Do I have to paint aluminum?

[ZZ13]

I’m doing a full restoration of my bridge seating. One task is to refurb the captains chairs bolster brackets. I got them off (2 screws into side and three wide flanged rivets into base) and have scraped away all the loose paint. Got the stiffest one working freely. The hinge was so gunked up with corrosion and loose paint that I really had to lean on it to get it to rotate when it was on the chair. I sprayed carb cleaner in there to dissolve away the corrosion and paint and now it’s super smooth and easy to rotate with just one hand. It’s aluminum. I need to phosphoric acid clean it now and then paint it. So do I really need to paint it? Can I just leave it bare aluminum? I’m slipped 24/7 in salt.

 

[TNT8808]

Not to hi-jack your thread ZZ, but have you considered ordering new ones? I believe these were made by Tecla Marine, and if so you can order them in stainless now.

 

[ZZ13]

Not to hi-jack your thread ZZ, but have you considered ordering new ones? I believe these were made by Tecla Marine, and if so you can order them in stainless now.

I have not considered that. One I wasn't aware of that option (thanks for the pointer) and two it’s kind of a personality trait. I don’t like just tossing stuff in a landfill because it’s easy to just replace it. If I can refurb/repurpose I go that route.

 

[dtfeld]

Replacing with stainless seems like a better option. But you could disassemble and powder coat that would likely last longer than a DIY spray paint IHO. Aluminum is going to take some good prep work to make it last more than a few weeks.

One other option, 2 part paints???

Regardless, once the finish in scratched to the aluminum, it will flake off.

 

[Skybolt]

View attachment 139300 I’m doing a full restoration of my bridge seating. One task is to refurb the captains chairs bolster brackets. I got them off (2 screws into side and three wide flanged rivets into base) and have scraped away all the loose paint. Got the stiffest one working freely. The hinge was so gunked up with corrosion and loose paint that I really had to lean on it to get it to rotate when it was on the chair. I sprayed carb cleaner in there to dissolve away the corrosion and paint and now it’s super smooth and easy to rotate with just one hand. It’s aluminum. I need to phosphoric acid clean it now and then paint it. So do I really need to paint it? Can I just leave it bare aluminum? I’m slipped 24/7 in salt.

If your not going to replace with SS, then I would have them powder coated. That process is sandblasting the debris then spraying or electro-statically coating with color then baking it on. Place's locally should be available to do that.

I had my radar mount re-done 5yrs ago and it still looks like new. I wouldn't try painting it yourself, it will fail pretty fast. in 2-3yrs at most.

 

[Blueone]

I have not considered that. One I wasn't aware of that option (thanks for the pointer) and two it’s kind of a personality trait. I don’t like just tossing stuff in a landfill because it’s easy to just replace it. If I can refurb/repurpose I go that route.

You don’t have to landfill them just give them to your local scrap dealer ….. you might make a $1 or $2

 

[ZZ13]

Thanks everyone. Been a big help. So now I’m thinking over three options:

1. reuse and don’t paint and cover the 2” visible neck (most all of the bracket is hidden under foam cushioning) with a vinyl sleeve matching the bolster.

2. reuse and hand paint only the visible neck

3. donate and replace with ss one. Quick search didn’t find ss but found the exact same powder coated aluminum ones for $77.

 

[lawndoctor]

The stainless version is a nice upgrade.

 

[TNT8808]

Thanks everyone. Been a big help. So now I’m thinking over three options:

1. reuse and don’t paint and cover the 2” visible neck (most all of the bracket is hidden under foam cushioning) with a vinyl sleeve matching the bolster.

2. reuse and hand paint only the visible neck

3. donate and replace with ss one. Quick search didn’t find ss but found the exact same powder coated aluminum ones for $77.

Re: option 3. Read page 21 in the catalog.

 

[techmitch]

Thanks everyone. Been a big help. So now I’m thinking over three options:

1. reuse and don’t paint and cover the 2” visible neck (most all of the bracket is hidden under foam cushioning) with a vinyl sleeve matching the bolster.

2. reuse and hand paint only the visible neck

3. donate and replace with ss one. Quick search didn’t find ss but found the exact same powder coated aluminum ones for $77.

Re: option 3. Read page 21 in the catalog.

https://www.flipsnack.com/69B8E666AED/tecla-marine-catalog-2023.html

 

[Lazy Daze]

The aluminum is "bare"... meaning not painted or anodized. Because of that, it will start to get chalky and eventually start to pit. I wouldn't use a sleeve - aluminum will, to some extent, try and self-protect itself but only if it has access to air. The sleeve could actually cause increased pitting.

 

[ttmott]

It depends upon the alloy of the aluminum. 3XXX and 5XXX series are very tolerant to corrosion but 6XXX and 7XXX are very susceptible. Aluminum boat hulls are usually constructed of the 5XXX series alloy (pontoon etc). But, Bill @ZZ13 those structural parts on the chair are probably 6061 T6 tempered and definitely will require some protection.

 

[JHornsby3]

If they are 6061 T6, would they be better served if they were hard anodized? As a case in point, I had a rocket get lost in an area of high alkaline soil. The reloadable motors for those are thin walled 6061 T6 that are hard anodized blue/purple. It sat out for 4 years, almost to the date, and those cases cleaned up with not a single pit or flay to the anodizing. it was full of the dirt and had gone through weather cycles of high heat and snow covered for months.

So would those brackets hold up better in the salt air the same, or is it a harsher environment?

 

[ZZ13]

If they are 6061 T6, would they be better served if they were hard anodized? As a case in point, I had a rocket get lost in an area of high alkaline soil. The reloadable motors for those are thin walled 6061 T6 that are hard anodized blue/purple. It sat out for 4 years, almost to the date, and those cases cleaned up with not a single pit or flay to the anodizing. it was full of the dirt and had gone through weather cycles of high heat and snow covered for months.

So would those brackets hold up better in the salt air the same, or is it a harsher environment?

They’ve made it 21 years so far. No pitting or metal loss. Just lots of bubbled off paint with some white powdery stuff underneath in spots.

 

[Lazy Daze]

The pitting that I mentioned will, in all likelihood, take quite a while to become a "problem" if you leave them bare. For a long time, they were painted and protected. Probably a section of the paint failed from age or a scratch or something... which allowed the moisture in which started it down the path of corrosion and subsequent further paint bubbling/peeling. I think you'll find some rougher surfaces (corrosion/early pitting) once you get it cleaned up - but it's not the end of the world to leave them bare, either.

Here's another thought - and one I've used successfully... although I'm only on year 7 Coat the aluminum with epoxy. Then you can paint it with a "paint for plastic".