Protecting bare metal

[AlanT]

Hi All,

Does anyone know how to protect bare metal in a way that won’t mess up future painting please? I’m stripping my Spitfire and it’s going to take me a while to get it all done before painting. Fine in the Summer but the garage is inevitably a bit damp in Winter.Thanks 

Alan

[Jimbob]

I had great results with this stuff

https://www.rust.co.uk/product/phos-kleen-b-rust-remover-28

It kept bare metal panels rust free while stored in a mates garage for a year.  I used the Chlor-X spray to remove it prior to painting.

[Colin Lindsay]

Your best option is probably primer. Anything else will be difficult to clean off before painting and a lot of extra effort; use a good primer and when it comes to rubbing down again before the proper paintjob it won't require cleaning out of every crack and crevice. I sandblast a lot of parts when I'm bored and these just get a coat of good anti-rust primer; all I do before the final painting, if it needs it, is to rub it down or key it before adding additional coats. 

[Clive]

Beware some primers are porous. So choose carefully.

I have used uPOL acid 8, and a couple of other etch primers which worked well. If worried about damp, a spray with some topcoat would help keep moisture out. Make it thin and it is very easy to scrub off.

 

[RogerH]

2 minutes ago, clive said:

Beware some primers are porous. So choose carefully.

I have used uPOL acid 8, and a couple of other etch primers which worked well. If worried about damp, a spray with some topcoat would help keep moisture out. Make it thin and it is very easy to scrub off.

 

+1

BondaRust Primer is not porous.  Not so easy to remove but rubs down well.  BondaRust 

I like the Phos Kleen product - not seen it before

Roger

[AlanT]

Thanks. I’ll take a look at those primers. I’d like to start the prep process now since it’s inevitably going to be slow. The car’s had 27 new panels having sat derelict for 20 years!  
3 part sills, floors, a posts, b posts, outer wings, inner arches, bonnet tubes; secondhand doors and boot lid. Well beyond repair really, but a nice project. Plus a replacement engine and overdrive box...done for fun use rather than show.

[Badwolf]

I was recommend Mipa 2k grundierfiller (check spelling) which I applied with a 4" roller (take care with personal protection equipment). It is waterproof unlike many primers which, as mentioned above, are porus, which you only fnd out when its too late, as I did. It sands down beautifully. Bonnet is currently stored it this waiting for the warmer, drier weather

[Colin Lindsay]

2 hours ago, RogerH said:

BondaRust Primer is not porous.  Not so easy to remove but rubs down well.  BondaRust 

My sprayer (still delayed due to covid) told me a few months back to spray the bare metal parts of the Herald in Lead Oxide. I had them in grey primer but if that's what he wants, fine.

Front valence, rear valence and grille surround all blasted and primed in Lead Oxide.

"I never said that" he told me last week. "I said Bondaprimer." I may be half deaf but I'm not that bad. I'll just have to rub it down well and reprime, but Bondaprimer seems to be the recommended.

[Bordfunker]

Alan, I’m in a similar place to you in conducting a very slow home restoration of a very rusty Herald, and therefore I have used Rustbuster’s products, both their FE-123 rust stopper, which is the same as Hydrate 80, and their epoxy mastic primer, see link below:

https://www.rust.co.uk/product/cat/em-121-epoxy-rust-proofing-chassis-paint-7

Very good products and resist rust very well.

Karl

[Badwolf]

Colin - My Spitfire was rattle can sprayed with lead oxide primer (on recommendation), left for some time before it was top coated. You have seen the result on my restoration thread. That is why its all got to come off. Sorry to be the bearer of the bad news. BW

[Colin Lindsay]

2 hours ago, Badwolf said:

Colin - My Spitfire was rattle can sprayed with lead oxide primer (on recommendation), left for some time before it was top coated. You have seen the result on my restoration thread. That is why its all got to come off. Sorry to be the bearer of the bad news. BW

Won't be me doing it, it's a free respray owed to me in lieu of legal work... but the red oxide will be rubbed down then coated in Bonda - unless that reacts too?

[Badwolf]

Make sure that any red oxide left is absolutely, totally dry even warm, before the next coat of whatever goes on next. The slightest amount of trapped dampness risks paint bubbling

[Phil C]

9 hours ago, clive said:

I have used uPOL acid 8, and a couple of other etch primers which worked well. 

I am at a similar stage with my Vitesse and have used Tetrosyl Etch Primer applied with a brush.

However I have been told that body filler should not be applied over etch primer and therefore it must all be removed in areas requiring filler - which are plenty in my case! Others say its not necessary.

What thoughts/experience out there?

 

[Clive]

15 minutes ago, Phil C said:

I am at a similar stage with my Vitesse and have used Tetrosyl Etch Primer applied with a brush.

However I have been told that body filler should not be applied over etch primer and therefore it must all be removed in areas requiring filler - which are plenty in my case! Others say its not necessary.

What thoughts/experience out there?

 

I have always understoon filler should be over clean metal. But I have put filler over painted surfaces with no issues. I expect there are special fillers thesedays.

My favourite stuff is acrylic stopper, can be applied at any stage, though meant for small marks in primer or early top coats. 

[chrishawley]

BONDAPRIMER!!! Certainly for storage protection of metal parts it's ideal. Brushable, sprayable (thinned) or available in rattle can. Once dry does not interact with any other materials used in refinishing. Cheapest place is usually Kawstore (01775 766 886). Only needs a very thin coat which is then easily removed (sand or wipe with thinners) when it comes to fully prepping panels for painting.

Picking up a related point: There are no Red (Lead containing) oxide primers anymore. Lead was banned from paint yonks ago. Sure, there are red coloured primers (e.g. UPol 'red oxide') but these are not corrosion inhibiting at all.

On another related point: Phosphoric acid based anti-corrosion products (e.g Phos-Kleen B, Jenolite) are excellent used within their limitations. The limitation is that they do not remove rust but rather convert it to iron-phosphate which remains on the surface. On heavily corroded surfaces rust can remain under the iron-phosphate surface. Phosphoric acid products are really useful as part of an overall approach but don't  substitute (despite what advertisers imply) for physical removal (DA, cup brush etc etc) of rust as much as is humanly possible.