High build primer or body filler?

[Heatingman 971]

To fill in the pock marks from rust.

[ebinmaine 67,484]

@Achto

Dan has given some great advice on this one. 

I believe it was in a restoration thread he did recently?

 

[kpinnc 12,023]

Two coats of high build red oxide primer, wet sanded 24 hours before paint might just make that pitting disappear.

 

If not, light glazing afterward certainly will. 

[Heatingman 971]

I’ll give it a shot. Didn’t really intend on taking it down to bare metal, just wanted to take off some surface rust, but it was in much worse condition than I thought. So I took it all the way down to treat it now. 

[kpinnc 12,023]

1 hour ago, Heatingman said:

I’ll give it a shot. Didn’t really intend on taking it down to bare metal, just wanted to take off some surface rust, but it was in much worse condition than I thought. So I took it all the way down to treat it now. 

 

It can be a surprise how many faults show up when you get all the old scale and dead paint off. If you use Rust-Oleum red oxide primer- even if you end up needing some glazing, it will keep the rust from ever coming back. Just take your time, and use a block sander to even the top coat. The final coat of paint is like icing on a cake. All the work and the worth is in prep. 

[Achto 27,571]

8 hours ago, Heatingman said:

Didn’t really intend on taking it down to bare metal, just wanted to take off some surface rust,

 

Best that you took it down to bare metal. Surface rust will actually hide under the old paint.

 

I highly suggest using a self etching primer before you apply a filler primer. Self etching will eat into the metal and give your primer something to stick to. Spray the self etching primer wait for it to flash off ( dull out ) and then follow with your high build primer. Best high build primer to use is a 2K urethane primer. Unlike a lacquer based primer, urethane's will not shrink under the paint allowing your imperfections to be seen again later down the road. If you have a lot of pitting I suggest 3 coats of urethane, let it dry 24hrs min, dust a light coat of a contrasting color over the primer as a guide coat, let it dry, use 400 to 600 grit sand paper to wet sand the guide coat off. ( The guide coat allows you to easily see any imperfections while your sanding ) Make sure your part is dry, a blow gun works well for this. Final wash with a prep sol, once over with a tack cloth and paint.

 

As @ebinmaine mentioned, I did a sheet metal tutorial in a restoration post earlier this year. Page 6 post #139 and page 7 post #153 in the link below.

 

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by Achto

[pacer 3,169]

I am a strong believer in Phosphoric acid as a rust preventer- especially if situations such as yours!

 

When applied __ "Phosphoric acid converts iron oxide (rust) into an inert layer of iron phosphate, which is black in color. This inert layer then acts as a barrier layer or protective coating."

 

I bought a gallon at Home Depot some 12-15 yrs ago and still have a lot - many places have it. Mix with water (mix ratio depends on application) I use a quart squirt bottle and add about 1-2 ounces. At the point where you are I squirt a liberal coating on and let sit for a few - a fine rust haze will form, I then take a rag wetted with paint thinner, (or similar) and wipe the surface down - get it clean. Now its ready for whatever, paint or primer. In your case I would use a filler primer - like the Rustoleum red oxide primer mentioned.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

   aka "Metal Prep" 

 

A 'needle scaler' comes in handy sometimes for rust removal in areas that you can't get to with sandpaper, wire wheel, etc...

 

In the future, forget about a wire wheel for paint and rust removal.  These things are the bee's knee's.  MUCH MUCH faster than a wire wheel and does a much better job of it.

 

 

 

 

[Heatingman 971]

1 hour ago, Jeff-C175 said:

   aka "Metal Prep" 

 

A 'needle scaler' comes in handy sometimes for rust removal in areas that you can't get to with sandpaper, wire wheel, etc...

 

In the future, forget about a wire wheel for paint and rust removal.  These things are the bee's knee's.  MUCH MUCH faster than a wire wheel and does a much better job of it.

 

 

 

 

I use something like that on the angle grinder. They are smaller though. Made by 3M, and HF has some knockoff version for much less then the 3M ones and seem to work just as well.

 

Id really like to sand blast the entire thing, but Id need to set up a temporary containment structure to do it.

 

The blasting cabinet only works for small parts.

 

 

[Heatingman 971]

This is the style Im talking about.

 

 

[Heatingman 971]

As far as paints go, Im trying to do this on a budget. Cant get that van sickle paint locally, otherwise Id try it.

 

Id like to use a spray gun over rattle cans for cost savings (or I assume anyway)

 

I can easily get Rusoleum Implement paint that I can thin with acetone, or naptha, or I can get Krylon Implement paint and they have reducers and hardeners right in the store.

 

I read some post that krylon is not very tough. Curious if that was the rattle can, or the mix yourself variety?

 

I could also get dupont, etc or other automotive grade from a commercial supplier, but I imagine the price would be out of my budget.

 

not that I couldn’t afford it, its just not something Im looking to sink a ton of money into. Its not being built as a show piece. 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

1 hour ago, Heatingman said:

not something Im looking to sink a ton of money into. Its not being built as a show piece. 

 

That's pretty much where I'm coming from also.  I do 10 foot restorations.  They look great from 10 feet.  (thanks @Handy Don!  I'm getting a lot of mileage out of that one! LOL!)

 

I was going to pick up some of the smaller pads also to get into the tighter spaces but went with sandpaper instead cuz I'm miserly like that!  The Treasurer likes when I use stuff I already have on hand!

 

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by Jeff-C175

[Handy Don 12,217]

3 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

thanks @Handy Don!  I'm getting a lot of mileage out of that one! LOL!)

 

Have to give credit to @rjg854--I heard it from him!