Adding panels extra to a 6'

[FaT Air]

I'm thinkin DZUS fasteners. Then all it takes is a screw driver to remove the extensions to knock it down for bad weather. Gotta have stainless available.
DZUS- (pronounced Zooss) is a proprietary name for a type of quarter-turn fastener often used to secure skin panels on aircraft. ...

 

[Dee_Ann]

I'm going to take down my 6' WSI dish soon and repaint it. My dad showed me a trick. Cheap oven cleaner from the Big Lots for 99 cents strips paint like crazy!
The dish, if you give it mean looks the paint peels off. So I'm going to spray it with over cleaner to get the paint off then I'm going to get some of that ospho acid that my dad gave me to use on my big dish. You paint the acid on and it turns the metal black and then you can paint over it.

One of you guys had mentioned using some kind of black rubber paint in a spray can. I need to go back and find that post so I can get some of that paint.

That dish is really in bad need of TLC... The Gulf Coast is very unforgiving. Brutal sun, heat, humidity, salt and refinery chemicals in the air eat everything up like a cancer..

 

[Anole]

A member of the Australian FTA forum described building his own dish, with aluminum printing plates.
They were relatively large (I'd have to guess: 2ft x 3 ft?) , soft, and disposable.
Normally they'd probably be recycled.
I'm sure there are other sources for thin sheet metal.
As long as you are going to take care of repainting the main dish, I see no reason to insist on aluminum for the extensions.

As for anti-rust undercoatings, there are a number and have been discussed on the forum.
I've written about one which seem to live up to its hype (listed in one of the BUD threads in my signature).

The rubberized paint was actually automotive undercoating.
You can buy it at any automotive parts store.
Might want to shop around for the best prices.
I've used it to spray into wheel wells, but never on dishes.
I'm sure with a proper couple of layers of rust inhibitor first, it'd make an interesting coating for the back side of the dish.

 

[dougruss]

I'm going to take down my 6' WSI dish soon and repaint it. My dad showed me a trick. Cheap oven cleaner from the Big Lots for 99 cents strips paint like crazy!
The dish, if you give it mean looks the paint peels off. So I'm going to spray it with over cleaner to get the paint off then I'm going to get some of that ospho acid that my dad gave me to use on my big dish. You paint the acid on and it turns the metal black and then you can paint over it.

One of you guys had mentioned using some kind of black rubber paint in a spray can. I need to go back and find that post so I can get some of that paint.

That dish is really in bad need of TLC... The Gulf Coast is very unforgiving. Brutal sun, heat, humidity, salt and refinery chemicals in the air eat everything up like a cancer..

Dee...
I think it was me you were referring to.

I used the Rubberized Undercoating on the Back of my Bargain 6 footer,that has held up well. Can pick up at any Auto Parts Store, Walmart,Lowes,Menards,etc.....

**** If you use the Rubberized Undercoating, wear Gloves. It can get a little messy!

.

 

[Dee_Ann]

Dee...
I think it was me you were referring to.

I used the Rubberized Undercoating on the Back of my Bargain 6 footer,that has held up well. Can pick up at any Auto Parts Store, Walmart,Lowes,Menards,etc.....

**** If you use the Rubberized Undercoating, wear Gloves. It can get a little messy!

.

Ah ok, cool! Thank you!

So use the rubber paint on the back but not on the front, right? Is that Rustoleum paint any good?
I have heard people say you just paint right over rust with it but that just doesn't sound right to me.
I really believe rust is like a cancer and you have to completely eliminate it, that just covering it up is stupid, especially here on the Gulf coast.
I really want to put something on there that will last for a few years, or more if that's possible. I just don't know what's the best, I don't have any experience at painting things.
I painted my big 10' dish but it's aluminum and I put latex house paint on it. I don't know if that was a good thing to do or not. I hope I didn't do something I'll regret later there.

 

[Anole]

There's a link in this post to Rust Destroyer, as well a mention of Loctite Extend.
The Rust Destroyer (@ Home Depot) just needs to have the loose rust removed, not all of it.
A wire wheel or wire cup in a drill is my tool of choice.

You apply two coats (color: ugly red), and it bonds tightly to the existing rust and metal.
Then, you spray over with a layer or two of top coat in a color of your choice, and you're done.
So far, I'm impressed. - :up

 

[dougruss]

So use the rubber paint on the back but not on the front, right?

Yes...ONLY on the Back of the Dish.

.

