The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Etch Primer

Hi guys,

So I think i'm at the stage of putting a coating on my bare metal truck. If I put etch primer on all the parts (after proper prep), but do not put a coat of high build or whatever on top right away will I get rust under the etch? As in, is the etch primer weatherproof? Will I have to sand it off before I put high build on in weeks, months??? The truck is staying in the shop and won't see any moisture or drastic temperatures. Am I even looking at this the right way?

Thanks
Colin

Colin,

I sure hope you're looking at it the right way because that's how I looked at it. My cab is on a dolly in my garage, out of the weather dressed only in etch primer. This stuff isn't very durable, but it's OK inside and dry.

You don't want to sand through it before you spray it with your 2K primer. Maybe a light scuff with a 3M pad.

I think the absolute best way to do this, in hindsight, is to blast and prep, etch prime and then immediately cover with a good 2K primer.

Any subsequent bodywork can be done through the 2K...Bondo included. It's common practice to apply body filler over the 2K, So why not let the truck sit in the shop in more than etch...finish it with 2K...it's then bullet proof.

Stuart

epoxy prime the bare metal, epoxy doesn't need the etch and it's a sure seal that will prevent rust till you get back to it

Bill

Colin,

What Bill said is true..clean bare metal doesn't actually need a etch primer under it. I blasted my cab, but wanted the added rust protection the etch primer provided in case I didn't get all the metal 100% bright.

Many folks skip the etch primer and shoot only the 2K...I must be a nervous sort!

Stuart

Thanks guys,

It was all blasted and stripped down probably close to a year ago. I would have to go over all the blasted parts again i'm thinking. Also, the exterior is covered in rust pits (from the PO 5 years ago). The surface rust was all sanded off and the rust pits are still there. Am I right to assume they must all be blasted out?

Thanks again,
Colin

Colin,

As you know, any rust left behind will usually breed more rust. The etch primer will address light surface rust, but that's it. Clean and bright is the ticket for success. Can you blast the problem areas with a syphon blaster on a individual basis?

Stuart

On my inner fenders I found my finger prints in rust two days after I brought then home from the blaster. They looked clean and bright when I picked them up. Another two days passed before I
got time to get back to them and they had more rust popping up. Used a flap disc on my grinder
to clean them off the rust then used Jasco Prep & primer on them. been a couple of weeks now and
they still apear rust free.