[TowerTalk] Fiberglass life expectancy

[Roger (K8RI) on TT]

If you want an even coat from dipping, I think you'll find several coats 
of thinned paint will give a more even coat than one coat of unthinned.
I use a similar method for painting the inside of steel masts.  I weld a 
cap on one end, half fill with thinned Rustoleum, temporary cap the 
other end. Then roll the mast while tipping it, uncap, pour out the 
paint, and let set with open end much lower than capped end.  (both ends 
can be temporarily capped and then left open during use.

I just don't like open pipes as the wasps tend to use them for homes.  
They even managed to get in the exhaust for my shop heater last summer, 
So I fire it up a couple times a week at night to keep them cleaned out.

As for rust proofing, I weld caps on both ends, drill and tap the center 
of the cap on one end, put about a quarter of a can of LPS2 sprayed in, 
epoxy in a set screw flush, roll and tip as with the paint.  No welding 
after the LPS application. There may be enough air mixed with the 
solvent to blow an end cap off which is quite dangerous which is why I 
use the setscrew.

Fish eyes add character to antennas.

73, Roger (K8RI)

On 8/1/2017 Tuesday 7:26 PM, AA6DX - Mark wrote:
>
> Well -- here we go again.  Way to paint fiberglas pole is to purchase  
> a cheeeeep pvc pipe of adequate size, along with one end plugged -- 
> put paint in, dip pole/spreader .. pull out, drip dry, pour left over 
> paint back in container -- worky worky!  73  Mark AA6DX
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Clay Autery
> Sent: Monday, July 31, 2017 7:58 PM
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Fiberglass life expectancy
>
> I'd rather poke my eyes out than use a roller...  I invested in a NICE
> HVLP gun (body shop quality) a long time ago and built an air dryer
> system to hook to the compressor for all the tools and an extra module
> that additionally dries the paint gun air supply.
> And I have a tote with all the paint tarps to rig up a small paint
> booth.  Use some A/C fans I scrounged for exhaust venting...
>
> IF I couldn't use a spray gun, I'd rather use disposable cotton gloves
> over surgical gloves and put the paint on LITERALLY by hand...  We used
> to do this in the oilfield...  WAYYYYYYYYYYYY faster than a roller.
>
> 73,
>
> ______________________
> Clay Autery, KY5G
> MONTAC Enterprises
> (318) 518-1389
>
> On 7/31/2017 9:34 PM, Roger (K8RI) on TT wrote:
>> HVLP spraying is fairly efficient, but there is a learning curve and
>> the initial portion of the curve can be high waste. Depending on the
>> equipment, cleanup can be a royal PITA.  Inexpensive equipment may
>> have plastic parts that are vulnerable to paint thinners as benign as
>> Mineral Spirits) even though most paint requires little thinner when
>> used in HVLP guns.
>>
>> Personally I don't like the results with rollers on tubes and much
>> prefer the HVLP, EXCEPT being inherently lazy, I really dislike the
>> cleanup.
>>
>> 73, Roger (K8RI)
>>
>>
>
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-- 

73

Roger (K8RI)


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