrote:

Here is a related question. My Imron-painted aluminum mast and boom has the
usual assortment of fittings and attachment methods typically found on a
twenty-year-old boat now on it's fourth or fifth owner. For the most part
the paint is in good condition, (and stainless bolts protected with TefGel
or similar) but here and there next to older stainless fittings, or around a
weld there are the usual smaller-than-a-pea pustules of corrosion. Sooner or
later I plan to have the entire mast repainted professionally but in the
meantime what is the best etch/prime/paint touchup method to minimize
continuing damage? I assume there is a more or less standard sequence and
bill of materials used by aircraft or aluminum boat maintenance shops. Any
suggestions re online or local vendors would be much appreciated.

Scott
S/V Itchen




A moisture cured urethane - and best would be an aluminum filled
moisture cured urethane.

paul oman
progressive epoxy polymers