The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop POR 15 vs Rustoleum

I have searched for an answer to this but, cannot find it. Sorry if it is redundant.

I have taken all the body panels off and sent them out to be painted. I want to clean up the frame, rad etc while I cool my heels waiting for the panels to come back.

I spent my allowance on PRO15 Chassis Paint and tried brushing it on. I achieved varying results from "great" to "looks like a very bad brush job". Some of it self-levelled and looks great and some it goods very very amateurish.

The frame is in good shape with no rust and a decent coat of paint on it although weathered.
Should I give it a spray coat of Rustoleum? It looks pretty decent on the couple of parts I have done?
Or are there any tips to applying POR 15 to make it look sprayed on?
Thanks
Peter

I used "regular" POR15 on my chassis and not the paint. I found that if you pour out to much and then start putting it on the chassis it will start to skim. When it does this it did not flow and level out as well as when it was fresh out of the can. I might add that the brush itself may start to getting a bit stiff and you need to change brushes?? Thats why I use the cheap throw aways. Sometimes a bristle may come out and stick on the chassis but hey, keep on trucking. Who's going to see that.

Yes, you can spray over it to smooth it up some. After I did my chassis I made a mess or two doing some things and touched it up with rustoleum spray paint. Looks good.

Sometime ago a bolter recommended drilling a hole in the por15 and only pouring out SMALL amounts at one time. Well, I just opened up a can of por15 and I drilled a 1/4" hole in the center of the lid. Poured out some, wiped it off, put a piece of duct tape over it and it works like a champ. I've "opened" it and resealed it several times over the paat 3/4 weeks and its still good inside can. The good part is I pour out very little at a time. Then replenish.

I'm sure other bolters with experience with the chassis paint will chip in here.

Spraying POR15 without a FRESH air respirator is a recipe for death! BEWARE! Read the instructions on spraying please!

The reason I wanted to try the Pro-15 is that I read that it very self-levelling. I have tried spraying painting before and do not have the skills required so that is why I am sending the body panels out to be professionally painted.
What I would like to do is clean up the frame and rad while I wait for the boady panels to come back.
Unless anyone has any tips to make the POR Chassis Paint flow better I think I may just opt for spraying with Rustoleum rattle cans.
The rad I did with the POR is OK but, it does have a few brush lines and I may strip it and re-do it. Or I'll send it to the painters with the rest of the stuff although it is starting to get expensive.
Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

I used Por 15 as well and as you say some areas looked better than others. Since I had a good base the areas that were more visible I used Semi-Flat black to purty it up so to speak. If I was doing a show vehicle I would probably have had it powder coated. I liked Achipmunks idea though. I wasted some using the quart jar in the refrig they recommend.

That POR15 is good stuff and is about bulletproof, but it sets up and skims fast, as mentioned above. Never have tried to spray it, and I'm sure it is nasty to your health. I have top coated it in areas that showed, with Rustoleum or similar spray cans, and it looked good. I had about a half quart left, carefully put plastic wrap over the top and reinstalled the carefully cleaned lid. A few
months later I opened the can to find a wonderful petrified hockey puck. An EXPENSIVE hockey puck!

casey, as mentioned above, I drilled a 1/4" hole in the center of the lid and poured out small amounts each time, wiped it clean and put a new piece of duct tape over it each time. Its been hot as a firecracker here and I"ve used some out the can every few days and its still good.
I had the hookey puck thing happen to me to.....then another bolter, I forgot his name,mentioned drilling a hole in the lid and it works for me.
Anwyone else tried this?.... am I just lucky this go round?

I like that idea Alvin. I might add that outfits like Smooth-On sell dry Nitrogen in aerosol cans because the epoxies spoil quickly also once they are opened and exposed to the atmosphere.
Nitrogen is heavier than air and a little squirt into the can before sealing it back up lengthens the life of the product. Some (not many) paint stores also stock it for the same purpose.
I like the hole in the lid and tape idea or maybe a rubber cork?
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I have used zero-rust as opposed to POR 15. It seems to be pretty bullet proof and it doesn't have the nasty stuff that POR 15 does. It comes in brush on, and spray cans. The only thing is, if it is exposed to sunlight you have to put their clear coat over it for UV protection.

Like Super55 I have used Zero Rust with good results.

The secret to keeping POR15 fresh is to get the can resealed. I found that using a sheet of kitchen food wrap, the clinging kind seemd to work pretty good if used under the lid. It sealed and allowed me to get the lid off w/o tearing it up. But maybe the small hole idea is even better.

Thanks for all the replies.
After having spend a small fortune on POR 15 as well as the Chassis coat, trying and stipping it off I have decided that POR is not for me. I can't seem to get a good finish if I brush it and I don't have the talent or equipment to spray it.
I do not have a rust problem because the PO stripped it to bare frame and re-sprayed so I have a good base to work from.
I just want mine to look refreshed so, or my project, I am going to use rattle cans of Rustoleum.
The appearance of what I have done so far looks very good, although I am not sure of its durability.
Peter

Peter, although I have used the POR15 on chassis and like it I will say that the 37 I have got the Black Gloss Rustoleum in 1997/1998 and it still looks good today. I even drove it in the rain today!! So, I think you will be OK.

