I must confess, that this project was quite unique. It’s not every day that someone invites you to a local airport to fly in parts that need your expertise. Through a mutual acquaintance, I was contacted by a pilot known by the callsign Hom, who needed some paint and laser work done on the valve covers of his F1 Rocket, a high-performance propeller aircraft.
Hom had tried to apply a high-temperature auto paint called VHT on his own, but it didn’t turn out as he had hoped. To rectify the situation, I employed a low VOC paint remover several times to strip away the VHT, followed by media blasting the valve covers down to bare metal using 120-grit aluminum oxide.
This meticulous process ensured that the surface was perfectly prepared for the next steps.
After achieving a clean metal surface, I applied a phosphate acid etch that is heat-cured into the metal, offering excellent rust protection in case the paint gets scratched. This treatment effectively seals the metal and prevents rust from forming beneath the paint.
