Yet another spray paint comparison thread!

[Gregski]

Great, this is all we need, another crappy spray paint comparison write up!

Well, hear me out, this is not going to be a how to paint your entire truck with a rattle can, all we are going to do is find the "best" product to paint some parts, maybe the engine bay, firewall, possibly the inner fenders, etc. so UV and weather resistance may take a back seat.

We will make stuff up as we go in terms of criteria, but off the top of my head:

1. coverage (does it shoot a proper wide pattern or narrow tiger stripes)
   
2. durability (how well does it hold up, what does it look like 2 years down the line, does it peel, did it rust?)
   
3. availability (can you get it at AutoZone or do you have to give up your first born to find it, can you get all three products in one store? will it still be around 2 years from now when you want to paint more parts and have them match?)
   
4. cost (is it expensive, do you have to buy in bulk to get it, ie at least six at a time)
   
5. nozle comfort (I'm a whimp so will this thing make my finger fall off after 3 minutes of spray painting type of thing)

I simply believe in buying into a system completely, what I mean by that is supposedly you get best results if you use the same brand of primer, paint, and clear, or at least you are guaranteed there won't be a negative reaction

to keep things simple and stay within our scope we will only be looking at BLACK paint, more specifically Satin, Semi Glass, Semi Flat, Matte you get the idea, or what ever your vendor of choice likes to call their product (and we can argue the differences later, but to me they are pretty much all the same, not quite glossy and not quite flat, but somewhere's in the middle)

LESSONS LEARNED... so far:

# 1. You can drive yourself crazy doing this!

#2. Manufacturers like to sell the same product (formula) under two different labels for twice the cost. I'm looking at you RUST-OLEUM. See post #26 below.

Acrylic means water based (no thank you)

Enamel the term simply means "hard surfaced paint" ie how it looks/feels when dry, however it's mostly associated with oil based (better in my opinion) technically Alkyd means oil based (so Alkyd vs Acrylic, not Enamel vs Acrylic)

Acrylic Enamel so "hard surfaced" water based paint (again pass on anything Acrylic for your automobile)

Semi Gloss = too shinny

If you find a spray paint that you like, buy all of it that's on the shelf! Paint companies like to discontinue their products and two years may seem like a long time but in Project Build Time (PBT) it goes by real quick, you go to touch up something, or paint that last part you forgot to paint originally and next thing you know you can no longer get the paint any more.

Denatured Alcohol cleans clogged nozzles. Got a can 2/3rds full but nothing will come out when you press the nozzle, don't toss it just yet, pour a quarter cup of Denatured Alcohol in a red party cup, remove the clogged up nozzle and drop it in, go do something else. The next day give that nozzle another go, hopefully it now shoots as good as new.

[Gregski]

a little background on why I set out to do this, well over the years I have found the best primer for me to be RUST-OLEUM Rusty Metal Primer in brown part number 249330, just love how it shoots love how it covers and love how it looks, they offer a sister product in light gray 249331, but that one just doesn't blow my skirt up in the same way

Problem being: AutoZone carries a can or two of the light gray, but does not stock the brown. I honestly don't recall at which brick and mortar parts house I got the brown last time, I don't think it was Pep Boys, I'll try to remember.

[Gregski]

a little more background, however for the paint I found the KRYLON Rust Tough Enamel in Semi-Flat Black part number 9203 to be a fan favorite

[Gregski]

so do I find a semi flat black RUST-OLEUM paint, perhaps like this one (technically labeled Matte) and stay within their eco system....

yes I know this is very OCD, ha ha

[Gregski]

alright time to take one for the team - we're going to prime and paint this passenger side inner fender with both the RUST-OLEUM primer and also their paint. We know the primer is excellent, but let's see what we think of that Matte finish?

[mongocanfly]

I like the rustoleum paint for small jobs...I use their high performance industrial...most of the time lowes is where I find it...

[Keith Seymore]

Subscribing. Well done, Gregski. Thanks for doing this.

K

[67C10Step]

Are you using the rusty metal primer on bare metal or just scuffing and hitting it? Curious as I am using some of the same products but have not used the rusty metal primer yet.

