Painting aluminium masts

[jamied]

Hello I am looking for some advice in the procedure of painting ally masts.

I am planning to remove all the fixings and then get the masts glass blasted (apparently like a light sand). I have not painted with epoxy paints but have sprayed cars etc b4 with cellose paints

So the questions are:-

What primmer and paint should I use?
How many coats of primer and topcoat should I use?
What are the paint thinners etc do I use?
Also as outside do I need an air feed mask or just a good normal mask?

Thanks in advance for any info

Cheers Jamie

 

[alahol2]

If you are intending to remove all the fittings anyway, it could pay you to investigate getting the mast re-anodised. A friend had his done some years ago at what I thought was a very reasonable price at the time.

 

[jamied]

Thanks for the advice

not sure about this process but it a very long mast about 75 FT so differcult to move. The boat is at Dartside Quay, Nr Brixham

 

[William_H]

For my money it is not worth going to a lot of trouble to get a mirror finish on your mast. Mine gets scratched with paint damage from halliards spin pole etc such that I touch it up every winter with a brush using ordinary oil paint. No it doesn't look brilliant but then I can easily keep it looking tidy. The removal and refit of parts is well worth while to rplace the corrosion barrier. (Duralac) but I would just sand paper the corroded partsthen use a suitable primer. I got some Alodine from the aviation industry. for the first primer. i don't know if you can get it in UK it is painted on then after 30 mins washed off with water and leaves a gold/ brown stain.
Anyway my advice is don't go to a lot of expense taking it away for proffessional treatment. regards olewill (Sadly my history has been of breaking masts before they get really corroded.)

 

[Strathglass]

Alodine and Painting aluminium masts

Alodine is certainly used within the UK aircraft industry. I have just used some to protect some small aluminimium brackets for fixing a radar platform to an alloy mast.

I have no idea of the cost as my 'supplier' was an aircraft inspector from his spares box.

I agree with using Duralec if replacing fittings. A small tube seems to last for ever,

I have sucessfully sprayed an anodised mast

After cleaning and degreasing I sprayed the mast with 'Epifanes Washprimer AQ' .

This primer must be sprayed on as any brush marks will show on final coat. The primer relies on a mechanical bond and should not be sanded. Only one coat of the primer is required.

When the primer is dry (2 hrs - 14 days) the mast can then be sprayed with any two part polyurethene paint. Two coats should be adequate.

I use International paints they have a range of thinners for spraying two part paints including accelerators.
In the professional range, they could supply from over 60 colours although you have to wait a little time for delivery.
I have even used 709 for small jobs with the appropriate thinner. I use a 1.2mm nozle

If spraying two part paint observe the usual safety precautions. AN AIR MASK IS DEFINATELY REQUIRED.

Iain

 

[tugboat]

I had to do the mast on my last boat. After sanding it down, I appled an etch primer, followed by International Perfection 709 (undercoat & topcoat). This gives a good durable finish which can be easily touched up if necessary. I used white which looked good on my boat - not sure what range of colours is available. Previous comments about Duralac are endorsed.

 

[Blueboatman]

Did mine (twice !) in Florida using wash/acid etch/Imron 2part with lots of accelerator-The only problems were practical-using a high VOLUME compressor ,supporting and turning the mast ,and dew/condensation which flattened the sheen 1st time around,hence re doing it and buying expensive accelerator,as per the paint manufacturers recommendations! Duralac v. gd, some fittings broke on me ,especially cleats that had been added at some stage using self tapper s/steel screwws through alloy. Great opportunity to rewire and/or secure loose internal conduits or wires. 2 part paints are isocyanate (cyanide) so use positive ventilation ie a gentle breeze and a mask,at the very least .Looks fantastic when done though ,especially with matching boom .

 

[rjp]

Only just seen this one as been away for a while, but I did a forty foot mast a couple of weeks ago using International's paint recommendations. They are quite helpful if you call but on their Website they don't recommend painting a mast.

What they recommended was:

1 coat etch primer
4 coats Interprotect
2 coats Perfection undercoat
2 coats Perfection top coat.

I know you said you were going to spray, but in my case I started off brushing the Interprotect but did not find it gave a very good finish (it was also very warm that week), so went to using a foam roller. Anyone using a foam roller (the mini type suited my mast dimensions) needs to be aware that some seem to lose little bits of foam, especially as the paint starts to go off. Name brands seem a bit better so avoid the cheapy ones, it's annoying when you've spent a lot of money on paint to find little bits of debris in it. I'm surprised how quick it was to roller paint and the application rates I got corresponded quite closely to the published coverage rates. I found the data sheets available on the yachtpaint.com website invaluable for both working out quantities required and overcoating times. The latter are quite restrictive and I had to push some of the minimum times to get the job done as I was going away on the Sunday - I finished 10pm on the Saturday having started Monday. Miraculously it didn't rain all week as I was working outdoors. Having worked through these problems I am quite pleased with the final result.

John