Endless Small Parts Restoration

Part as removed from the fuselage

 

Blasted with 60 grit crushed glass media   good for heavy metal items as well as the fuselage

Primed with Stitts EP-420 Epoxy Primer

A finished part ready to install  -  Painted with series 50 epoxy paint

In the following posts I  will try to document the restoration of  the many parts that make up a Stinson 108.
I will show before and after pictures if possible and explain the processes I used to create the finished part.
There are a few different steps along the way depending on the original material of the part,  the gauge of the material and coatings or level of corrosion on the part .

The metal preparation process is crucial prior  to coating with an epoxy or urethane based primer and paint system.    

As I wrote earlier I am using Stits EP-420  two part  primer  exclusively on most of the parts especially those parts that will be coated with any of the Poly Tac and MEK during the covering process.

Additionally,  I am adding a coating of a light green coloured  series 50 - 2 part epoxy paint on the fuselage tubing and attached parts as an extra level of corrosion protection. 

Also I like clean look of the colour on the end product

The work  takes a lot of time and seems to be endless but soon I know I will be running out of parts to restore and then assembly will  start in earnest. 

These are Crucial Tools for this Project!

Sand/Soda and Bead Blasting Equipment and a Compressor capable of operating the equipment

This is the typical blast box from Harbor Freight in the US  - or Princess Auto in Canada   - they are identical except for the colour

If you buy one there are plenty of mods you can make to it  that will allow it to work well.

First -  you need a good source of cool dry high pressure air.   

In the following picture of my compressor you will see a inter cooler I built to extract the moisture and cool the air going to all my air operated tools but especially the bead/sand/soda  blasting equipment.

Second - before you use it: 

•  put a good light in the cabinet the one that is supplied is poor. I got  a double LED at Home Depo
• I cut the deck grate down in size to lower it in the cabinet allowing me to blast larger items.     -    On You Tube there is a video on how to do it

• I changed the pressure hose to a good  short airline I bought at Princess Auto.

• I changed the gun to an improved unit - Princess Auto  
• Then I  installed a swivel fitting on the gun hose which allowed much easier movement of the gun.
• Buy one of the cyclone vacuum systems available - when used with your shop vac it keeps the atmosphere in the box dust free so you can see the part and removes harmful small dust particles.

NOW IT WORKS OK ! 

But there are 50 other mods you can do to improve this unit and they are all on You Tube

The 40 lb Harbor Freight Sand Blast Pot

This is my Compressor setup with the water trap/ intercooler

Work on The Fuselage Continues

It has been a while  (January) since I have posted on this blog so in the next while I will try to get things up to date. 

I have been working steady and have got a lot done but cleaning & bead blasting small parts,  metal prepping,  alodine application,  priming etc is very time consuming.   

To scuff a coat of primer properly on the fuselage is almost a full days work and a bit like sanding a porcupine  with all the standoffs and tabs sticking out everywhere.

But perseverance pays off !   

I will now document the last couple of months work. 

Make sure you click read more below to see the entire entry!