Corrosion from sweat... :(

danielhv · Post by **danielhv** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 8:43 pm

Ok, so I was cleaning around the hangar today, getting ready to open the fuse box, and I rolled my wing cradle around to get it out of the way. I noticed big white splotches all over the top and bottom skins around the wing walk area. It dawned on me... it was 105 degrees F when I was riveting this area... I was sweating pretty good. I used a paper towel to wipe it off, and I guess I just smeared it as opposed to soaking it all up. Now, its a permanent decoration on my wing skins! What do I do?

I'd hate the thought of having to stop the build to have to sand and prime these wings. Will the stuff spread like the plague if I do nothing? I really expected the Alclad to hold up a little better... I dunno. Just kinda disappointed.

The wings (and rest of the build) is in a hangar because I live in an apartment. Its not climate controlled or anything, but its also not like im living on the coast or anything. (Little Rock, AR).

The affected section of the wings was done back in early summer... so its not like they have been sitting years.

Suggestions?

Post by **Spike** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 8:21 am

You should be able to clean it off with a scothbrite pad if its not
too bad, which I would suspect its not. After that a quick touch with
a can of rattle primer would be appropriate. It really shouldn't take
that much effort.

Spike

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Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:23 am

When I was done working on an area of my plane I used to wipe it down with isopropyl alcohol on a soft cloth to remove fingerprints, sweat, etc.
The alcad should be plenty of protection until you prime/paint it so long as the surface remains clean and free of contaminants.

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:07 pm

I have some spots like that on the side of my fuselage from leaning in to it while standing on the wing...leg sweat. Won't wipe off, and the only way to get rid of it is to do like Spike says...Scotchbrite it away if you want to. I'm not all that worried about it, but I do keep an eye on it to see if it gets worse. I'll be painting or polishing at some point, and it'll go away.