Need help with plan for chassis priming/painting

[Mattchu60]

I have been reading and reading on the internet for weeks and I have basically just confused myself on what to do. I have a frame which I will be sandblasting down to bare metal and then want to prime and paint right away afterwards (with a sprayer, not brush).

At first I was going to do a POR-15 type product, but then read about it peeling over a few years and also that its not great for clean metal, better to use on rusted metal, can't topcoat it, it fades, etc.

Then I read about Tractor Supply paint and how its tough and durable and pretty affordable too. I went out and picked up a gallon of black and the reducer and hardener that goes with it the other day.

Tonight I was reading about priming and wow - I just have myself confused. I have about a 1/2 gallon of self-etching primer on hand already, but then I ready how it doesn't harden and if there is any rust on the frame it'll cause issues over time. Then I read about epoxy primers being great, but also the frame would need to be sanded afterwards to give it some bite or it won't adhere well (sand blasting leaves a rough surface, figured that would be enough?).

Then I read that the TSC paint used to be great when it was valspar, but now that is Majic brand its not so wonderful anymore.

I'd like some opinions on the above. What I would like to do is just grab some Majic primer to go with the paint I bought instead of the self-etching stuff i already have - my concern is the stuff is not as good as I originally thought.

Main goal is durability - not a show truck but something that will used for work and driven on gravel.

Any input on a plan would be great. I over-researched and have just confused myself now.

[Foot Stomper]

Epoxy on bare steel is the only proper treatment as it prevents corrosion "creep" under scratches. It may rust in a scratch but the epoxy will prevent the rust from spreading from the scratch.

Most epoxies (if not, all of them) have a recoat window that allows you to paint them without sanding them.

Simply put, get it home, epoxy prime then apply paint as soon as the technical data sheet describes (from the epoxy).

[MARTINSR]

What Foot Stomper said!

Forget all the magic pills like POR, black epoxy primer and paint right over it with a black SS, done deal as good as it gets for you nice truck. Want more than that, show car look, that's another discussion (blocking the frame to perfection.)


SPI has some great epoxy they will mail to your door for free. http://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/


Brian

[Mattchu60]

Thanks for the info guys. This is helpful.

Would I need to sand the frame after blasting or just paint? I would imagine the blasting would like it rough enough already but I read you need to sand with a DA and 80 grit or something like that before epoxy goes on, seems unneeded here.

FYI - I have a pot blaster so I'll do this at home, then I'll put it inside and paint a day after blasting, so no worry about getting it home fast from a blasting shop.

[MARTINSR]

For a restoration nice truck, there is no way you need to do anything but blast and epoxy prime. For that matter, if you were making a mirrors under the truck indoor car show truck even then you would prime it and then sand the primer before paint to raise the perfection level. But for your typical nice truck restoration you epoxy prime over the sand blasted metal, paint over that within the recoat window no need to sand the primer and you are done baby. That frame under a nice truck, it's better than it was new.

Brian

[sevt_chevelle]

Apply two coats of epoxy over that blasted metal and call it a day. That TSC paint is nothing more then some sort of enamel based paint. Modern day urethane based paint is far superior. For a budget and a for a frame, OMNI single stage would be hard to beat.
There is an Arnold's Motor Supply in Mason City and in Hampton that sell PPG paint, also Napa in Mason as well that sells Sherwin Williams.

Personally, I would buy some SPI epoxy and some SS urethane.

[MARTINSR]

Realistically just the epoxy primer would be enough even, the only thing it doesn't have that the paint would have is UV protection. Well under the truck it isn't getting any UV! So it could be left just epoxy primer, many people do that. I wouldn't personally, with all that work done and one more application of paint over an unsanded epoxy, it's not worth the gamble, that's too easy. But many people leave it in epoxy.

Brian

[Mattchu60]

This is good advice. Glad I posted here for help, I appreciate all your input.

I did call Mason City Napa today - $110 for a gallon of epoxy primer and then they thought about $40 per quart for the paint. Not bad.

You guys think one or two quarts would be needed for the frame?

[Foot Stomper]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Realistically just the epoxy primer would be enough even, the only thing it doesn't have that the paint would have is UV protection. Well under the truck it isn't getting any UV! So it could be left just epoxy primer, many people do that. I wouldn't personally, with all that work done and one more application of paint over an unsanded epoxy, it's not worth the gamble, that's too easy. But many people leave it in epoxy.

Brian

Coatings are nothing at all like mechanical huh Brian!

