[dhiesel]

I have had a poor experience with using rustoleum as a primer.
A nice experience with Rustoleum areosol automotive sandable primer.
I am using electrolisis to remove rust. I live in the southeast U.S., Very humid. I am having an issue of exposed metal rusting over again before I have enough pieces to prime with -----?
So what to use in the short term as I clean up pieces and what can I use on top?
Thank you

 

[mark777]

Same humidity problem down here.

I use denatured alcohol (or Acetone when I'm out of the other stuff) and a maroon Scotch-Brite pad and allow the pieces to evaporate just before shooting the primer. There are high end 'Self Etching' automotive grade primers, and they do work well but...

You still have to wipe off any trace elements of oxidation or the primer applied will, after a short time, begin to lift - usually in the form of a 'chip' or bubble.

Mark

 

[BigD]

I used a LOT of Rustoleum rusty formula on my motor coach. The primer worked very well, but the top coat sure did not stick to it. It would just flake off within a year of two.Seemed like the primer was too slick or too oily. But after 10 years the metal still was rust free, just not the white top coat color I wanted.

 

[dhiesel]

Mark777, Thankyou, I usually clean off with alcohol, but I would like to clean parts only once. Can I use an aerosol primer as I clean up parts, then switch back to an automotive grade primer and my gun when I have enough pieces cleaned up?

 

[Tractor-Holic]

It's best to stay with all the same brands of paints and primers,many aresol ones are incompatible with auto grade paints and will cause problems..some are laquer based and wont get along well with enamel topcoats,may not show up right away,but eventually will..a self etching zinc rich primer is the best,but also very costly..

Sounds like you get "flash rusting" just like we do here,being foggy and damp often--if you sand something to bare metal and leave it overnight,by morning it'll be brown again,just like an apple with a bite taken out of it!..

I'm not into painting stuff pretty really,I paint most of my tractors and junk with a brush and use Rustoleum,just for protection,not so much looks--and they are lucky if I use primer!--I use mostly their "Rusty Metal Primer" if anything,but it dries slower than a turtles butt,so does the topcoats..sometimes I use their aresol cans but they cost a lot,up to 5 bucks each,for 8 bucks I can get a quart and paint ten times as much stuff,even if I use a spray gun..the disadvantage is the long drying time..even if you thin it--it works best right out of the can though..I used gasoline as thinner for it on my snowplow and it dried fast,but also flattened out,no gloss hardly at all!..

..I just painted a hood and blower housing with white Rustoleum day before yesterday with a brushin my shop,and it has been rainy and cold here,they were still sticky yesterday afternoon--so I got my barrel stove going and force dried them ,and within an hour they were bone dry..

I find if I wash parts after sanding and dry them on or near the wood stove,it works a lot better than just blowing it off with an air gun..gets ALL the mousture out!..I also find the paint flows much better if the metal is warmed first,even better if you can keep it warm while painting it too..its kind of risky painting something even with a brush while its on or near the stove,but I've done it many times successfully..dust can be an issue though..

 

[mark777]

.......... Can I use an aerosol primer as I clean up parts, then switch back to an automotive grade primer and my gun when I have enough pieces cleaned up?

Sure you can! As long as the primer is compatable with the product you will apply on the top.

Lacquer based primers are really designed to fill minute flaws and sand scratches…and should be recoated with a primer (as a sealer) for the following, compatible (color) top coats

There is a common missconseption about primers, and that is, it prevents rust from breaking through. Unless the primer is specifically designed to adhere and prevent rust (like phosphoric acid based primer-rust converter) primer doesn’t do anything other than promote adhesion to the following top coat. They DO give you a window of about 7 to 10 days before oxidation begins penetrating the primer film on coated parts. They DO have to be ‘scuffed’ or sanded for the follow up materials that will be applied.

Mark

 

[mark777]

I used a LOT of Rustoleum rusty formula on my motor coach. The primer worked very well, but the top coat sure did not stick to it. It would just flake off within a year of two.Seemed like the primer was too slick or too oily. But after 10 years the metal still was rust free, just not the white top coat color I wanted.

