Filling All The Gaps Between Panels

[Guest Twoscoops]

Hi All

 

I have read all the posts about using stainless rivets on stainless steel panels and not aluminium ones.....but I am now at a stage where I want to fill all the nasty gaps left between panels (i.e. the back panel and the rear beam).

 

I have tried to get some sheets of stainless steel but failed miserably..(does anyone know where i can get some from?..), but i have managed to get some raw aluminium sheets.

 

My question is...do I used aluminium or stainless steel rivets..???? Also what should i cover the aluminium with as I understand that raw aluminium is not protected from corrosion.....

 

Cheers

 

T.

[Guest Battery Bill]

T

As long as you use some kind of jointing compound (Freely availiable at work or many hardware stores) it will be OK, no matter what Rivet/ Metal combination you use. It would be best if you Primed and painted your aluminium first.

Aircraft use a mixture of Aluminium/ Steel/ Titanium and numerous other types and the parts are normally painted and jointing compound is used so if its good enough for them it should be good enough for us!

[Guest Twoscoops]

Cheers Bill

 

when you say jointing compound, do you mean something like seam sealer or am I barking up the wrong tree.....(woof! woof!)

 

T.

[Guest nippykev]

Do stainless and ally react against each other?

 

Kevin

2b june 2003

[Guest bugsy]

I have tried to get some sheets of stainless steel but failed miserably

Have you tried RH! they have tons of the stuff so i guess it will be as cheap as anywhere else,

just a thought!!

Bugsy

[Guest TerryBarry]

Good price from RH circa £40 for a full 8 x 4 ft sheet - last time I looked.

But you have to collect from Mansfield - maybe Lolocost will bring to a show, you would need to check.

That's a 324 mile round trip for me .

Another possibility is Metal Supermarkets they've got stores in Coventry, Gateshead, Glasgow, Leeds, Livingston, West London, Manchester, Redditch, Southampton and Birmingham.

Nothing to do with me but my son has successfully dealt with them in Coventry.

I bought some from a local sheet metal fabricator.

Terry

[Guest gordon_macnab]

Best way to fill in all the gaps is to use fibreglass. Use some wire mesh which is easily cut and shaped to any size and then go over with fibreglass matting/resin etc or just use the ready mixed tins. This also seals any gaps at the same time and is a lot easier than playing origami with offcuts of stainless.

 

Gordon

[Guest Battery Bill]

T.

when you say jointing compound, do you mean something like seam sealer or am I barking up the wrong tree

Yes something like that ! The stuff I use is from "MY Old Work" Aircraft stuff it just seperates the two metals and stops any water contamination. RTV sealant between the panels will suffice I recon.

[Guest bloke]

would silicone sealer do the job?

[Guest Twoscoops]

Thanks for the replies....I'll think I'll try Metal Supermarkets aor if not using some sealer.....probably Sikaflex.

 

Cheers

 

T.

[Guest Battery Bill]

would silicone sealer do the job?

RTV sealant (Silicon Sealant) Nuff said.

Yes it will.

[Guest bloke]

go on then, rtv - silicone sealant, how should i know the relationship?

 

what does rtv stand for?

[Guest Battery Bill]

Room Temperature Vulcanising

[Guest daveg]

Bill

 

Vulcanising

whats Star Trek got to do with it?

 

Dave

Beam me up Jim

[Guest Battery Bill]

I dont know?

I thought I would look clever by posting the answer, but it took a good hunt on the internet to actually find the answer.