Patent ID: 6863927

Claim:
A method for selectively protecting a gas turbine blade, comprising the steps of providing the gas turbine blade having an airfoil, a shank with a dovetail, and a platform therebetween having a top surface and a bottom surface; providing a masking enclosure comprising an airfoil enclosure having a top seal plate with a top opening therethrough and sized to receive the airfoil of the gas turbine blade therein with the airfoil extending through the top opening and the top seal plate contacting the top surface of the platform, and a dovetail enclosure including a dovetail guide that receives a lower end of the dovetail therein and a bottom seal plate with a bottom opening therethrough and sized to fit around the shank; thereafter placing the gas turbine blade into the masking enclosure to form an aluminiding assembly; and thereafter vapor phase aluminiding the aluminiding assembly with the gas turbine blade having its airfoil and its dovetail within the masking enclosure, such that aluminum is deposited on an exposed portion of the gas turbine blade that is not within the masking enclosure.