Bare metal frame prepping for paint.

I have been taking the frame to bare metal on my 60 f100. I have done the whole rear suspension in krylon rust tough gloss black enamel. It came out pretty good, not for show quality of course but nice. I had used.por15 on the frame before but doesn't work well with a clean frame. So I plan to use the krylon on the frame aswell. Should I use just regular krylin primer first or etching primer?

 

Krylon now has a primer/paint combo. Seems to work very well. It should work well for you. Mike

 

Do you know what its exactly called? Reason why I'm asking is doesn't etching primer have a chemical in it that seals the metal?

 

Anyone here today?

 

Good thread, I'm starting now on my frame on my Catalina.

 

There has to be other guys here that have done this before or knowledge about this for jesse1980 and myself

 

The Krylon works very well. You do not have to go high tech when painting a frame. These are hobby vehicles and are usually only out in fair weather. I have been using Krylon for almost 50 years. I have tried the new all in one paint with good results so far.

 

Last frame I did I used Rust Oleum red primer, let it dry a week, then Rust Oleum black enamel.

 

Rattle cans for me are for small backyard projects , nothing else . Personally , I'd spray it with a good direct to metal primer , then a couple of coats of single stage urethane topcoat . That being said , it's your car , go ahead and rattle can it .

 

I used Krylon on my first T frame. Decent prep, primered and painted it. I used rattle cans and it came out okay. On my second one, I sprayed primer, then brushed on the black. As it dried, the brush strokes disappeared. So, I'm happy.

Only small parts of a T frame can be seen, so I paid extra attention to those sections. I drive almost everyday and tinker with my car a lot, so I get chips. But it's a frame on a street driven car, so I touch up as needed. I can't see putting so much work into a frame on a daily driver. Or any other car. Unless you're building a show car, prime it and spray or brush it.

 

Should'a said I bought the Rust Oleum in quart cans and sprayed it -- but I see nothing wrong with rattle cans.

 

Well I guess I will be sticking to what I have been doing. Nobody has mentioned etching primer so I guess its not needed

 

For what you are doing you don't really need a etching primer. The Kyrlon primer/paint says that on the can. I think if you went to the hardware or walmart of your choice and looked, you'd probably find it. under 4 bucks a can. rustoleum also has a good can primer. It's easy. mike

 

I use duli-color in the rattle can and it works great for all my projects.

 

just wondering how much $ it would take to prime a frame in krylon. the last frame I did I used epoxy, took less than a 1 qt kit (makes 1/2 gallon mixed) this cost 50$ . epoxy is a much better product.

 

I honestly would like to but I have a small craftsman compressor and a harbor freight gravity feed gun. I'm not good at doing mixtures either.

 

x 2 for me....SEM has a good aerosol etch primer as well, in light gray and black. tomorrow I'm spraying some acrylic urethane primer over it.

 

your hf gun will work just fine, I use one to spray primer all the time. Primers/paint is simple to mix. The epoxy I used mixed 1 to 1, your paint store will hook you up with cups, sticks, and strainers. There are several gun set up, paint/primer mixing and spraying vedios on you tube if you need help in this area plus there are several paint threads here.

 

OK cool! Well what primer and paint should I get? Type and brand

 

First...if you want to do a good job, you need to prep the metal correctly. Did you just wire brush it? sandblast it? or just wash it?
I'm guessing from your inexperience that you just washed, or maybe wire brushed it. So...you still have cleaning and prepping issues. Rust will be in the pits and pores of the metal, as well as some residual grease/oil. Get yourself some nitril gloves and some metal prep and Scotchbrite, or steel wool, and scrub the hell out of the frame.
Let dry and either use the recommended neutralizer for the metal prep (different brands are different), the wipe down with Pre Paint cleaner.
Now you can primer. Most etching primers don't recommend putting it over acid washed surfaces, some epoxies, too. I've used POR-15 very successfully on sandblasted frames, and very clean metal prepped surfaces. You can even spray it, but be sure to have a good respirator, and keep it away from anything you dont' want oversprayed. After 2 coats, usually a day apart, you can put on any paint while the POR is still slightly tacky. If it dries, you're out of luck. Nothing sticks unless you sand the hell out of it.
Over a prepped frame, you can use an epoxy if the tech sheets OK it over acid prep. You can use a regular enamel primer, or a DTM, as well. Then follow with a good, tough paint. I would use a single stage urethane, a polyurethane, like Imron, a BC/CC, or even an acrylic enamel with hardener.
As you can see, almost all of the materials I use are sprayed, no cans, there are very few canned products that hold up well under the abuse of driving. Use your touch up gun, and learn how to mix and shoot if you want any type of quality work done.
And use proper precautions when dealing with paint, some can kill you! Actually, most can, just takes longer for some!

 

I'm with chopolds on this. But I also understand some people do not have the proper equipment or cash flow to do it the correct way. Doing it your way will still help preserve it somewhat. What it comes down to is if it looks good enough for you that's all that counts.

 

It has only been wire wheeled and most of it is to bare metal. Some spots wouldnt come out too well. I am having a hard time cleaning the frame inside behind hr spring perches since nothing really fits in there. I would have loved to blast the whole frame but as of right now i dont have a pickup or a trailer. When you say get some "nitril gloves and metal prep" what metal prep? Is that a chemical? If so what brand and where can that be purchased? You also mentioned a neutralizer is that por 15 or?

 

Metal prep is made by many different companies, just get the one your body shop supply has. I use Dupont 5717S, or Picklex. PPG or others will make something similar...it will help clean off residue, but most impotantly, dissolve any residual rust on the chassis. Use a wire brush to work it in deep, even a "straight" type wire brush to get into corners and such. You'll have to work it for a while to get to "white metal", it's a real chore. That's when you'll appreciate sandblasting, whatever the cost!
The acid in metal prep must be removed or neutralized, or it might react with your paint. Some manufacturers just recommend a wash with water, some need nothing, others might need a wash with some other chemical )Pre Paint, baking soda solution, or a different metal prep)
This stuff makes paint stick very well, from it's cleaning attributes, to it's providing a "tooth" to the metal for paint to grab hold to.
But be sure to wear gloves, and eye protection, and do it outside, so the fumes don't get to you.

 

Even with a small compressor...as long as you have one of the 14 dollar HVLP guns you'll still apply the substrate faster and better with a multi part compound....and the substrate will hold up better as well...cost wise....well It could be a little cheaper...but if it is more expensive it won't be by much...

As far as not being good at the mixing....it's hard NOT to be good at it now days...get a $1.99 mixing cup with the graduated measuring bars on the side...read the instructions on the side of the material your using and find the appropriate measure bar...fill your first material up to the hash mark and then your second material up to the second hash mark....if its a three part...the third material up to the hash mark, stir and apply....it's not rocket science.

 

Damn I never knew it would be so much work to paint the frame haha

 

How old are you?
How long do you expect to live?
how long do you want your frame to last?
Prep and paint accordingly.

 

I will have to make a visit to my paint shop

 

I lack the facilities and the skills of Chopolds so rattle cans do me quite well. You can buy spray on rust converter and do the spots that you could not get clean. Wipe the frame down with something like Prep Sol to remove any residue.

 

I always wipe bare metal with wax & grease remover and then shoot it with a light dusting of etch primer. Then spray your Rustoleum or Krylon or whatever.

I painted the frame on my low buck 32 the same way. I also have a set of Steelies that I did this way that look like they've been powder coated.

 

Post your pics please.