The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Rustoleum hardner

Some here have reported using Rustoleum and a hardner to paint various parts.
What hardner?
What mix ratio?
Please.
Thank you.

I think they get it from Tractor Supply or Rural King. It is a hardener for one of the farm implement paints and is on the shelves with the Rustoleum. Sorry, but I don't know the ratio.

I think it's mentioned in here though. This

I searched that thread for "Hardener" and got nothing. Nice pics though. I Googled "rustoleum hardener" and there is quite allot out there. I suggest the threads on the HAMB.

Thank you!

So 'Hardeners' are all Isocyanates, You know, the stuff you ALWAYS where a good spray mask with.

Any Iso that's local, cheap and in a small can is what your looking for.
"_____ Know How" stores carry it if they have paint in store.
Small can cause it goes bad over time...
I like to use up whatever is my oldest,unused, hardener for tractor/equipment type paint projects. A small 2oz can from NAPA's economy line will work just fine.

You can use acetone for a reducer/thinner or combine some mineral spirits to slow it (The Drying) down...

As for Ratio a safe one would be 4:2:1
4 parts paint/2 parts reducer/thinner/1 part hardener

If you get a run, you can flood the area till it runs off evenly (Hopefully into the pan you placed beneath it)

From the perspective of someone who has worked around isocyanate hardeners since they were introduced 40-something years ago, let me pass on some warnings. A GOOD respirator is an absolute must, but it only slows down the process of exposure to the cyanide compounds. An air-supplied "shoot suit" that covers ALL exposed skin is the safe way to shoot any type of isocyanate, since it's also absorbed directly through the skin.

A lot of my oldtime painter friends complain of having "bugs crawling under my skin" after spending years shooting paint with hardener added. An occasional exposure might not be terribly harmful, but like any cumulative poison, whatever gets absorbed into your body NEVER goes away!
Jerry

Thanks for that extra coverage catch, HL

I actually deleted a few 'choice' lines about Iso's before I posted, but your words are far clearer.

One other caution is whose around or downwind. Is the airflow going into your house??? Got Pet's?

Painting ain't just 'paintin' when you use Iso's

Is there a difference between an activator and a hardener? Aren't there iso free epoxy primers that require an activator?

In a word, Yes.

Primers are primers and paints is paints.
A two part epoxy primer is not paint. (so to speak)
It IS a super thing to have between your metal and your paint however. since they tend to be more flexible and have great adheasion properties.
Just cause some UV inhibitor is added to primer doesn't make it paint.. Primers tend to chalk up when exposed to Sun/UV over time. Inhibitors only do what their name say's

I have SPI Epoxy primer on my runner just to see what happens. It's been outside on the Oregon coast for nearly 2 years now and it 'chalked up' some already. I can rub it out quickly no problem but IT's THERE. I'd have to rub it out several times a year if I wanted a clean paint look.

Thanks to all for the info!

Now I'm wondering if I should use a hardner at all. We have little ones visit frequently and I sure don't want them even remotely exposed to something as described above, if I can help it.

The truck cab, fenders, box and end gates will be painted by a pro. I am wanting to do the black sheet metal engine bay pieces and cab interior parts myself. All those pieces are or will be removed for painting. It appears from having used Rustoleum without alteration to paint the frame some 18 months ago, that stuff might be hard enough without additional hardner. Since then, though it has not seen daylight or been tested. Anyone have experiences to report, just going that route for the interior sheet metal parts?

Those pieces your planning on doing do not need hardener.
Hardener is used to 'strengthen' paint making it less prone to cracking or chipping 'where it shows'.

46,

I used marine based rustoleum primer and gloss paint on mine. I actually used a paint brush on the inner fenders and the frame. I think it turned out pretty good.

Not 100% perfect (closer to 90% or so), but if people are looking that close at my truck then we have other issues! :-)

Chris