Topcoating an epoxy on a frame is kinda like Coke in your Rum... makes it kinda sweeter but not really any better.

[Alex V.]

Glad I looked here - I'm in the exact same situation, considering some of the exact same products.

But one question/option that hasn't been mentioned yet - how big a no-no is it to forgo primer and go straight to some kind of epoxy paint? I know Rust-Oleum appliance epoxy (which someone sprayed on my motorcycle's rims before I got it) says it's better not to prime beforehand and it seems extremely durable.

[Foot Stomper]

Originally Posted by Alex V.

how big a no-no is it to forgo primer and go straight to some kind of epoxy paint?

Epoxy IS the primer. Without it you're doomed.

Think of paint in terms of coatings.... different coatings provide different features and benefits. Epoxy is corrosion resistant coating. Urethane is a top coat.

Paint is something you put on your kitchen wall... coatings are what you put on your truck...both come in several colors.

Respectfully I suggest you reread this thread. It'll make better sense now that you know epoxy IS the primer.

[projectking]

This is only one coat of SPI epoxy, I applied 3 coats total. Perfect primer/topcoat for a frame, or anything underhood that needs to be black.

[Mattchu60]

Guys - thanks for the replies last week - I was able to get some epoxy primer and black single stage to cover it from the local auto store.

Today I had the day off work, so I started into the project. It took MUCH longer than I anticipated to sandblast the frame - I went through 25 - 50 lbs bags of sandblast material and it took around 7-8 hours of time - got it done though and it looks much better than it did. After getting it blasted I got it into the shop and wiped it down with some cleaner then I went to work on priming. The stuff sprays real easy, I am a novice with professional products but the store gave me some good instructions on how to mix and what to set the sprayer psi at. Did have a little trouble with it getting to dry toward the end of each cup of paint. Tomorrow I'll top coat with the black paint.

Heres some pictures.

Before:



After sandblasting:



After epoxy:

[Foot Stomper]

Pin this thread!

This is precisley the result of asking a good question then executing the knowledge learned.

Awesome work Mattchu60! Awesome!

[Mattchu60]

This afternoon I painted the black paint on - single stage low-gloss black urethane paint. Sprayed several thin coats. Very happy with the results.

Again - I appreciate everyones input - I would not have used these products if I hadnt posted here, I'd be spraying some cheap TSC paint which would probably look pretty rough in a year or two.

[Foot Stomper]

Looks great. Nice work on the multiple light coats.

[GR8-68]

Looks great Matt, fine work

[Alex V.]

Looks good! What spray pressure did you use? I'll be doing mine today or tomorrow.

[Mattchu60]

I set the pressure at roughly 40 psi for my spray gun. Its not a HVLP type, its the traditional style spray gun. The sheets I got with the primer and paint both had a range of about 35-55 psi it seems.

[Alex V.]

Ditto - the directions for the Transtar 1:1 ratio epoxy primer I used was 35-45 PSI and I ran it about 45. Here's the result:


Sprayed the first coat of Rust-Oleum Farm & Equipment satin black enamel after I moved it inside this evening - after thinning the enamel (so darned thick straight out of the can I could barely move the gun at a regular rate and have any coverage) I'm liking the result. The epoxy's 10 minute recoat/30 minute topcoat time is real nice.

[Mattchu60]

Nice! Looks good Alex! How was painting outside? I almost did it but was worried about dust/wind?

[Alex V.]

Thanks! Except for the wind it was perfect - I hadn't planned to (have a makeshift paint booth erected in my shop) but with <30% humidity, sun, and a high of 72 yesterday I couldn't pass it up. It rained earlier in the week and everything hasn't starting budding out yet so there wasn't much stuff in the air even with a 10 MPH wind. The stuff I used dries to recoat in 10 minutes and to touch in 30 so it doesn't stay wet for long, but I'm doing the enamel topcoat inside partly because of weather change and partly for cleanliness.

[Mattchu60]

Got another question for you guys.

I bought a set of brand new leaf springs. They were painted black at the factory. I had a replacement set for another truck and they rusted up pretty fast, guessing they just hit them with some cheaper paint when they make them.

Could I scuff them up and paint over them with my black urethane to give them better protection? Or would i need to need to take them down to metal and epoxy then paint like I did with my frame? I do not really want to take them apart just to paint them, rather leave them assembled.

Let me know your thoughts.

[projectking]

Rub a spot with Laquer thinner, if the paint comes off on the rag I'd remove it.