Chan Hughes
Well-known member
After priming and painting my wing struts I followed the recommendation of a couple grey haired legends at my airport to treat the inside of them with linseed oil. I was expecting it to not fully cure and thought I'd be wiping up an ongoing mess for several months after hanging wings. I am pleasantly surprised to see it is now a solid, as well as very well bound to surface.
Curious now if anyone is using this oil in other applications?
Anyone experience a rag going up in flames after working with it? Apparently it holds that spontaneous fire risk, higher than that of other oils.
Here are the 4 places AC43.13-1B mentions it:
6-42. TUBE INTERIORS. Protect the interiors of structural steel and aluminum tubing against corrosion. A small amount of water entrapped in a tube can corrode entirely through the tube thickness in a short period. Coat the tube interior by flushing with hot linseed oil, paralketone, or other approved corrosion inhibitor. The flushing liquid is usually introduced through small holes drilled in the tubing. Allow the flushing liquid to drain and plug the holes with a screw or by other means to prevent entry of moisture. Air and watertight sealing of the tubing will also give adequate protection against corrosion if the tubing is internally dry before being sealed.
c. Protect the interior of structural steel tubing. This may be done by air and watertight sealing or by flushing with hot linseed oil and plugging the openings. Inspect tubing for missing sealing screws, presence of entrapped water, local corrosion around sealing screws, welded clusters, and bolted fittings, which maybe indicative of entrapped moisture.
g. All drain plugs or drive screws in tubular structures should be removed and the structure blown out with compressed air. If water has reached the tubular interiors, carefully flush with hot fresh water and blow out water with compressed air. Roll the structure as necessary to remove water from pockets. Fill the tubes with hot linseed oil, approximately 180 °F, drain oil and replace drainplugs or drive screws.
l. Special care should be taken when welding structural tubing that has been coated on the inside with linseed oil. Smoke and fire may be generated by the heat of the torch. Ensure that an observer with a fire extinguisher is close.
Curious now if anyone is using this oil in other applications?
Anyone experience a rag going up in flames after working with it? Apparently it holds that spontaneous fire risk, higher than that of other oils.
Here are the 4 places AC43.13-1B mentions it:
6-42. TUBE INTERIORS. Protect the interiors of structural steel and aluminum tubing against corrosion. A small amount of water entrapped in a tube can corrode entirely through the tube thickness in a short period. Coat the tube interior by flushing with hot linseed oil, paralketone, or other approved corrosion inhibitor. The flushing liquid is usually introduced through small holes drilled in the tubing. Allow the flushing liquid to drain and plug the holes with a screw or by other means to prevent entry of moisture. Air and watertight sealing of the tubing will also give adequate protection against corrosion if the tubing is internally dry before being sealed.
c. Protect the interior of structural steel tubing. This may be done by air and watertight sealing or by flushing with hot linseed oil and plugging the openings. Inspect tubing for missing sealing screws, presence of entrapped water, local corrosion around sealing screws, welded clusters, and bolted fittings, which maybe indicative of entrapped moisture.
g. All drain plugs or drive screws in tubular structures should be removed and the structure blown out with compressed air. If water has reached the tubular interiors, carefully flush with hot fresh water and blow out water with compressed air. Roll the structure as necessary to remove water from pockets. Fill the tubes with hot linseed oil, approximately 180 °F, drain oil and replace drainplugs or drive screws.
l. Special care should be taken when welding structural tubing that has been coated on the inside with linseed oil. Smoke and fire may be generated by the heat of the torch. Ensure that an observer with a fire extinguisher is close.
