Primer
After reading way too much info and opinion on primers, I decided to go with Aircraft Finishing Systems’ one-part water-based primer/sealer. My primary concern is my 7-year-old daughter who lives in the house connected to my garage. I don’t want zinc chromate or other nasty metals/chemicals getting even close to her. Plus, I love the idea of water clean up. I do live in a wet climate (Seattle) and plan on flying out to the ocean where my parents live fairly often. However, I think this primer will hold up fine for the 10-20 years that I’ll own this plane. It doesn’t need to last until the end of time.
I called AFS to order the primer. I talked to a great person on the phone, who gave me lots of useful info. The aluminum first needs to be cleaned. You can either use their high strength cleaner, lacquer thinner, or Dawn. I decided to just use Dawn. She said to make sure all of the soap is washed off. Next step is the AFS cleaner/etch. She recommended spraying that on with a spray bottle and scrubbing with a Scotch-brite pad. Let that dry, but spray the primer within 2 hours. For the primer, make sure it is the right viscosity. She is sending me a viscosity cup. After stirring the primer (there will be solids on the bottom), stick the cup in the paint. Pull it out and see how long it takes for it start dripping out. It should be about 22 seconds. If it takes longer, thin with distilled water. She also recommended getting just a quart vs. a gallon. If the building process takes longer than I think, the primer can end up going bad on the shelf. It has a shelf-life of one year.