Painting and Reattaching Aluminum Skin

[Kansafornia]

At long last I'm almost finished with the upper portion of my 58's "complete rebuild'. (Can you hear the trumpets in the distance...?)

I plan to hang wiring over the holidays, test everything through on both battery & shore power and then cover the unit with a vapor barrier and 3mm roll foil insulation. Which means I'm now pondering the skin.

Question 1: What's best practice for painting aluminum camper skin?

I've cleaned the skin to the point where, in places, the original paint is now completely gone revealing the aluminum; so it should be ready to go. What type of paint? Is automotive primer and paint the call? Should that be thinned? If so, at what rate? Or... is something else better altogether?

Although I've never painted a car I do have a construction company and shop space/equipment to shoot just about anything, so I'm really looking for insights on the prep and paint. What's best?

Question 2: What's the best way to reattach the skin?

I'm planning to do so using an 18 gauge staple gun but have read several dissenting opinions about galvanized staples on the aluminum given galvanic corrosion. I assume that this is a significant enough issue to NOT use galvanized staples, so... What are the other options? I'm finding it less than easy to find 1/2" SS staples (anything longer may show through to the interior of my bulkheads) so it got me wondering what others are doing/have done to reattach aluminum skins? Are there aluminum staples out there to be had? Some other preferred means to attach? Lmk your thoughts/insights.
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An aside... I'm a little over 5 months into the lower and upper rebuild and have taken - quite literally - hundreds of pics. At some point I'll sort through all of those and figure out how to post something that may be helpful to others starting down that path.

-Thomas

 

[Beach]

I use zinc chromate primer for aluminum in the marine environment when using 1 part top coats. The primer you choose needs to be compatible with which ever top coat you apply. I used Algrip brand 2 part poly and the recommended primer to paint my old truck topper about 12+ years ago and its holding up well, no peeling etc. Don't forget to apply a good coat of wax after the paint cures. Don't know about aluminum staple availability but i've used Stainless and Monel on past projects with out issues. You might ask FWC or All Terrain what they use. Be sure to use a quality sealant where skin panels overlap.

 

[Kansafornia]

Beach,

Thx so much for the reply and insight! Searching for Monel I immediately found 1/2" 304SS staples by the 5k (Fastener USA).

Looking at Awlgrip marine product options now.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Beach,

Thx so much for the reply and insight! Searching for Monel I immediately found 1/2" 304SS staples by the 5k (Fastener USA).

Looking at Awlgrip marine product options now.

Make sure the SS staples don’t set up a galvanic reaction with the skin. I’d call Alaskan or Bryan Wheat at his new repair business a call. If I remember correctly, there had been skin pitting issues on some Alaskan campers.

 

[Kansafornia]

Make sure the SS staples don’t set up a galvanic reaction with the skin. I’d call Alaskan or Bryan Wheat at his new repair business a call. If I remember correctly, there had been skin pitting issues on some Alaskan campers.

Yessir, that's absolutely a consideration - just less so than the galvi staples.

I spoke with a camper outfit in Vacaville, CA and explained to one of their staff what I was doing and trying to understand. Given the state of my bulkhead aluminum and the possibility of a galvanic reaction he suggested 'taping' the seam to reduce Steel-2-Alum contact. Specifically they use "3M 890MSR White Super Strength Strapping Tape" on their seams when rebuilding older trailers.

The tape comes in 1/2" widths so I'm likely going to tape the line where I intend to staple through to the exterior of the bulkhead, then butyl tape between the roof aluminum and bulkheads; repeating on the exterior under the J. I'm also planning to predrill the J's holes and use some sort of sealant/glue in them for both structural retention and to cut down on SS screws touching the alum.

I'll text Bryan as well to see what his thoughts are. I'll also take a bunch of pics of the work for a future post.
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Question: Is that a Drahthaar in your pic? Korthals Griffon? Great look'n pup!

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

The answer to your question is that’s Salty, my German Wirehair Pointer towards the end of his life. A very sweet dog. I suspect you know the Drathaar vs GWP naming controversy.

We still have two, Fritz who is 7, and Ketzel who is 6.

 

[Kansafornia]

Beautiful dogs!

We've had both Short and Long haired German Pointers and found them unparalleled - imho - in the field. Intelligent, strong, great companions. We acquired a Draht when we lived in Oberursal back in '76 and had to get special dispensation from the VDD to bring him back to the states. Thus started that love of the line...

Having said that, my current pup is a Korthals Griffon Pointer / English Setter mix (50/50); long story as to how that even happened and how I ended up with her, but... She's a 50 lb lapdog (literally) that bristles like a shocked cat at even the mere hint of a hunting outing. ;-D

Here she is in her 'native environment' (aka the living room):

https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/gallery/image/24724-img-8185/

https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/gallery/image/24725-winnie-v01/

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

You’ve had Langhaars! Nice dogs, but not common here. One of my former neighbors bred Large Munsterlanders until his health interfered with his ability to train.

Fritz has quite a bit of VDD characteristics, which has its pluses and minuses. There is no off switch on my 92 pound pup. Because of my age, I try to keep him within 200 yards so I can get to him before the birds move and he resets or flushes the covey.

 

[Vic Harder]

The answer to your question is that’s Salty, my German Wirehair Pointer towards the end of his life.

Yes, but who are the dogs?