I just picked up some rustoleum primer and semi gloss black to shoot out of my paint gun on my trailer. It's a very forgiving job as I just want it covered and don't care if I get a few runs or imperfections here and there. In a matter of months there will be plenty of imperfections anyway.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 67C10Step

Are you using the rusty metal primer on bare metal or just scuffing and hitting it? Curious as I am using some of the same products but have not used the rusty metal primer yet.

Excellent question and I have more detail on my A '54 named Busty build thread, not self promoting just don't feel like double posting everything.

Anyway, here's the 3 Day Process process:

~ Day 1 ~

1. Knock off all the loose rust with a wire wheel on an angle grinder not on a drill. I find angle grinders spin at much higher RPM yielding much better results. I prefer the flat basic wire wheels, instead of the cups, but these days we run what we brong.

2. Wipe off the newly wired wheeled metal with Denatured Alcohol (from Home Depot if they still have it in California, ACE Hardware otherwise) I use Browny paper towels or the blue shop towels, use a towel and just throw it away after. We do this step so that the acid we apply in the next step is not wasted on eating loose rust dust that could just have been wiped off.

3. Then using Phosphoric acid again from Home Depot $5.00 absolutely the best bang for your buck in terms of rust removers (and I've tried them all Metal Rescue, CLR, Something something gel, this or that gimick, all expensive and all don't do much).

~ Day 2 ~

4. The current Phosphoric acid formula sold by Home Depot is not as strong/effective as it used to be (I guess something to do with this product may cause California in the state of Cancer type a thing ha ha) so I pour about a cups worth into a red cup and brush it on (I used to wear a mask, and rubber gloves, but now i just am more careful and do it outside) so I leave it on there over night, warm weather helps, next day wash it off with a green scotch pad and a mix of baking soda and water to neutralize it, then hose it off with regular water really well.

5. Then knock off all the crusty white stuff with the wire wheel a second time.

6. Wipe it off with a shop towel and Denatured Alcohol.

7. Shoot primer after shaking the can for 2 minutes (time yourself, cause there's two minutes, and then there's actual 2 mintues, lol) Think about it that can had been sitting on the shelf at Pep Boys for at least 6 months, so when you start you won't even hear the bee bee rattlin' in there, then after about 30 seconds you start to hear it, so keep going give it a proper mix.

~ Day 3 ~

8. Wait at least a day better if you can wait a couple days, then shoot paint, and clear, see your can for how long you need to wait in between coats of paint, usually 15 minutes, the 30 minutes later apply the clear. Let parts hang from the rafters in your garage while you go on and do something else, allow the paint to "cure"

seems like a lot of steps and a long process, but once you get it down it's just rinse, lather, repeat, plus how often you gonna do this on your rig, once in a life time

[Gregski]

just some more pics so you don't think I'm a hypocrite, honestly I'm not trying to preach at you all, or micromanage you, you do you, I am honestly just trying to help, and having done this process on three trucks already it seems to hold up

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Subscribing. Well done, Gregski. Thanks for doing this.

K

and thank you for the feedback I appreciate it

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

I like the rustoleum paint for small jobs...I use their high performance industrial...most of the time lowes is where I find it...

thank you for that information, mind sharing a pic of a can or two, please and thank you

[blazer2007]

I too like the Krylon paint,it sprays real nice but unfortunately rustoleum seems to have all the store shelves bought up here. I always buy a bunch when it went on sale but is too much on Amazon here In Canada. My next choice is the rusoleum painters touch,it too sprays real nice

[Rickysnickers]

Very interesting. Thank you!!!