Exactly....and I have experienced the dissapointment.

All of the oil based primer products like Rustolieum, X’O Rust and Valspars’ BPS, have to be meticulously re-sanded with 220-320 before their own (top coat) products will permanently adhere….

How is that fun?? :crybaby:

Mark

 

[mark777]

It's best to stay with all the same brands of paints and primers,many aresol ones are incompatible with auto grade paints and will cause problems.....

Sounds like you get "flash rusting" ...

I'm not into painting stuff pretty really,I paint most of my tractors and junk with a brush and use Rustoleum,just for protection,.....

I support anyone, regardless of method or material, that attempts to prevent "Tractor Decay"

 

[Small Fry]

I support anyone, regardless of method or material, that attempts to prevent "Tractor Decay"

Good to know, I was worried you didn't like my walmart pimmer and BPS top coat, back yard paint job.

 

[Tractor-Holic]

I gaurantee my tractors will never win any prizes as far as paint jobs,but since most of them were already rusted when I got them,I dont get too fancy about making them show quality..while I love seeing nicely restored tractors,I'd be too afraid of scratching them up and do any real WORK with them if I'd spent hours sanding,priming,and a few hundred bucks on the paint alone!..not only cant I afford it,I enjoy "body work" about as much as root canals or testicular cancer surgury!..(had both!)..

I have patched too many rotted floors,replaced too many rotted door bottoms and cab corners and rockel panels in my lifetime,to be worried about show quality looks,because where I live,even if your anal ,your best efforts will be quickly reduced to rust and rot in a few years time anyway..
I feel tractors are "equipment",not vehicles,so a brush paint job with Rustoleum is good enough for me..I might add,whatever Sears used to paint my Suburbans and Compacts must have been good paint,because despite being left out to the weather probably 30 of their 40+ years,they held up remarkably well..probably because back then paint still had lead in it and wasn't "enviromentally friendly"!..I notice the Rustoleum we buy today aint like the "old formula"was..I have seeked out old stock at "mom and pop" hardware stores in favor of the new stuff..often they'll sneak some out the back door that was supposed to be returned and I get a good deal and better results with it..

 

[mark777]

........I might add,whatever Sears used to paint my Suburbans and Compacts must have been good paint,because despite being left out to the weather probably 30 of their 40+ years,they held up remarkably well..probably because back then paint still had lead in it and wasn't "enviromentally friendly"!....

Industrial applications (back then) were "Baked" enamels.

 

[Small Fry]

TH

My ST/16 tractor looks good but the paint ain't show, thats for sure. I hate painting myself, but hate rust worse.

When painting work tractors, if I get a run, I hit it with the brush and call it good. :fing32:

 

[Tractor-Holic]

I always get a few "curtains" too,but if they dont brush out,I leave 'em,they add charecter!..

My freshly painted hood looked good for a whole day,until tree buds and bird tirds landed on it overnight,plus some rain!..see why I dont get too anal about looks?...it aint worth it!..if my tractors will look good from 5-10 feet away,and be protected,thats good enough for me..

"Baked" enamel huh?...hmm,wonder if they bake it like I do,on the wood stove?..all I know is it works,I slathered a thick second coat of gloss white rustoleum on the hood while it was warming on top of the stove with a small kindling fire going at low draft,and within a half hour I was able to touch it and it felt 95% dry,an hour later I put it back on the tractor!..would have had to leave it sit for 3 days to a week for it to air dry with no heat!..only got one run on one side,and it filled the rust pits in quite nicely..

I you recall what XJ35s tractors hood looked like in his avitar,thats what my 8M's hood looked like,exactly,pure rust!..now I gotta do the grille and dash!..and the chassis and seat too..I've been looking for some School Bus Yellow paint to no avail,that is a near identical match--have had no luck--it might get "Sunrise Yellow" Rustoleum instead,but its more "lemony" yellow..was also thinking about using bedliner on the seat ,it has no pad..might be a bit rough on my butt though,anyone use it on a seat before?..