Painting a prop

[PabloPicasso]

How do you paint a bronze prop? What's the preparation, under coat, top coat etc? Will painting reduce galvanic corrosion?

 

[vyv_cox]

Abrade, prime with Hammerite non-ferrous primer, antifoul with Velox. Two seasons like this now, absolutely no fouling on the prop. I suggested painting to reduce the likelihood of galvanic corrosion. There are many precedents to suggest that it will work but I don't know definitely for props.

 

[Halo]

As always vyv has given some great advice. In this case i think when he says "Hammerite" he means "Hammerite Special Metals Primer"
cheers
Martin

 

[JumbleDuck]

I took mine to bare metal, got it nice and shiny and then applied four coats of Trilux from a can. Last year I got a very few barnacles near the hub; so far this year the prop is, as far as I can tell, completely clean. There was no particular intent behind the lack of primer. I just didn't have any handy.

 

[PabloPicasso]

Maybe no primer is not a great plan if preventing galvanic corrosion is the goal? What do the panel think?

 

[Tranona]

Trilux (the same antifoul coating for the saildrive housing) should stick well if you get the prop clean enough and use the primer - although I did my prop from new without the primer and it stayed on. However, although it will reduce fouling, not sure it will have any impact on corrosion - but worth a try. Make sure you do not get any on the anodes and that the connecting faces between the anodes and the hub are completely clean as the anodes will not work if they have paint on them. Remember your prop will not corrode if you have anodes - they will go first so you will only know if the paint works when the anodes are gone.

 

[fishermantwo]

Abrade, prime with Hammerite non-ferrous primer, antifoul with Velox. Two seasons like this now, absolutely no fouling on the prop. I suggested painting to reduce the likelihood of galvanic corrosion. There are many precedents to suggest that it will work but I don't know definitely for props.
]

Thanks for that. I have sent off an email to Velox to see if they have an Australian distributor.

 

[rubbishman]

Looks good,I was wondering why hammerite instead of their inhouse primer. thanks colin.

Abrade, prime with Hammerite non-ferrous primer, antifoul with Velox. Two seasons like this now, absolutely no fouling on the prop. I suggested painting to reduce the likelihood of galvanic corrosion. There are many precedents to suggest that it will work but I don't know definitely for props.

 

[vyv_cox]

Looks good,I was wondering why hammerite instead of their inhouse primer. thanks colin.

Because I had a full tin of it. The photo shows the prop before pressure washing after a season afloat in Greece. compare with the rope cutter which was not painted. The A/F was four coats, as recommended, but it seemed to me that it finished up somewhat thick, accounting for the chipping off in the typical cavitation places. This year I abraded the A/F and applied two new coats, no primer. Chipping was a lot less and fouling was again non-existent.

 

[PabloPicasso]

What primer? Should I use an etch primer first, then primer like primacon, prior to anti foul?

 

[vyv_cox]

See post #2. Hammerite non-ferrous primer/special metals primer has excellent adhesion. No point in etch primer on brass/manganese bronze, it won't do anything.

 

[wazza]

After using Hammerite non-ferrous primer/special metals primer can one slap on any anti foul??

I've tried so many different ways of stopping barnacles attaching themselves to our bronze folding prop to no avail..

 

[Tranona]

After using Hammerite non-ferrous primer/special metals primer can one slap on any anti foul??

I've tried so many different ways of stopping barnacles attaching themselves to our bronze folding prop to no avail..

I have found Trilux (which does have its own primer) effective. Also use it on the saildrive housing. As I said earlier sprayed it on the bronze prop when new without primer as an experiment. No barnacles after 15 months in the water so cleaned and sprayed again.