Repaint BBD???

[ZetaMale]

Last time I had significant sized hail it didn't hurt the dish but it stripped the paint off it.

It destroyed a significant number of my mesh panels in previous storms and they're no longer available from the vendor(s). I don't want to have to cut my own mesh panels and I certainly don't want a third party to make them (because of the cost). I doubt my insurance will pay replacement costs. A complete replacement with a commercial grade dish might be cheaper than having someone make mesh panels. My days of satellite watching may be coming to an end.

 

[ZetaMale]

It's got to be better than bare metal, and I'd think it could make a big difference, depending on how thick a coat you put on. I don't see any reason it would attenuate the signal more than a thick powder coat of paint.

I gave the Flex Seal spray a try but it tends to drip through the mesh holes. I suppose the paste would work better?

 

[pacificrim]

Here's mine on a new pole and with a fresh coat of paint.

 

[gtaloverone]

Here's mine on a new pole and with a fresh coat of paint.

View attachment 151584

OUTSTANDING job. Looks GREAT. Nothing else compares to the sight of a BBD (Big Beautiful Dish)

 

[pacificrim]

OUTSTANDING job. Looks GREAT. Nothing else compares to the sight of a BBD (Big Beautiful Dish)

Thanks! I'm very happy it worked out as well as it did. The original paint was flaking off in a bunch of spots and the centre plate was from my previous 7.5' Unimesh which was grey. I painted it with some cheap black spray paint when I put it up a few years ago but it was getting thin in a few spots. A few neigbours were referring to it as an old dish when they thought this was it new dish. Fooled them, I guess.

 

[Jimbo]

Sure, bounce the hail right off: FLEX SEAL FAMILY OF PRODUCTS Flex Seal Black 14 oz. Aerosol Liquid Rubber Sealant Coating-FSR20 - The Home Depot

Yup, only $13 a CAN !!!!!

 

[primestar31]

Yup, only $13 a CAN !!!!!

That's cheap, instead of replacing a hail destroyed dish. Just ask johnnynobody

 

[Jimbo]

That's cheap, instead of replacing a hail destroyed dish. Just ask johnnynobody

Spray paint of Flex Seal isn't going to be anywhere near as good as a new dish would be.
Thats just a band aid if its hail beat.

 

[ZetaMale]

Spray paint of Flex Seal isn't going to be anywhere near as good as a new dish would be.
Thats just a band aid if its hail beat.

With no more consumer grade antennas or factory made mesh being sold, it may be worth it to flex seal it rather than spend $4000+ for a commercial grade antenna. Assuming that the hail damage will be minimal.

 

[mr3p]

It destroyed a significant number of my mesh panels in previous storms and they're no longer available from the vendor(s). I don't want to have to cut my own mesh panels and I certainly don't want a third party to make them (because of the cost). I doubt my insurance will pay replacement costs. A complete replacement with a commercial grade dish might be cheaper than having someone make mesh panels. My days of satellite watching may be coming to an en

I'm not saying cutting and installing new mesh is a 1 day project but its honestly its not that difficult to do assuming your have someone to assist when needed. If you don't care what it looks like and are only interested in an easy fix, all you really need to do is get some mesh cut it with a shears oversized to the area missing and screw it down to cover up the missing sections and a can or 2 of Rustoleum.

 

[Jimbo]

Isn't Flexseal a rubbery substance ?

Thats probably not real good for reflecting signals into the LNB.

 

[armadillo_115]

Isn't Flexseal a rubbery substance ?

Thats probably not real good for reflecting signals into the LNB


Idk about that... but you'll have a Flex-Seal boat when you're done.

And you won't have to ruin the chicken coop like in the commercial.

 

[gtaloverone]

Cock A Doodle Dooooooo ! ! ! ! !

 

[pacificrim]

My understanding is that hydrocarbons, like most plastics and resins, are transparent to microwave. I think that as long as the flexseal meets that criteria, then it should be fine. The easiest would be to spray a smaller, more disposable dish with it, maybe with a good meter hooked up to it, and see if the signal changes.

 

[ZetaMale]

Isn't Flexseal a rubbery substance ?

Thats probably not real good for reflecting signals into the LNB.

I'm not sure but I doubt there would be significant loss going through the rubber. Isn't there mesh covered by fiberglass?

 

[mr_rye89]

My understanding is that hydrocarbons, like most plastics and resins, are transparent to microwave. I think that as long as the flexseal meets that criteria, then it should be fine. The easiest would be to spray a smaller, more disposable dish with it, maybe with a good meter hooked up to it, and see if the signal changes.

Maybe I should flex seal my 1m Hughes net, it’s fiberglass though......

 

[primestar31]

Isn't Flexseal a rubbery substance ?

Thats probably not real good for reflecting signals into the LNB.

This is only meant as a suggestion to possibly protect and BOUNCE any smaller hail off the mesh. It'll be opaque to any RF, just like a fiberglass dish. Signals won't have any trouble reflecting back up to the LNB.

Johnnie has nothing to lose, and everything to gain by trying it.

 

[gtaloverone]

Thanks! I'm very happy it worked out as well as it did. The original paint was flaking off in a bunch of spots and the centre plate was from my previous 7.5' Unimesh which was grey. I painted it with some cheap black spray paint when I put it up a few years ago but it was getting thin in a few spots. A few neigbours were referring to it as an old dish when they thought this was it new dish. Fooled them, I guess.

Yep. I was going to use spray paint at first but I decided to use a paintbrush. It looked rather well with the visible white strokes over the underlying grey base color. The contrasting is artful, I think. All turned out well.