Powder coat or anodize my solar frame

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Kita

I would consider a good quality epoxy paint & a good primer underneath. It's easy to touch up & will last almost as long as a powder coat & way cheeper.. to the fellow who thinks it's not needed? Don't know where you are but in the FL sun & salt bare aluminum pits up in no time here,some extruded aluminum is already anodized and that may be what they use to Mount Your solar panels and that stuff holds up better but once you weld it where it's welded there is no anodized stuff anymore so you need to do something with that but that's why they bolt or screw that stuff together and try to stay away from welding it.

Actually I do bolt all of the frames together on customers vessels .
I see I did forget to mention that you should start with high quality aluminum to begin with and as far as welds I just brush on a light coat of clear fingernail polish.
( remember that the color people recog use as aluminum is actually oxidized the actual color of pure tig welded aluminum is ashen white not shinny)

[bsurvey]

powder coating of tempered aluminum will change the composition of the aluminum because it is a heat treatment
either anodize or leave in alone.

[JOHNMARDALL]

Don't overlook the wonders of good old fashioned Carnauba wax, which like equally old fashioned aspirin (willow bark tea) is a miracle product by most standard.

Good luck

John Mardall
Vetus Maxwell Group

[jbinbi]

Originally Posted by Kita

I would consider a good quality epoxy paint & a good primer underneath. It's easy to touch up & will last almost as long as a powder coat & way cheeper.. to the fellow who thinks it's not needed? Don't know where you are but in the FL sun & salt bare aluminum pits up in no time here,some extruded aluminum is already anodized and that may be what they use to Mount Your solar panels and that stuff holds up better but once you weld it where it's welded there is no anodized stuff anymore so you need to do something with that but that's why they bolt or screw that stuff together and try to stay away from welding it.

any suggestions on the paint type/brand? I like this idea, simple for me to do! Inexpensive as well, and might work to prevent water from hitting the alum and corroding it.

[jmschmidt]

The surface of anodized aluminum will out last paint in most cases but it still conducts electricity. Painted aluminum will not. Salt and aluminum, even anodized aluminum, together make small batteries that eventually eat holes in the metal. 30yearslater mentioned a great idea, never heard of painting or power coating over anodized aluminum before and have it come out well, but if it works as he says that covers all the bases.

[Dave852]

Painted aluminum will look great for a while either polyurethane or powder coat but will fail eventually. Anodized is best practice and will look good for the longest, easy for small parts but a lot of effort for long parts. Bare aluminum will be some what of an eyesore but at least it will not be rotting under the paint. Guess it depends on how much effort/expense you want to put into the project and how long you need it to look good for.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[ur2slo]

Lots of the commercial fishing boats up this way in the PNW run aluminum tower's and gear.

Jus us stupid sail boaters use Stainless Steel , Bronze, $$$ and more $$$$ to doll things up...KISS always works..........

[ur2slo]

Originally Posted by newhaul

( remember that the color people recog use as aluminum is actually oxidized the actual color of pure tig welded aluminum is ashen white not shinny)

6061 T6

[ur2slo]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

any suggestions on the paint type/brand? I like this idea, simple for me to do! Inexpensive as well, and might work to prevent water from hitting the alum and corroding it.

Having painted many aircraft, I used Awlgrip, sprayed. BUT, you do need to acid etch and alodine it or you will fight adhesion....looks great holds up fairly well...IF you don't chip it or ding it with sumthin.

my 2 cents. that and a nickle will get u ....well 7 cents...

[thinwater]

I had a factory painted mast once. Great job.

But eventually you get a few tiny failures, and unlike raw or anodized aluminum, the corrosion concentrates in the one spot and digs. Better to have light, all-over oxidation.

Never again. Folks like the way it looks, but from a functions standpoint, in a marine environment, it is all bad.

I only paint interior aluminum.

[Jim Cate]

I do not know their secret, but I own a RIB with a powder coated hull. It is now 12 years old, with constant daily usage. It has heaps of scars where I have dragged it over rockl and other abrasive things... but the powder coating is fine in all the other areas. Not peeling, not chalking... I'm impressed!

The hull was manufactured by the Swift dinghy folks in Queensland. They seem to have their powder coating stuff together!

Jim

[JerseyJoe]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

any suggestions on the paint type/brand? I like this idea, simple for me to do! Inexpensive as well, and might work to prevent water from hitting the alum and corroding it.

I used two coats of Interlux Primecote after stripping, alumiprep and alodine prep, then two coats of Interlux Perfection. Looks very durable so far. It is not the cheapest paint, but cheaper and better than powdercoating which needs sandblasting usually for prep. I should only need to light sand after 5-6 years and add a third topcoat.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I suppose that this will sound kina old fashioned, but you could just paint the frame. With good undercoats and prep followed by some 2 pot polyurethane paint, it will look good and last quite a few years... and you can DiY!

Jim

Exactly what I did