[Gregski]

here are some of those rust remover products I have tried over the years, not bragging just saying I tried them, and the feeling I get is they are for guys with BMW motorcycles, you know the type, they spend more time shinning their bikes than actually riding them, ha ha, anyway these are the guys who use these products to remove rust specs from the bumper of their 2012 Honda Civic (wait do modern cars even have chrome bumpers anymore, lol), and what we need is a product to remove rust from a 1954 Chevy Truck, you get what I'm saying

the last one being that Phosphoric acid from Home Depot found in their concrete section out of all places (and yes they have altered their formula and changed their label, go figure)

[mongocanfly]

here ya go...you can also get this in qts and gals and spray thru a paint gun

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

here ya go...you can also get this in qts and gals and spray thru a paint gun

Perfect, thank you so much, I honestly did not know it literally would say "PROFESSIONAL" on there. ha ha. Looks like it is available at Home Depot but only as a 6-pack for $35.88 so $5.98 a can, however it comes in a 15 oz can instead of 12 oz. However LOWE'S had some $5.98 each same price for the paint as primer. Can't wait to try these!

[Gregski]

Going to start a little matrix for our product comparison. Basically going to write out the tiny fine print that nobody reads, ha ha. So let's meet our challengers:

________________________________________________________________________

#0 (This is our control aka the paint we currently like using.)
Brand: KRYLON
Type: Rust Tough
Finish: Semi Flat
Part #: 9203
Source: Pep Boys / O'Reilly
Price: $7.99

Conditions: 40°-85°F (looks like it's more colder weather friendly)
Humidity: "For best results do not use in high humidity" (It literally says that!?)
Prep: remove loose paint or rust with wire brush or sandpaper - does not require primer
Shake: shake for 2 minutes after you start to hear the ball, then shake for 10 seconds after every 1 minute of use
Distance: 6-8" in sweeping motion, releasing spray button after each pass
Coats: "several thin coats" um what? how many is several?
Dry Time: dries to the touch in 30 minutes, can be handled in 2-3 hours
Recoat Windows: additional coats must be applied within 2 hours or after 48 hours (I never understood this)
Comfort Spray Tip: No, which is a good thing, cause you flip the can upside down and spray until it comes out clear and you can reuse it later.
Note: I had one button stick and I literally ran around my backyard from one piece to the next trying to spray it so that I don't waste any paint

________________________________________________________________________

#1
Brand: RUST-OLEUM
Type: Matte Finish Custom Shop
Finish: Matte (this turned out to have a slight green hue)
Part #: 263422
Source: Home Depot
Price: $6.68

Conditions: 50°-90°F (I try to paint when it's 70°F outside)
Humidity: below 65%
Prep: remove loose paint or rust with wire brush or sandpaper, clean with soap and water, (well that's vague, what soap?)
Shake: 1 minute after ball begins to rattle, shake often during use
Distance: 10-16" from surface (I spray from a foot away it's just easier to remember)
Coats: apply 2 or more light coats a few minutes apart (sorry but that's kinda vague)
Dry Time: dry to the touch in 20 minutes at 70° F 50% humidity, 1 hour to handle, 24 hours to fully dry
Recoat Windows: Anytime
Comfort Spray Tip: Yes
Note: features an advances spray system that allows you to spray at any angle even upside down - this means you can't spray it upside down to clean the nozzle after use

_______________________________________________________________________

#2
Brand: RUST-OLEUM
Type: Professional
Finish: Semi Gloss [Spoiler Alert: this turned out to be too shinny!]
Part #: 239107
Source: LOWE's
Price: $5.98

Conditions: 50°-90°F (I try to paint when it's 70°F outside)
Humidity: below 65%
Prep: remove loose paint or rust with wire brush or sandpaper, clean with soap and water, (well that's vague, what soap?)
Shake: 1 minute after ball begins to rattle, shake often during use
Distance: 10-16" from surface (I spray from a foot away it's just easier to remember)
Coats: apply 2 or more light coats a few minutes apart (sorry but that's kinda wishy washy)
Dry Time: dry to the touch in 15 minutes at 70° F 50% humidity, 1 to 2 hours to handle (well which is it?), 24 hours to fully dry
Recoat Windows: 1 hour later or 48 hours ???
Comfort Spray Tip: Yes
Note: twist and pull of valve to clean it in Mineral Spirits

