On a whim I picked up a rattle can of Krylon H2O acrylic enamel to try. While I had my front end dissassembled I decided to use it on the frame to test it. I scrubbed the frame clean with a brush wash of mineral spirits followed by a scrub with undiluted Simple Green, and finally a rinse with hot water and towel dry. I wire brushed the crossmember where the radiator frame mounts to remove surface rust and wiped it clean with acetone. Note my frame is in excellent shape with little to no rust save a little surface rust in hidden places like this. I then gave the area from the deflectors back to the engine mount a quick coat of Rustoleum sandable primer. After the primer dried for 30 min I shot the frame with the H2O paint (gloss black). I was surprised that the can was under a much higher pressure than solvent based rattle can paint, so I could move back away from the surface and get a much bigger spray pattern. When the paint hit the frame it looked very rough like bedliner (the can warns to expect waterbubbles in it) but then in a few seconds it laid down and flowed out as smooth as silk.
The can says it will dry in 15 minutes and be handled in 1 hr, and it was correct.
It also says you can recoat at any time, something you can't do with solvent paint: you have a fairly small time window for recoating or it must dry for several days and be scuffed before applying more coats. I saw a couple places where I hadn't covered inside the rails, so I went back and touched up as well as adding another fairly heavy coat over the area where the surface rust had been to see how smooth it would get without heavy sanding or grinding. I checked on it the next day and much to my pleasant surprise, the frame looked like it had been powdercoated with a glossy sheen! The smooth areas look brand new, and where the rust had been was a smooth texture with no thinning on the high spots. The paint, although it goes on pretty thick compared to solvent based, resisted running, I got no noticable runs or drips, and was very economical IMHO. I used a full can of primer, but only ~ 1/2 a can of the H2O to cover the same areas even with recoating. Durability has not been tested, but the dried finish seemed harder than normal for rattlecan when I tapped it with a fingernail after drying overnight. Give it a try! I got mine at WallMart. Now if only came in more colors...

 

Thanks for the tip, AX. I'll have to try that stuff.

 

Thanks AX, I will have to try it out sometime. I also believe Auto Air Colors paint is water based. It's great stuff, just would take a little getting use to the procedures of it.

hotrod48

 

All the cars actually manufactured in Japan are painted with waterbased paint per gov regs.

 

Thanks, AX, this is a fine example of a tip that should be collected and saved. I did reformat your original post and saved it in the paint folder of my computer for my use, but maybe whoever does the FAQ and Tips for the forum will want to make it availible to every one.

The point about recoat times is important - I lost 48 hours this weekend on my project as I painted my housing, springs, and hangers with rustoleum semi-gloss black Saturday morning. I had rigged up a pipe to hang the parts from. When I could handle the parts (4 hours) I started to install them and noticed that I had done a lousy job on the ends near the floor.

I did not want to repaint them in place, so all I could do is hang them back up and wait for the recommended re-coat time. So now I am installing them this afternoon, a job I should have finished Saturday.

It would have been nice to repaint, have a cup of coffee, and then install them!

 

Has anyone used Auto Air water based paints??

 

I have a sample pack of it and a how-to DVD from them. My dad has a couple of test panels from when a guy came up from Texas (I think) to do a demonstration (Custom paint, I'll see if I can get some pics of it). I think it's a good product, because my dad seems to like it. I am not sure if my dad has used it yet or not, but I will ask.

hotrod48

 

I haven't tried it, but the Kragen Fuel Funny car is painted with it, saw a how-to write up in "Air" magazine. Said it covers so well that the paintjob was 1/2 the weight of a solvent based one.

 

Neat stuff to know. I have yet to encounter it, but I will certainly be on the lookout to try some. Thanks for the headsup. Joe

 

Great info!!

Thanks
Bobby

 

Thanks, I contacted AutoAir they are sending me some lit.

 

Thanks Ax, I presume that clean up is just water and soap. How about if I over spray onto something else? Does it come off if you wipe it off right away with a wet rag? Thanks, Jag

 

yep, just like latex paint it just wipes right off.
PS I use aluminum foil to cover anything I don't want to paint, much easier to use than paper or plastic and tape, just mold it around and it stays right in place.

 

Almost all modern cars (not just Japanese) are painted with water-borne paint (originally due to EPA concerns over solvents, but also because it's higher quality). I personally don't understand the distinction between water-borne and water based. Seems to be a superior technology. I'd be curious how they do basecoat/clearcoat with it.

 

This sounds like good stuff. I was at Walmart last night, but they didn't have it. So I'll keep looking. Thanks for sharing Ax, Jag