Primer question
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Posting Guru
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Primer question
I have a Reading truck cap that I am repairing to put on my truck. ReadingBody.com | Commercial Caps | Commercial Caps
The one I have now is red and my truck is green, so I will strip it down to bare metal in sections as time allows and prime it with rattle can primer, rust oleum, to prevent flash rust while it sits around. So my question is when it comes time to spray the whole thing do I have to strip off the rattle can primer or is there a primer I can use to spray over the rattle can primer or some kind of bonding agent or other options. Thanks for your help.
The one I have now is red and my truck is green, so I will strip it down to bare metal in sections as time allows and prime it with rattle can primer, rust oleum, to prevent flash rust while it sits around. So my question is when it comes time to spray the whole thing do I have to strip off the rattle can primer or is there a primer I can use to spray over the rattle can primer or some kind of bonding agent or other options. Thanks for your help.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Rogue River, Oregon
Rattle can primer is neither rust proof or water resistant. It offers zero protection at all and bare metal will rust underneath it. You need a catalyzed primer which needs to be shot through a gun.
Posting Guru
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From: Rogue River, Oregon
I've never done it before, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. I strongly suspect a quality primer would wrinkle the spray can stuff, but maybe not. I've always looked at paint jobs like building a house in the sense that it's only as good as the foundation. You may get away with it, but then again you may get the whole truck painted only to have the paint lift, peel and wrinkle over the area that was done with rattle can primer. I'd take it all the way off myself.
Posting Guru
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From: Rogue River, Oregon
If you're working on the truck and driving it at the same time, you really need to shoot a good epoxy primer. Epoxies are weather resistant for a long time and will do fine. But if you're lucky enough to have another vehicle to drive while you work on your truck in the garage, try this stuff Eastwood Metal Wash
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2009
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No no no!!
Don't ever try to lay down a coat of rattle can, and then cover it with catalyzed uro ('urethane' paint is the standard for most of the current automotive refinish paint systems) primer...or uro anything. The two systems are NOT COMPATIBLE and you will end up with problems down the road.
If you want to protect it... Picklex 20.. the only way to go.
Picklex20 Manufacturer Home Page Metal surface preparation, steel pre-treatment.
If you want to protect it... Picklex 20.. the only way to go.
Picklex20 Manufacturer Home Page Metal surface preparation, steel pre-treatment.
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Posting Guru
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Sandman, the cap is sitting in my back yard up on horses and I work on it when I have the time. That's why I need something to protect until I can prime and paint properly. My truck right now has a aluminum cap that is a piece of crap(leaks). I will swap caps when the Reading one is done.
Graphicjunkie Thanks for the link. That looks like good stuff.
Graphicjunkie Thanks for the link. That looks like good stuff.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2009
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Also want to clear up a mis-conception. Most primers are not meant to be a moisture barrier. That's what the sealer is for. Primer is meant to be a build layer to help you smooth out any last little imperfections in the panel. That's it. You do your body work, prime it block sand it to straighten everything up, prime it again for any touch up work, block it again, and then seal it with a good sealer. The exception to this rule is a primer/sealer like PPG's DP40LF series. As I'm sure there are other brands out there that do the like. But if you do it that way, just make sure that your product will act as both.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Acworth, GA
Also want to clear up a mis-conception. Most primers are not meant to be a moisture barrier. That's what the sealer is for. Primer is meant to be a build layer to help you smooth out any last little imperfections in the panel. That's it. You do your body work, prime it block sand it to straighten everything up, prime it again for any touch up work, block it again, and then seal it with a good sealer. The exception to this rule is a primer/sealer like PPG's DP40LF series. As I'm sure there are other brands out there that do the like. But if you do it that way, just make sure that your product will act as both.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Rogue River, Oregon
Don't just pick a brand of primer, pick a whole "system" of the same brand. Manufacturers design their stuff to work together with no goofy problems as long as you use their stuff from primer to clear. Personally I like House of Kolor for custom jobs and DuPont for factory matches because that's what my local store sells and they treat me well. Ask your local paint store what they recommend.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2009
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Also, don't forget to talk to your jobber about paint code color compatibility. Some paint codes require specific color/tone undercoating to achieve the correct shade. I've seen some really crazy combinations over the years. You don't just want to pick one because of your mood. lol.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Rogue River, Oregon
My local DuPont dealer uses the VIN of the vehicle I'm painting to get a perfect combo of primer, base and clear to match what it came off the factory line with. So far I have never had a problem with color matching.
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