The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop sandblasting: epoxy primer or zero-rust

Hi guys, I going to sandblast my 49 chevy truck. My question is after sandblasting should I use an epoxy primer or zero-rust, it will be a while till it goes to the body shop. Thanks any input will help

Hey Dog,
Assuming you won't be storing the truck underwater, go with the epoxy on any areas that will be getting follow on coatings of automotive products. Epoxy will hold against rust for a period of time and will create fewer potential incompatability issues with the other later products.
Zero rust is designed to work by itself, so for those other areas that won't see paint, like the back side of everything, Zero Rust by itself will be the ticket from a performance, cost, and ease of use standpoint. Apply 2 medium coats and forget it.......
Bruce Palmer
[email protected]
Salem OR

thanks, I will do that....

that's funny, the guy I bought Zero Rust from told me you could shoot epoxy primer sealer over it later no problem- that was before I painted everything inside and out with Zero Rust.

There are way too many stories being circulted by this company.

PTL,
It needn't be this confusing. Maybe a couple of points to clear up.
1. If you have rusty steel to lock down ZR will do a better job than epoxy primer. Epoxies need pretty well prepared steel before they'll even talk to you.
2. If you have white metal to start with use the "system" (ZR really won't add anything to the performance.
3. If you NEED to go with ZR, put it on and let it go to full cure (30 days). This allows firming of the film thus reducing the possibility of reaction with fresh coatings and as importantly allows all the shrinkage in the film to take place before overcoating with other solvent loaded products.
4. If you have ZR down and cured, give it a scuff sand and build your SANDABLE system on top. That would not be your epoxy primer but more along the lines of a high build polyester primer for blocking out defects. Adding epoxy over ZR would be redundent as well a counter productive.
There are cases for one or the other product. Rarely, if ever, for the 2 together.......
Bruce Palmer
Salem OR
[email protected]

Bruce, I don't totally agree with that. If you were to ZR first and then add sandable primers and bondo etc, you are opening up lots of chances of incompatibility.
If however you were to epoxy prime over the ZR, you would give it a inert barrier between the ZR and all the other products. It might be a good idea, IMO. Also, epoxy primer has excellent adhesion qualities and might cause less trouble over the ZR than the other products would.

Tony, I certainly don't mean to rule out putting epoxy over ZR if that's what you prefer. If you feel it solves some other issues, then by all means.
The chance for a lifting reaction with ZR is almost nil IF going over fully cured product and that is the key, let it cure out before dumping acetone laden product over a partially shrunk ZR film.

Because ZR is a single package product, intercoat adhesion is good because both chemical and mechanical bonding sites are still available. With epoxies, the chemical bonding sites are taken up through the catalyzing process.

Had to put in my two cents. I sandblasted my frame from my 59 and went with Zero Rust. After the chassis sat in my garage for about a month and a half I had to put it outside where it sat for eight months through the winter and not one spot showed even the slightest bit of rust. Still five months later and inside but looks as great as the day I finished painting it. My buddy and I did his roll off with Por-15 and 3 months of winter and rust was streaking all over the place. Yes the frame was sandblasted also. Next one I do will definitely be Zero Rust again. Just my opinion.

Do you recommend using ZR with a paint brush or the rattle can? I'm going to start painting my frame this weekend and have both. Was thinking of brushing big open spaces and hard to reach places using the rattle can. Any problems with this theory?

That'll work. You might find some tight spots where the brush will work well for literally stuffing some ZR into a crack.

As you are using out of the bulk container keep an eye on consistency and add some thinner to keep the viscosity where it will level by itself. Solvent flashing off from the can will result in the ZR getting thicker without maybe even realizing it's happening.

Great painting weather we've got going, huh?

Better yet, don't contaminate your gallon and pour some in a small container for painting out of.
You will find the spray can will not give a very thick coat. I like to brush it on or spray multiple coats with a cheap sprayer.

I did my frame with a brush it worked fine.
I bought several spray cans later for other parts and I wish I would have sprayed the frame in several coats. It is way easier.

where do you buy Zero Rust in the Houston area?

Email [email protected] in Dallas and ask who they have for outlets in the Houston area. They can also mail.
Bruce Palmer
[email protected]