Should I clear coat my mast?

[docrn]

I have the mast in my backyard on saw horses right now. I have removed the winches , yacht cleats, track, everything. Did a test stip with some Jabsco paint remover and it looks like it will remove all of the flaking paint with ease. After the paint is removed I'll wet sand it to remove the small scratches from the last owner who used a wire brush to remove the old paint.

My question is when it is stripped down to the bare aluminum should I apply a non-ferrous clear coat or just leave it bare aluminum? My concern is oxidation if it isn't coated. Also cosidering clear powder coat too as there is a powder coating company with a huge oven close by.

[poopdeckpappy]

powder coat it, but go with the aluminum color coat first

[JimsCAL]

It really can't be left untreated. The usual is either anodized or painted. A two-part polyurethane is the way I would go.

[tommays]

The powder coat oven is to HOT and will affect the temper of the mast extrusion

[slippery]

Originally Posted by tommays

The powder coat oven is to HOT and will affect the temper of the mast extrusion

Yes they cure at around 180 - 200 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

With Alloy the best thing to dois folllow the aviation industry guidlines for painting Alloy. this has been adopted world wide as the best system for alloy .

they recomend the best primers as being Zinc Chromate and thus you could brush or spray this product (at a very low film buid as per instructions) or even better dip the mast into the Powder Coaters Pre treatment bath /system (if tanks are long enough) to get the whole mast done with the best system you can get.

Then spray paint using a polyurethane finish coat system, preferabley with a epoxy underecoat between.

Powdercoating with a polyester powder coat is aexcellent option when put over a alloy pre treatment but i am not sure of the heat effects on your mast with regard to temper tolerance?

[tommays]

They get closer to 400 f as i have had small particles of brazing flux bubble that were missed in prep work

[poopdeckpappy]

Originally Posted by tommays

The powder coat oven is to HOT and will affect the temper of the mast extrusion

Not really, ovens are temp controlled like anyother oven and powder coats range from a 125 deg - 400+ deg cure rate, I would look into the 125-130deg/xx min cure range

[slippery]

Originally Posted by tommays

They get closer to 400 f as i have had small particles of brazing flux bubble that were missed in prep work

Yeah! i was talking Degree's C not F.

Different powder coatings have different cure.

some low cure technology will cure down to 140C and there is also new IR UV cure ovens that heat prdoucts that will cure powder on MDF Wood.

I have seen masts done befoe without issue but have heard of masts that have had problems.

[docrn]

So I wonder what the max temp the mast could handle?

[tommays]

Think about transport




I spray painted BUT it takes some serious skill as the marine paint is a PITA compared to auto paint and it is NASTY STUFF






Its a NIGHTMARE getting it back up without dinging your paint job and it was about 1000% more work than i thought and i get payed to paint stuff

I had ONE bicycle frame powered coated never again as you cant do any touch up or repiar