Deck corrosion

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Wbdisco
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Deck corrosion

Post by Wbdisco » Sat Nov 10, 2018 1:34 pm

Is there anyway short of media blasting to strip magnesium oxide off to prime a deck? How is using a sander or chemicals? I hate usin aircraft stripper, especially since it’s cold now. You guys have any tricks up your sleeves?


muleman7
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Re: Deck corrosion

Post by muleman7 » Tue Nov 13, 2018 8:38 am

Below are a few Web Sites for Magnesium Prep and Painting

http://www.vintagebonanza.com/prep_magn ... inting.htm

On the following page click to download Mil-M-3171C 11 July 1966

Aldine Magnesium Treatment Kit Publication

http://www.associatedindustriesinc.com/ ... KIT-ds.pdf

Site to purchase this kit OUCH!

https://www.skygeek.com/henkel-598970-a ... t-kit.html

Another Site to purchase and scroll to bottom of article to Documentation: to download Process Instructions

http://www.chemical-supermarket.com/Mag ... -p421.html

I have all the articles downloaded as a PDF but unable to upload into my Album. Contact me via E-Mail and I will attach to my Reply
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Grummanflyer
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Re: Deck corrosion

Post by Grummanflyer » Tue Nov 13, 2018 4:24 pm

If you are removing the old paint, these would be used after that is done. If it's really just oxide, sanding is probably all you need. The products Charles is refering to are used to give the metal some "tooth" for the chromate primer at attach it's self to. Usually applied to mag and aluminum aircraft surfaces that are pretty smooth. There are not too many choices short of grit blasting or chemical stripping the old paint off and even chem stripping will not get every single bit off. Grit blasting will produce the quickest results but it is a little difficult. That chemical stripper is a pain, burns your hands or any thing it touches, and has to be washed away with great care or it will lay under the paint and continue to eat and believe me, that gets very ugly. BT,DT (been there, done that)

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Wbdisco
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Re: Deck corrosion

Post by Wbdisco » Wed Nov 14, 2018 3:10 am

Thanks for the info. So far I am really just trying to get rid of the oxide. The mule sat in my grandfathers barn for years and the places the paint had worn off was covered in magnesium oxide. Overall the deck is rough, I am just trying to get it cleaned up the best I can to throw some paint on it. I have done some paint removal and painting of aluminum on some old Land rovers, so it isn’t too different minus he flammable dust. I was just trying to not take too much of the base metal while stripping the chips and oxide off. So far I was just using some scotchbrite pads on a grinder, moving real light. Now that it is cold the chemical stripping is kind of out of the question in an enclosed garage. So are y’all saying that I need to pre treat the metal before using a self-etching primer?

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Re: Deck corrosion

Post by Chuck W. » Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:26 am

To me, it really depends on how much time, effort and money you want to spend. The mag decks are usually so rough anyway, I'd just go over it lightly with a scotchbrite disc, give it an immediate cleaning and prime with zinc chromate. You can overcoat with whatever OD you use. You may have to do it again in 4-5 years, but that's just the nature of the magnesium. You can spend a ton of money on products to try to encapsulate the magnesium or just spend a little time every few years doing paint maintenance. Good luck with your project and please post photos, we all love photos!

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Re: Deck corrosion

Post by Wbdisco » Sun Nov 18, 2018 1:54 pm

Here is what I’m starting with. I removed the engine, rails, and some data plates. There are numerous holes in the deck, two look like holes to mount a passenger seat back, others are just holes I guess. Engine is on the table, I’m going to be ordering some cylinders and pistons from John Emery soon.
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muleman7
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Re: Deck corrosion

Post by muleman7 » Mon Nov 19, 2018 7:57 am

Looking at the pics I see 2 positions for your seat back, 4 holes in the right rear of the deck for a muffler and a modified transmission housing for the 2cyl starter. From this: it was originally a M274-A1 that was converted to a 2cyl and is now a M274-A4. What does your data plate on the side show? Sorry someone cut the bed support to allow the mounting of a VW starter no good way of welding that back in without pieces from another deck. You could inset aluminum strips on the inside of the cut area and then fill with bondo or fiberglass to hid cut. Then you will need to purchase another stater.
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Re: Deck corrosion

Post by Auto Shop teacher » Tue Jan 22, 2019 6:11 am

What is that thick white coating on the top of the deck? It almost appears to me like bondo body filler sprayed on. I have several mule decks with the same treatment, is this on all mules?

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Re: Deck corrosion

Post by muleman7 » Tue Jan 22, 2019 8:45 am

It appears to be corrosion due to exposed uncoated magnesium.

For an in-depth article see:

https://www.intechopen.com/books/magnes ... ium-alloys

A Thread on Magnesium Alloys covering Prep and Coating see:

https://www.arboristsite.com/community/ ... oys.71834/

An Article on CHEMEON Pretreatment & Conversion Coating for Magnesium Alloys:

https://chemeon.com/wp-content/uploads/ ... Alloys.pdf

These are a few of the articles found on the Internet.
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Re: Deck corrosion

Post by B8B » Tue Aug 20, 2019 9:29 pm

Wbdisco wrote:
Sun Nov 18, 2018 1:54 pm
Here is what I’m starting with. I removed the engine, rails, and some data plates. There are numerous holes in the deck, two look like holes to mount a passenger seat back, others are just holes I guess. Engine is on the table, I’m going to be ordering some cylinders and pistons from John Emery soon.

A37FF686-7B93-4234-9677-0C2FA27A297D.jpeg
I'm working with a similar situation with my 'FrankenMule' (an A3 with lots of parts from other models). It was used as a work vehicle and has lots of holes in it, mostly small ones. So I'm using my favorite technique of using "J-B Stik Weld", a gray epoxy clay that hardens to a sandable finish.

I'm grinding out the holes with a Dremel tool, wiping it clean with acetone, then shoving a glob of J-B Stik into the hole. If I can get to the underside, I push some back up to create a ''mushroom head' on both sides, then after it dries (in about an hour) I sand it smooth. Done right, it can be almost undetectable!

Mule Hole Before and After J-B Stik tiny.jpg
Mule Hole Before and After J-B Stik
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Brian
'58 M274A3 Mule, SN 10965
'62 M422A1 Mighty-Mite, SN 3741
'65 M416-B1 Mighty-Mite Trailer, SN 11
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