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Galvanised panels
Skirrow - 18/7/04 at 11:46 AM

I hope nobody minds me asking questions about a kit other than the locost. I want a locost but I'm doing something simpler first.

Anyway, the buggy I am building has galvanised panels.

Do I need to paint them. I have drilled holes to rivet them to the chassis and trimmed them to fit so there are little bits where there is no galvanising. Will these bits rust like buggery?

Cheers,
Dave

white130d - 18/7/04 at 03:59 PM

It wouldn't hurt to hit the raw edges and holes with a little silver hammerite to seal them. They will eventually rust, but the hammerite will slow the process down.

David

MikeRJ - 18/7/04 at 04:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by white130d
It wouldn't hurt to hit the raw edges and holes with a little silver hammerite to seal them. They will eventually rust, but the hammerite will slow the process down.

David


Note that Hammerite (like the majority of paints) will not stick well to galvanized metal. The area should be primed with either Finigans Non-ferrous metal primer for Hammerite paint, or a good etch primer for acrylic or cellulose based paint.

madforfishing - 18/7/04 at 07:15 PM

How about that aerosol 'cold galvanising spray' - basically Zinc in a can.
It's available from most Motorfactors.
You'll still need to etch prime the panels afterwards if you intend to paint them though.

[Edited on 18/7/04 by madforfishing]

Skirrow - 18/7/04 at 08:01 PM

Is there any problems just not painting the panels? I will do something with the raw edges but is the rest ok? I don't mind the matt black finish, it's an off road buggy so its not gonna stay shiney anyway.

Peteff - 18/7/04 at 08:46 PM

You can get galvafroid zinc paint to cover the raw edges but I don't think you are supposed to paint galvo till it's been exposed to the elements for about 6 months.

NS Dev - 19/7/04 at 07:58 PM

very small areas around drill holes etc will not rust. The zinc is a sacrificial anode and will corrode instead of the steel and it has a self healing property around drilled holes etc in that the anodic action of the zinc will protect the steel for a small area beyond the zinc covering.

I have done this sort of thing when building 4wd buggies for a friend's farm and we had no corrosion problems.

As was noted, cold galv spray can be used to touch up hidden areas that have lost more galv.

Mark Allanson - 19/7/04 at 08:28 PM

The only paint that will stick to new galv is 2K epoxy, a pig to use and not 100% effective. Like pete says - you have to leave the galv to weather before painting, or keep it shiney by polishing with silicone polish (non abrasive)

Skirrow - 20/7/04 at 06:20 AM

Thanks guys, I've given each of the drill holes a little squirt of waxoyl and riveted in place. If they rust I'll replace them.

Cheers