X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:18:51 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from imr-da02.mx.aol.com ([205.188.105.144] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.4.6) with ESMTP id 5646219 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 10 Jul 2012 18:04:55 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=205.188.105.144; envelope-from=rwolf99@aol.com Received: from mtaomg-db03.r1000.mx.aol.com (mtaomg-db03.r1000.mx.aol.com [172.29.51.201]) by imr-da02.mx.aol.com (8.14.1/8.14.1) with ESMTP id q6AM4Jki004909 for ; Tue, 10 Jul 2012 18:04:19 -0400 Received: from core-dqe003a.r1000.mail.aol.com (core-dqe003.r1000.mail.aol.com [172.29.162.73]) by mtaomg-db03.r1000.mx.aol.com (OMAG/Core Interface) with ESMTP id 79860E000086 for ; Tue, 10 Jul 2012 18:04:19 -0400 (EDT) X-Original-To: lml@lancaironline.net Subject: Re: Header Tank X-MB-Message-Source: WebUI X-MB-Message-Type: User MIME-Version: 1.0 From: rwolf99@aol.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="--------MB_8CF2CFF16C0B642_1CB0_1B1AC9_webmail-m010.sysops.aol.com" X-Mailer: AOL Webmail 36542-STANDARD Received: from 216.55.58.138 by webmail-m010.sysops.aol.com (64.12.101.93) with HTTP (WebMailUI); Tue, 10 Jul 2012 18:04:19 -0400 X-Original-Message-Id: <8CF2CFF16B26DF6-1CB0-7E184@webmail-m010.sysops.aol.com> X-Originating-IP: [216.55.58.138] X-Original-Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 18:04:19 -0400 (EDT) x-aol-global-disposition: G X-AOL-SCOLL-SCORE: 0:2:480330560:93952408 X-AOL-SCOLL-URL_COUNT: 0 x-aol-sid: 3039ac1d33c94ffca6e3760f This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ----------MB_8CF2CFF16C0B642_1CB0_1B1AC9_webmail-m010.sysops.aol.com Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Another vote for Jeffco fuel tank sealer. Fundamentally there should be no= problem with regular epoxy, but I think the Jeffco is a little more flexib= le and therefore a better sealant, but what do I know? Not that much, in t= his case.=20 But ... Jeffco fuel tank sealer *is* epoxy resin. It is called a =E2=80=9C= high solids content epoxy=E2=80=9D and I have *no* clue what that means. B= ut it=E2=80=99s easy to use, a lot of Lancairs have been built using is, it= seems to work, and it=E2=80=99s not particularly expensive as airplane epo= xy goes. It's also opaque, which helps in the application process. It rev= eals defects (thin coats, pinholes) more readily than a clear epoxy would. =20 A couple of things, though. Put on one coat, then wait a little bit (maybe= 30 minutes?) until the surface is starting to get tacky. Add a second coa= t. This will cover the inevitable pinholes, and if you wait until the firs= t coat fully sets up, then you=E2=80=99ll have to wait for it to fully cure= , then scuff/sand and apply a second coat. Of course, waiting, sanding and= coming back for a second coat is acceptable as well. It=E2=80=99s just a = bunch more work. =20 If you want, you could probably dab the sealer locally where you see the pi= nholes, instead of a full second coat. But my thinking was that there may = be an =E2=80=9Calmost erupted=E2=80=9D pinhole, not yet visible, that will = result in a really thin epoxy shell locally, which is likely to fracture an= d leak over time. So the safe course is to apply two coats. As I recall, = that's what the manual recommends, too, but I did this back in 2001 so I do= n't remember *all* of the details! =20 Also, the vertical surfaces will need extra attention. The sealant will te= nd to run down the vertical surfaces and you will see that it becomes rathe= r thin. You will probably want to be there brushing on more sealant, or br= ushing the slumping stuff back into position, until it starts to cure. (Th= is was more of an issue for the wings than the header tank, as I recall) =20 Like Randy, I brushed on a coat on the floor where hydraulic fluid will lea= k someday. I also did a coat on the underside of the wheel wells. The upp= er surface of the inside of my wheel wells is untreated. I did not do the = inside of the cowling. In all of these non-tank places, you only need one = coat. Pinholes don=E2=80=99t really matter there. You just want to contai= n the spill until you can wipe it up. You don=E2=80=99t want to contain th= e fluid permanently. =20 Good luck! =20 - Rob Wolf =20 p.s. Jeffco Fuel Tank sealer is apparently FDA approved! It turns out that= it=E2=80=99s used to seal large food containers, or so I have been told=E2= =80=A6 ----------MB_8CF2CFF16C0B642_1CB0_1B1AC9_webmail-m010.sysops.aol.com Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8"
Another vote for Jeffco fuel tank sealer.  Fundament= ally there should be no problem with regular epoxy, but I think the Jeffco = is a little more flexible and therefore a better sealant, but what do I kno= w?  Not that much, in this case.
 
But ... Jeffco fuel tank sealer *is* epoxy resin.  It is called a =E2=80=9Chigh solids= content epoxy=E2=80=9D and I have *no* clue what that means.  But it=E2=80=99s easy to use, a lot of = Lancairs have been built using is, it seems to work, and it=E2=80=99s not p= articularly expensive as airplane epoxy goes.  It's also opaque, which= helps in the application process.  It reveals defects (thin coats, pi= nholes) more readily than a clear epoxy would.
 
A couple of things, though.  Put on one coat, then wait a little bit (maybe 30 minutes= ?) until the surface is starting to get tacky.  Add a second coat.&nbs= p; This will cover the inevitable pinholes, and if you wait until th= e first coat fully sets up, then you=E2=80=99ll have to wait for it to full= y cure, then scuff/sand and apply a second coat.  Of course, waiting, sanding and coming back for a seco= nd coat is acceptable as well.  It=E2=80=99s just a bunch more work.
 
If you want, you could probably dab the sealer locally wh= ere you see the pinholes, instead of a full second coat.  But my thinking was that there may be an =E2= =80=9Calmost erupted=E2=80=9D pinhole, not yet visible, that will result in= a really thin epoxy shell locally, which is likely to fracture and leak ov= er time.  So the safe course = is to apply two coats.  As I recall, that's what the manual recommends= , too, but I did this back in 2001 so I don't remember *all* of the details= !
 
Also, the vertical surfaces will need extra attention.  The sealant will tend to run d= own the vertical surfaces and you will see that it becomes rather thin.  You will probably want to be th= ere brushing on more sealant, or brushing the slumping stuff back into posi= tion, until it starts to cure.  (This was more of an issue for the wings than the header tank, as I reca= ll)
 
Like Randy, I brushed on a coat on the floor where hydrau= lic fluid will leak someday.  I also did a coat on the underside of the wheel wells.  The upper surface of the inside of my wheel wel= ls is untreated.  I did not d= o the inside of the cowling.  In all of these non-tank places, you only need one coat.  Pinholes don=E2=80=99t really matter there. <= SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> You just want to contain the = spill until you can wipe it up.  You don=E2=80=99t want to contain the fluid permanently.
 
Good luck!
 
- Rob Wolf
 
p.s. Jeffco Fuel Tank sealer is apparently FDA approved!<= SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  It turns out that it=E2=80= =99s used to seal large food containers, or so I have been told=E2=80=A6
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