Epoxy over bare metal, filler then more epoxy, or urethane?
 

Okay, title may be confusing. So, my truck was blasted/sanded down to bare metal. I sprayed entire truck, entirely disassembled, with epoxy primer. So, I'm working on a little bit of my body work. I've applied some filler (Evercoat Rage Gold) over the epoxy, adhering to redcoat windows, need to scuff, etc.

My question is this: When I and down filler and get down to bare metal around the repair, what is the ideal next step?

• Do I continue to reapply epoxy over ANY exposed metal, prior to moving forward with any other product? That feels like an excessive level of spraying epoxy, applying filler, sanding, spraying epoxy, applying more filler, sanding more...

• Do I continue to fill, sand, fill, sand until I'm happy, then apply my urethane primer over entire panel?

• Do I continue to fill, sand, fill, sand until I'm happy, then reapply epoxy over that area, covering any bare metal, then apply a few coats of urethane primer over epoxy and begin my final blocking?

Then, later one, when final blocking, what is the recommended course of action if I accidentally sand through? Reapply urethane before allowing myself to cut through epoxy? I worry about this step because I made the mistake of buying both grey epoxy and grey urethane primer, so I dont want to unknowingly sand through urethane and epoxy, to bare metal again.

Do I need to tint my urethane, or buy a new color of urethane primer, that stands out against the grey epoxy?

I hope that this makes sense.

Thanks for any help/advice!

Nik

Re: Epoxy over bare metal, filler then more epoxy, or urethane?
 

Another coat of epoxy. If you still hit a lot of metal, you have high spots that may need addressed. Once you get it fairly straight with epoxy and not hitting bare metal, then you can go to a urethane build primer and block it flat. After urethane, if it is a DTM product, it wont hurt if you have small areas that break through to metal. But if it is a larger area, spot in more epoxy. The key is don't move to the next step until the previous is complete.

Re: Epoxy over bare metal, filler then more epoxy, or urethane?
 

That's the way I did mine...bare metal...epoxy....bodywork bodywork bodywork....then epoxy over that...then high build.....

Re: Epoxy over bare metal, filler then more epoxy, or urethane?
 

Question; After SPI epoxy on bare metal, Gold Filler, Slick-Sand high build to sand laser straight the SPI epoxy thinned for sealer. Can I leave the panel open as is before its painted?
I am talking months and will make room inside. Am I screwed? I know it will have to scuffed, pre-cleaned, tack rag, then paint. (Yes, got water filter/cleaner, good 60 gallon 6hp compressor and 3 paint guns, etc.) What is the preference for high build as Slick Sand is popular. Why does almost everyone use 2K on top before paint? I know there is a slight cost difference but reduced SPI epoxy appears to me the correct way to go, before I do the base coat. Later, with gaps done, back tapping to do bed front and cab back

I am working with this method due to 10 years of chronic pain. Three lumbar fusions starting in 88, last in 05, but both elbow have pinched nerve. Seeing new doctor tomorrow for Right elbow-worse, then second time, a different Dr. for RFA for burning in low back. At 6'4", everything is bending. Note: RFA= (Radio Frequency Nerve Ablation) I can't rake pine needles from yard without stopping for 40 minutes of work.

I have seen the worst paint job ever as my son had this truck that magically appeared in my driveway. After what seemed like months of welding strange holes cut on purpose, rust and electrical...he walked away from his work truck lawn service to do something else. Of course, he gave the $600 truck with oversized cam, but with new exhaust. Fine. So as I noticed shrinkage in the paints substrate and cracks in filler, then peeling paint when hit with pressure washer...I heart dropped as he did the body work. I found out he used rattle Dollar General store on sanded filler to find straight panels. If not, he repeated.

Well at this point it is all wrong, so after thinking about the first vehicle I bought, was a 65 C10, I thought "OK", I will keep it, but do it right. Am not a body man, but being an ASE Master in 78, I have learned a lot from the guys in the far end of the dealer, where the body shop was. So here I go again as I have completed 5 paint jobs on my cars...before a son(s) totaled them later.

I lost my dream garage I built (28' X 34' W/12' ceiling & 3 sides in ground) after we out-grew the house, tool boxes came home and garage is full. So, after reading as much here, I am going to strip the panels chemically, sand off all filler, do the bodywork to get close, using SPI epoxy primer in BLK to seal it from any moisture. Know one wants that behind their paint. Using the long open time and spending some money for Evercoat gold (Favorable Reviews / Easy Sanding / No shrinkage), so start hand sanding. If I break thru to metal or get lucky and the whole panel is straight, but 80% covered with filler, I am going to re-apply the SPI epoxy again. Moving from one chore to the next, I get the feeling everyone says, catalyzed material on top of catalyzed material is best practices.

At 61, this is my last build or major project ever. This 67 C10 will be my daily driver, but I only drove 12 miles last month.
Sorry, but this could be it's own thread...but just asking for best practices and materials. I have earned experience that have served me well for decades, but this crowd has thousands of years of combined experience.
Thanks to everyone!

Re: Epoxy over bare metal, filler then more epoxy, or urethane?
 

The guidance above is exactly as I was intending on moving forward. I have recently seen a coworker's paint (body filler, actually) peel off in large pieces, rusty underneath, between the filler and steel! Then, after spraying my epoxy primer saw the same body filler lift, except no rust. It was on a panel that I sprayed at 55° and applied filler over it fairly cold, too. A bit under 60°. I attribute this to spraying cold, as I have never had any other epoxy lift like that and I was nervous spraying beneath the lower recommended temperature. So, all parts that I sprayed in that batch are getting stripped back down to care metal, then will reapply epoxy primer before moving forward.

Re: Epoxy over bare metal, filler then more epoxy, or urethane?
 

Yes, the temperature is the "ROOT" cause of the lifting or failure of the filler to stick. The SPI epoxy has a 7 day open window to work filler onto, before it needs stuffed.
But as stated on their website, the metal itself, not the air, has to up to temperature first before moving forward.

Just as a side note; When applying the filler, place a small amount on your spreader and wipe it on thin over the entire area to get the "Chemicals" from the filler onto the metal or epoxy first to begin a chemical bond. Then hit it with the bulk of the filler you need to cover the work area. I have learned that by videos produced by EverCoat's website. They have some good ones and I never thought about this application, prior to placing the filler on the panel.

Re: Epoxy over bare metal, filler then more epoxy, or urethane?
 

If your asking why do they top cote the slick sand with 2k your guess is as good as mine if you have sanded it down to 600 and you don’t have metal showing paint it a sealer isn’t needed