As a side note a friend of mine used the rustoleum Primer and Black paint on his 37 and ended up spending more money for the rattle cans than it would have cost for the POR15. (or Eastwood's)

Peter,
I would like to recommend, that if you go with the rustoleum, you might consider buying it in a quart or gallon size can. There is the same amount of paint in a quart as in about 5-6 rattle cans for the same or less money.
Like you, I didn't have the equipment to spray it, but I bought a cheap paint gun from Harbor Freight and had a go at it. I thinned it down with acetone and found that if you can run a rattle can, you can spray with a paint gun. I painted the bumper, splash apron and hubs on my 3 ton this way and they turned out pretty good. I wouldn't want to jump in and paint my cab or anything, but for bumper or frame work I would give it a try. Just my .02, hope it helps.
Scott

x2

Hi all,
So I hope I can jump in and ask a question. This week I put POR 15 on some parts. Come to find out part of those parts should not have POR15 on them. Does anyone know how to get POR15 off?
Sanblast...agian? Paint remover?

Thanks!

Jon

Depending on how large the part is, you could try sandblastind or bead blasting in a cabinet. All those rust killing products are extremly hard. They tend to bond into the metal. If the parts are very small get a gallon can of carb cleaner (nasty stuff), and let the parts sit over night. Than using a stiff brush clean off the loose material. If needed, dry off the part and bead blast it right away.

Ok will give it a go

Got the POR15 on my new project. Great stuff! I had the frame sandblasted then used Marine Clean and Prep products first. Brushed on the POR as no one is going to see the areas. I learned to be VERY careful NOT to get it on my hands..takes alot to get it off including skin. Also, clean the lid VERY well of the can. Once I put the lid on and came back the next day, no matter what I did I could not get lid off.

For those who may read this I have drilled a 1/4" hole in the top of the lid and poured out small amounts at a time to use as it dries out very fast. I've been using duct tape to place over the hole, shake the can and let it sit. I've got a can I've "opened" at least 6 or 8 times and whats left inside is still OK. I just keep the lid clean and wipe it good and put on a new piece of tape.

Hope this helps someone... .and I don't take credit for this. It was suggested long time ago by another bolter and I tried it.

Alvin,

How do you stir it before you use it? If you shake it, you get air bubbles that take a while to dissipate. Do you shake it and let it sit a while (how long) before you use it? Your technique sounds good.

Thanks,

Tim, I keep the can sitting on a shelf over my work bench and "ever so often" when I reach for something on the shelf I grab the POR and shake it a few times. I also shake it before using it and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. As of yet I have not seen any air bubbles come out when I turn it upside down.

It has really worked well for me. Each time I pull the duct tape off I just make sure the can lid is clean. While I'm using it I just stick the same tape over the hole until I'm done then put a new piece on it and just rub it down good. Turn the can upside down for a second or two and sit it back on the shelf.

It sure flows and works better just using small amounts at a time. I use the cheap brushes and its not uncommon for me to use a brush for a little, then discard it as it starts to get tacky and use another one. Around here I can get a handful of the cheap ones for 3 or 4 dollars. This helps in applying it to.

EDIT: my daughter saves me the little frozen food trays (like Stouffers) and I use them to put the POR in then throw them away..... and the ideal way to buy is in the PINT size cans but its to darn expensive to buy the small cans. Quart size is what I get unless I can get a good price on the smaller cans..which is rare!!

Like the tip for drilling a hole in the lid. I got a can of POR 15 once and the lid was stuck when I went to open it...ended up bending the lid & can so badly it didn't fit at all.
Used foam brushes to apply it on the inner fenders of the 57 after I sandblasted them, went on really well.

My frame was in good condition with only a little surface rust. Here's what I did to make it look good and protect it.

1. Took off old paint and surface rust with a wire brush on an angle grinder where I could get to it.
2. Brushed SEM Rust Mort (a phosphoric acid based rust converter)on entire frame, then washed off.
3. Sprayed rattle cans of paintable Rustoleum undercoating on entire frame.
4. Sprayed rattle cans of Rustoleum gloss black paint over the undercoating.

I'm not saying this is the best way to treat a frame, just what I did. It looks nice, but has not been on long enough to know how it will hold up. As someone said, it takes a lot of rattle cans to do a frame, and next time I may go to Rustoleum in a can and apply with a spray gun.

The manufacturer recommends that for storing POR to transfer the unused portion to a glass sealer jar. Put a piece of Saran-wrap over the top then tightne down the lid. Keep it in a cool dark place (fridge is best). I have done that and it works fine - keeps for a LONG time (months). I have also used the hole in the lid method, with duct tape to seal it. My issue with that is that when I poured it, it gets all over the can and lip and it's not easy to clean off, so the duct tape stops sticking well.

