First Post Duralac

Just wanted to be the first to post here and get things moving.Will you be using Duralac? Cheers T87

Activity

At Narromine I was told there are 50-odd kits in the country.

Since the change in the US$ the price is right.

Sport Air Services at Coolangatta has taken up the dealership and are supporting the Zenith product with enthusiasm.

There were three flying CH601XL's to be seen at Narromine this year, and I hope next year there will be many more.

See Kit Building >> CH601XL kits for what could have been a good start to this thread.

Is Duralac the yellow coloured paste used for protecting threads in timber joints and aluminium?

If it is, it is considered to be a serious carcinogen. I used it when building with no known effect on my health, but treated it with the greatest of respect. Of course we hear of these terribly dangerous chemicals now and to believe the tales we should all be dead. I worked with asbestos and used to go home looking like father Christmas with dust in my beard. That was 40 years ago and I can still breath OK.

Yes it is a yellow paste. We still use it on sheet metal repairs on our vintage aircraft at Hars.It's basically a anti-corrosion jointing compound for dissimilar metals. As long as you take the proper precautions it's OK no better or worse then a lot of other materials used in the aviation industry.Cheers T87

Form Duralac Jointing Compound is a yellow paste prepared from an elastic varnish medium of low moisture permeability, a corrosion inhibiting material barium chromate and an inert filler. It conforms to specification D.T.D. 369B.

Properties Barium chromate is only very slightly soluble in water and hence is not leached out of the joint even in the presence of a considerable flow of water. It is however readily decomposed by acids with the liberation of chromic acid so that it is brought into action only in the presence of corrosive influences. It is tough and flexible, absorbs little water and is resilient to seawater. Shelf life is two years from date of despatch. Store below 20°C.

Uses Duralac is indispensable for the sealing of joints between dissimilar metals of all types including magnesium and its alloys. It is also valuable for the protection of metals in contact with wood, synthetic resin compositions, leather, rubber, fabrics etc. When the components of a structure are of different materials, it is essential that the points or faces of contact should be treated with corrosion inhibiting materials because in the presence of electrolytes considerable differences of potential arise, not only where different metals are in contact, but also where components of the same metal under different stresses are in contact: for example as between the aluminium alloy plates or extrusions and rivets or bolts used in building up the structure, in industrial areas where structures are exposed, in flue ducts and acidic vapours. In close proximity to the sea where a salt laden atmosphere will be met with, structures will need the maximum attention to prevent corrosion due to the electrolytic cells set up by the salt laden moisture deposited upon the structure.

Application Duralac is supplied ready for use and must not be thinned. It is best applied by brush. When Duralac is applied to metal or other surfaces the volatile solvent evaporates and the compound sets to the touch, but remains tacky for a considerable period. It is important that the joint should be closed while Duralac is still tacky – so that it is in such a condition that it will flow sufficiently under pressure to close the gaps in the joint. It will harden somewhat if a thin film is left exposed to the atmosphere for a long period and this will prevent the making of a close joint.

Availability Duralac is available in the following packaging:

Supplied in 250ml, 500 ml, 1 litre, and 5 litre tins. Also supplied in tubes.

Technical Data Technical staff are available to advise upon Duralac applications and special requirements.

100 Gms/m2 coverage.

July 2006