________________________________________________________________________

#3
Brand: KRYLON
Type: ColorMaster PAINT + PRIMER Cover Max (paint + primer means you get less paint in that little 12oz can, not good)
Finish: Satin
Part #: 51613
Source: Pep Boys
Price: $5.49

Conditions: 50°-90°F (I try to paint when it's 70°F outside)
Humidity: below 85%
Prep: remove loose paint or rust with wire brush or sandpaper
Shake: 1 to 2 minutes & during use
Distance: 6 to 8" from surface
Coats: apply multiple thin coats 1 minute between each coat
Dry Time: 10 minutes, handle in 1 hour
Recoat Windows: within 4 hours or after 24 hours (see you have to read this stuff cause some of it is weird)
Comfort Spray Tip: No
Note: to prevent clogs, hold can upside down and spray until clear gas appears (This is a nice feature, not all caps allow you to do that!)

~ UPDATE April 29, 2020 per Pep Boys manager who contacted KRYLON this paint has been DISCONTINUED !!! ~

_______________________________________________________________________

#4
Brand: RUST-OLEUM
Type: Stops Rust
Finish: Satin [This also turned out to be too shinny!]
Part #: 7777830
Source: Home Depot
Price: $3.98

Conditions: 50°-90°F (I try to paint when it's 70°F outside)
Humidity: below 65%
Prep: remove loose paint or rust with wire brush or sandpaper, clean with soap and water, (well that's vague, what soap?)
Shake: 1 minute after ball begins to rattle, shake often during use
Distance: 10-16" from surface (I spray from a foot away it's just easier to remember)
Coats: apply 2 or more light coats a few minutes apart (sorry but that's kinda wishy washy)
Dry Time: dries to touch in 2-4 hours, to handle 5- hours, fully dry in 24 (cheaper products just take longer to dry, may not be an issue for amateurs)
Recoat Windows: in 1 hours or after 48 hours (I don't understand this restriction?)
Comfort Spray Tip: yes
Note: pull off spray tip and clean in Mineral Spirits if clogged

[tinydb84]

That brown looks nice. I don't think I could be convinced to use anything other than a true 2k epoxy for bare metal though. I don't think rattle cans would hold up in the same way that 2k epoxy would.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

That brown looks nice. I don't think I could be convinced to use anything other than a true 2k epoxy for bare metal though. I don't think rattle cans would hold up in the same way that 2k epoxy would.

true, but we need an air compressor for that, a regulator, a filter, a dryer, air hoses, a paint gun or two, etc. Don't get me wrong I would love to own all that equipment, but...

[tinydb84]

Originally Posted by Gregski

true, but we need an air compressor for that, a regulator, a filter, a dryer, air hoses, a paint gun or two, etc. Don't get me wrong I would love to own all that equipment, but...

Very true. Plus all the clean up. I end up not shooting a lot of stuff until later because I have to mix up more paint than I actually use and have to spend so much time cleaning up after.

[Gregski]

here I want to show you why I think taking the time to do Step #2 above is important, you can see how much loose rust actually comes off in just a matter of a few wipes, this is that much less rust for the acid to have to eat later, and it only takes a minute to wipe down the entire inside of a fender

and a fun comparison before and after simply wire wheelin' and wiping it down

[Gregski]

so the weather was perfect for painting outside today so I gave the RUST-OLEUM Matte Finish paint a go, I bought it at Home Depot out of all places for $6.68

initial reaction after the first time shooting this product

• coverage is excellent
• technique: two light coats followed by a medium coat on each side every 10 minutes or so
• volume: one can is barely enough to do one inner fender (both sides)
• that comfort spray tip aint much of a comfort, but I've suffered through way worse

Side Note: Vlad my landscaper who usually shows up exactly precisely what ever day he wants, did not disappoint, no sooner did I empty out the can, when the gate swung open, and in came Vlad to mow the backyard, no joke! that explains the light dusting on the dry fender, they did wipe off later, thank goodness.

[nsb29]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

here ya go...you can also get this in qts and gals and spray thru a paint gun

When you buy it in the court or gallon you can an ad an enamel Hardener holds up better

[mongocanfly]

nsb.. very true..and ive done that before...