 

[Dee_Ann]

Awesome info guys, thanks!

 

[Dee_Ann]

Ice is not AMC 7. This sat is coming just fine. AMC 3 @ 87W is my problem. I can get must of the channels with the exception of: MeTV(use to get it), This TV(comes in every now and then) and tps 3800/4080. I don't even get a bit on those RTN tps.

I had precisely this problem with 87w and this exact dish. Me, This, and the S2 stuff was nearly impossible for me. I spent months fighting with this dish trying to get those channels and never had any luck. Once in a great while I might catch a few minutes of Me or This but it would disappear fast. It was like chasing a moth with a blindfold on. In the end I gave up and my 10 foot dish was the winner. I am pretty sure that my mishandling of the dish (bent it all up) didn't help matters..

 

[Dishman Dan]

...Is that Rustoleum paint any good?...

Rustoleum paint is not as good as it was many years ago and there are better products

now. The industrial grade Rustoleum with the primer already mixed in does seem to

hold up better. There are may brands of rust eating product such as what Anole

mentioned that work very well.


Some of the best coating product I have ever used is called POR-15!

It is used a lot by people restoring cars and I have used it over rusty truck frames

and it holds up super even up to something called "road salt" which Erie county in

the state of Pennsylvania is like the biggest user of in the country for melting snow!

The POR-15 comes in colors but the high gloss black looks the best but will fade

if you do not use their UV protecting additive. I stay away from the high gloss black

and use a regular black which still looks great. I have used the product without all of

the fancy primers (And my friends have too!) and it still holds up great. It is available online,

paint supply stores but the best place to get it is at car shows. The usually have a great display

of all the products and usually a "before and after" rusty car frame or some other parts.

The price is usually cheaper at the car shows too!!!

http://www.por15.com

 

[Babadem]

Lot of Info. here.

 

[Lone Cloud]

Right. I think you could approximate a parabolic shape using the string, square and pencil method. Having it drawn on a piece of say plywood would give you an idea what position to hold the extensions in so that they aimed toward the focal point. You might be able to hold the extensions with plywood gussets cut to the outer dish shape, and in his case, bolting them on the ribs on the back of the dish.

 

[jibaro29]

I started this project about year ago. I have gone through a lot of metal plates, glue and duct tapes. I finally, I hope anyways, reached the end of the road. On this particular setup I used metal plates, power drill, round trimmer line, pair of scissors and spray glue. It took me a couple of days to put it all together but at the end it was worth it. Reception is much better. My only issues right now is 137W and 105W. 137 I don't eve get a bit. Last year was able to get 3760 and 4080 but not now. I may have some tree issues. 105 however, I get NASA with not problems. NBC/Telemundo comes in but it has a low signal strength.

 

[Babadem]

View attachment 79155View attachment 79156View attachment 79157I started this project about year ago. I have gone through a lot of metal plates, glue and duct tapes. I finally, I hope anyways, reached the end of the road. On this particular setup I used metal plates, power drill, round trimmer line, pair of scissors and spray glue. It took me a couple of days to put it all together but at the end it was worth it. Reception is much better. My only issues right now is 137W and 105W. 137 I don't eve get a bit. Last year was able to get 3760 and 4080 but not now. I may have some tree issues. 105 however, I get NASA with not problems. NBC/Telemundo comes in but it has a low signal strength.

Very innovative changes you made there!

 

[Cnut]

View attachment 79155View attachment 79156View attachment 79157I started this project about year ago. I have gone through a lot of metal plates, glue and duct tapes. I finally, I hope anyways, reached the end of the road. On this particular setup I used metal plates, power drill, round trimmer line, pair of scissors and spray glue. It took me a couple of days to put it all together but at the end it was worth it. Reception is much better. My only issues right now is 137W and 105W. 137 I don't eve get a bit. Last year was able to get 3760 and 4080 but not now. I may have some tree issues. 105 however, I get NASA with not problems. NBC/Telemundo comes in but it has a low signal strength.

jibaro29, how did you figure out the amount of curve to put in the metal panels you added?
thanks
Cnut

 

[jibaro29]

jibaro29, how did you figure out the amount of curve to put in the metal panels you added?
thanks

I used screen door kick plate. It has a natural curve if you lay dawn the right way. You can get this at Lowes or Home Depot. I no longer have the 6 footer. I got me an 8 footer that has the same extension panels on it. I will post a picture on my next post.

 

[jibaro29]

This what my 8 foot looks like now.