Directions also state NOT to shake it, but onl to stir it. Shaking it introduces air bubbles which shortens the life of the product, or instroduces contaminants whcih lessens it's ability to self-level and adhere.

The underside of this 56 is all POR, as have been all my projects for 10 years. I love the stuff.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uuHdUbUIV...c/s600/IMG00614-20111127-1425-731559.jpg

I have been using Rust-Shield Black on all my frames, rear ends and inner fenders. It goes on just like POR-15 and does not require a top coat for UV protection. So far I am very pleased with the results.

Is that rust shield as tuff as the por?

I used Zero Rust and am extremely happy with the results and the durability!!!

As far as I can tell it is comparable to POR, its a SEM product and it works well for me. All my under carriage parts are painted with Rust-Shield.

If you are going down to the bare frame it is just about as cheap to have it Powder Coated verses the POR - 15 or Rust Bullet method. I had my frame Powder Coated and they always Blast it to the bare metal. This way you Start with a good sound base for a rebuild. The Powder Coating cost me $325.00 as I remember or there abouts.

I had my Inter Fender Shields also coated as the truck was used for a work truck by my dad when he worked on the repaving of the roads. There was so much "[censored] Mule" and "Road Mix" on the underside of the shields that it needed to be heated up and then cooled down to burn this material off the shields. It takes 24 hours to do this then they Powder Coated them. For the $65.00 it was worth it and saved a whole bunch of time for me.

A note to anyone having this heating method done make sure they know how to do this as very few Powder Coaters have the Ovens to do this. This shop also puts the Ceramic Coating on your Manfolds for you too which I had done for $65.00 on my Rams Horm Manfolds they say it keeps the engine compartment 1200 to 1500 degrees cooler than without it done.
62Blue
Don

I always have m frames blasted to bare metal before applying POR15, but more importantly, thats the least expensive Powder I've ever heard of!!!! Prices here are so much more around these parts it'd be worth me shipping parts to your coater!

Below are the prices for Doug's headers, pRaw and Ceramic Coated:

D626-R Raw Header Ford Mustang (67-70) Click for applications
Item is available.
USD$ 476.76

D627 Coated Header Ford Mustang (67-70)
Item is available.
USD$ 1,100.93

That $600 for the COATING - so if you can get it done for $65 I say you should go into business as the middle-man!

A quart of POR15 is about $40. That's enough to do an ENTIRE frame and the ENTIRE underside of a vehicle - twice....

Thats a very good price for powder coat, but still out of my budget, I sand blast all my parts in my shop, I then move the parts into a different side of the shop where they are primed or painted with the rust-shield. The finally paint job is done at a paint shop.

The subject of "storage of POR 15" has been well covered above. I just thought I'd add my own funny story to the list. I recently stored some POR15 in a 16oz Lipton Tea plastic bottle. I filled it to about 1" from the top and closed it up tight. I have recommended this to others because I saw it somewhere and it sounded like a great idea. Simple, right? Just pour out what you want, then squeeze the botttle a bit to get rid of the extra air and reseal.

BAD IDEA!!! It may have worked for others, but not for me.

Here's what happened to me tonight.

1. I had to cut the lid off with a utility knife.
2. The POR15 came bubbling out like a volcanic eruption.
3. I now have a few freckles that were not there this morning, and they are semi-gloss black.
4. I have a black line on my nose that will be there for weeks and make for interesting conversation.
5. The POR15 was lumpy, but did spread out OK and will probably cure just fine.
6. The sweatshirt my wife wanted me to throw away has POR15 all over the sleeve. It's a shame, that sweatshirt has been with me for over 15 years.
7. I painted stuff with POR15 that I had no intention of painting, but it was either that or waste the stuff that spilled. Waste POR15? Shoot no! That stuff is expensive!
8. I can still laugh about it!

I have used Zero Rust and POR 15 and top coated both with what ever color paint I wanted to use. I could be wrong or it might just have been the batch of Zero Rust I was using but it was not as strong as POR 15. I wish Zero Rust was because it is cheaper to buy. I have some pint size cans, and some quart size cans. I use the size can that fits the job I'am doing. That way I don't have to worry about storing any left over used can and it drying up. I use latex gloves doubled up and wear a long sleeve shirt when using either Zero Rust or POR 15. I never spray POR 15, not saying that you couldn't, but I don't have access to a Army Chem suit and I like to breath, so spraying POR 15 with just a 3M repirator is a no no. I have sand blasted and then applied, and I have just knocked off most the loose rust and applied the stuff. It just depends where I was applying it at. Under the fender wells, I just knocked off the loose rust and it holds up great, after all the instructions tell you that it holds better to that kind of surface. I always use the metal clean and surface prep that POr 15 supplies before applying the POR 15 and I have never had any problems with it. As far as removing the stuff, never had to and hope I never will have to, good luck to anyone that needs to remove it.