ACF-50 and fabric airplanes

[SpecialT]

My kids were watching a "WONDERFUL WORLD OF FLYING" video the other day and I noticed it was talking about corrosion treatment with ACF-50. They were demonstrating fogging the entire airframe and engine compartment with a high pressure pump that had an atomizing tip. Has anyone here ever fogged their fabric, steel and wood airplane? I like the idea of corrosion proofing, but not sure if it only applies to Cessnas and the like.

Has anyone set up their own "homebuilt" pump fogging system? Maybe from a cheap HVLP gun?

[Ragwing nut]

Re: ACF-50 and fabric airplanes

It is not meant for fabric airplanes, only for aluminum structures. tube seal inside of tubing, good epoxy on the outside prior to cover.

[SpecialT]

Re: ACF-50 and fabric airplanes

What about doing the engine bay. It seems like it would make a mess. It's electrical safe, ACF-50 says:

"ACF-50 actively penetrates and "creeps" into the tightest seams, lap joints, micro cracks, and around rivet heads, displacing moisture and other corrosive fluids (orange juice, coke, coffee, salt water) in these corrosive prone areas. "

My plane is near the coast so I'm thinking ahead. My wings have aluminum ribs and rivets holding the fabric on. Aluminum wing tanks. It would be nice to have a protective fog instead of the salt water fog we get.

[Scott]

Re: ACF-50 and fabric airplanes

I think "fogging" is a hit and mis proposition, with more misses than hits!
If you're going to do it I'd take a bit more time and be targeted with your approach. Identify problem areas and hit them directly. Some tubes have or should have drain holes, like the lower fuselage longerones open at the bottom of the rudder post. You can fill the tubes and drain from there.

fuel tanks believe it or not most often corrode from the inside. The external areas of the aux tank that are most susceptible likely wouldn't get covered by fogging.

I used to maintain a Grumman Goose that saw salt water from time to time. We used to spray the engine down with acf50 and before that LPS. It is messy and you'll want to keep it away from ignition parts. The R985s actually ended up cleaner after the acf50. Best result is to spray it down then wipe it off. It's the areas you can't see that you're trying to protect so no point leaving it dripping.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: ACF-50 and fabric airplanes

What about doing the engine bay. It seems like it would make a mess. It's electrical safe, ACF-50 says:

"ACF-50 actively penetrates and "creeps" into the tightest seams, lap joints, micro cracks, and around rivet heads, displacing moisture and other corrosive fluids (orange juice, coke, coffee, salt water) in these corrosive prone areas. "

My plane is near the coast so I'm thinking ahead. My wings have aluminum ribs and rivets holding the fabric on. Aluminum wing tanks. It would be nice to have a protective fog instead of the salt water fog we get.

Its meant for areas that are hard to clean and inspect. It doesn't just spray on and stay still. It leaches and is messy.