The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop preping bare metal for primer ?

I called my local parts store,Paint dept and asked for a metal wash to put on bare metal before I spray primer on it.They told Me I need Marine Clean a product made by por 15.So I picked up a quart but it doesn't say that it is intended for my purpose.I need to put something on the bare metal before I prime,I wont be putting the paint on till much later.Did I get the wrong product???

Now i'm no expert by any means, but don't certain primers have an 'etch' in them so you do not have to wash it with a 'sealer' first?

I thought just a 350 - 400 grit light sand then the etch prime is all that was needed?

Where're the experts? I'm curious to know now.

I'm not the expert here but I have a gallon can of Metal Prep & Etch that a friend in the body business gave me. I was going to use it but then, just 15 minutes ago, another friend stopped and gave me a bottle of the Marine Clean, that he got and had plenty left over, with his POR15, that 65Chevyguy is talking about. So, I wonder the same question!! I would think that the "etch" stuff is for something that has not been blasted and you need something "etched" for paint to stick to. In my case, since I've blasted my chassis, I think either one will be OK. BUT I would bet the bottle of Marine Clean cost more than the other stuff I have in the can?
We shouldn't worry. The EXPERTS will be along shortly!!

The metal wash you are thinking of is dilute Phosphoric acid. You can usually get it at a hardware store. Marine Clean is a detergent. "Metal prep" is the stuff the POR-15 sells. It is still phosphoric acid.

The quart of Metal clean was only $10.00
The Primer I have is not self etching,Where I have primered My truck I have some surface rust starting to show,So now I am going to try to do it right this time,I plan on starting to redo it this weekend.
This is what I'm working with.
Dupli-color Primer Surfacer,1 Gal can,It says High Build,Sandable,Fights Rust.
Dupli-color Specialty Reducer 1 Gal can..
Okay I think I need a sealer,If I put the Primer then put a sealer over that,My rust problem should be resolved,which I'm guessing means I wouldnt need to etch the metal,This doesn't say anything about etching.

Personally I'd remove rust and then spray epoxy. Then do filling as required. High build is not what you need at this point. But that's just my $0.02

65 Chevy guy, you are sure going about this the hard way.
Don't put the Dupli-color Primer Surfacer on the bare metal. It's a High fill primer.

Sand the metal with 320 grit with a DA. This will clean it and prepare it for top coating.
Spray 2 coats of Epoxy Primer/sealer on the bare metal. You can do any body work right on top of this primer/sealer. If you aren't doing any bodywork, then you can apply your top coat on the Epoxy.
I would Coat it with expoxy, then two or 3 coats of 2K high fill primer, block sand to get my surface nice and flat (smooth), one more coat of epoxy primer/sealer and then top coat it with color.
I would be careful with Dupli-color, most of their stuff is Lacquer.
Frank

Okay well this is a hard choice too make,I already have the Duplicolor primer and reducer {already used some of it so getting a refund back on that is out},I am on a very tight budget and I found some Epoxy Primer/Sealer but it's $124.00...I'll be in the doghouse if I buy that fer sure.
So what will happen if I use what I have..Primer Surfacer fills small scratches ect..but if i spray the whole truck with it then I sand it smoothe,What would be wrong with that? Would the primer crack or something? And since it says to apply their sealer over the Primer surfacer,Wouldn't that mean I don't need to metal Wash the bare metal? The Primer say's it can be applied over bare metal.
I'm not looking for a show car finish,Gonna be an everyday driver.I'll have to look again but I don't think what I have is a laquer...

guy - my 2¢ - the metal clean is to get any trace of rust out of little pits nooks and crannies so it can't do what it seems to have done, carry on rusting below a primer that's not waterproof - the sealer is to make the primer waterproof

since ya don't have the cash to start over, yer best bet is to get bare metal, use metal prep, use yer Dupli primer, sand it out as necessary, use a sealer, get'er painted soon as ya can

and buy the wife some dark chocolate for good luck

Bill

Sounds like good sound advice Bill...And She'll enjoy the chocolate..

autobodystore.com has a "classroom" and discussion board that goes over this dilemna in detail. you've got to watch what you put to inhibit rust (they like "picklex") because some of the stuff is incompatible with etching primers. i'm doing the same, strip to bare metal, fill and some day epoxy prime. in the meantime i'm using eastwood's metal prep and have had really good luck in keeping the flash rust at bay.

The procedure, as I understand it, is first strip, do rust treatment and then the panel repairs, epoxy prime (PPG dp40lf, for example), two or three coats of surfacer (ppg k36 or k38 for example), apply guide coat and block sand the living daylights out of the thing and then you're ready for your base/clear. Note that the epoxy primer must be topcoated within a week or it loses it's "bite". It's not the end of the world, you just need to scuff it and give it another coat.

OK, i do this for a living!

If you sandblasted it and let's say you intend to do somemore work in a day or to, use the metal prep, put it on good and wet and leave it alone, by this I mean don't put your hands on it at all, it will protect it for a few days from the air, that is if it's in or under some kinda structure, some of these type products won't allow Epoxy to adhere to them so you need to know what products do what, if you can't afford to by the good stuff, you will get what you pay for! sorry for that last comment but it's the truth, many people have come into my shop with these spray can products on their ride, this stuff will almost always cause more problems then they fix!

You can go to any PPG store and buy Black or grey Epoxy (never white,no rust inhibitors) with the hardner for 60-70 bucks, this with some reducer is enough to do quite abit of work, just remember, epoxies are sealer type products, just cover the metal don't try to FILL it! Epoxies won't last for ever so get some two part primer/2K (not Laquar) on it as soon as possible!