Spray primer in a can

Bud

Well-known member
What brand of spray primer in a can would the forum recommend? I am doing a small project that does not justify me getting my spray gun out. I am doing two small sheet metal pans about 6" x 12". I recently tried the best primer on the shelf at the hardware store and it never hardened. After a week I could wipe it off with thinner. I am taking it back. I think I will go to the local CarQuest and get them to make me up some auto primer and put it in a spray can for me. The funny thing is that I used some primer (same manufacturer) that came in a 1 pint can and it cured properly. Let me know your thoughts, thanks.
 
I have used a lot of Sems,it is an etching primer and seems to hold up very well.A bike restorer I know uses quite a bit of it on peg mounts,kickstands,motor mounts,and other small parts as he gets them ready.Then he paints all the parts at the same time with urethane.The Sem # is either 980 or 988.Until I used that I refused to use any paints in a rattle can.
 
I have been mixing a couple of tablespoons of paint. Just today I did 6 tablespoons of epoxy primer.

I use a Badger air brush to do the real small stuff. Today I did some brake rods.

I have not had a lot of time to do major stuff so I have been having to down size to chunk up the time. Not easy with a young busy family and a car to restore.
 
Just a thought-

I was over at Bill Hirsch's getting some engine paint (very good selection btw) and some chassis paint. I asked what primer to use, and the answer was anything but Rustoleum. Seems it has a fish oil in it that inhibits rust, but will also cause failure for some better quality finish paints.

It kind of sucks, since I have about 6 cans of Rustoleum on the shelf, but I guess I will have to find some other use for them, since I don't really regard primer as an end in itself.

Peter
 
Most if not all spray can paint has a laquer thinner soluable base so it will not harden in the can. I do not know Sems mentioned above, but you usually have to go to epoxy primer for a lasting durable base.
 
Excuse if hijacking the thread, but it does not warrant a new one....Can you spray lacquer over the Rustoleum primer?
 
I don't think Rustoleum uses that fish oil anymore.

I believe most Rustoleum paints are oil based, which makes it unsuitable to spray lacquer, acrylic enamel, base coat/clear, etc paints over it.

The oil will make your top coat paint "fish-eye."
 
Sherwin Williams etch primer. Comes gray in a rattle can. VERY VERY good stuff.
I've worked with most of the high end production primers and I'm surprised they can do this much with just an aerosol.

Very fast dry, doesn't tend to lift feathered edges of existing paint, yet it really sticks... to the point you have to be carefull of the overspray. You need lacquer thinner to remove it.
I feel it dries a tad harder than most primers, making it nice to sand as it doesn't plug the paper.

Most rattlecan primers will melt if you do a solvent wash before painting.
The Sherwin Williams does not.
 
I'm with Joe plumber. Make mine Krylon any day of the week. Now owned by Sherwin Williams btw. As far as watching paint dry I do happen to be wired that way. In fact I have items painted with that G$#@!@@m Rustoleum that I shot forty years ago and still isn't dry.:rolleyes:
 
As a 15 yr old with my first A, I scrimped nickles & dimes and had the subframe sandblasted, then I immediately painted it with rustoleum primer & black topcoat, thinking that I was doing it right. Didn't last even a couple of years and it still bugs me everytime I get under the car. Who knows when I'll tear it down to that level again. Rustoleum's got the name but I've never seen it perform.
 
Rustoleum sucks.Doesn't dry .Can't beat KRYLON AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.In fact I painted my flathead with the Krylon Banner Red color and it has been on the engine 7-8 years and still looks good.I have tried alot of others and the next best paint I would recommend would be Duplicolor.JMO.
 
As a side note of no real benefit, my first car was a 2 door Model A the year the aerosol paint can was invented. I sprayed my car with aluminum paint; it looked just like an Armored Car and was so bright in the summer sun, it could not be looked at continuously. it didn't last long and faded.

ah....well sorry about the distraction.
 
I'll go with KRYLON,too. I get mine at WalMart. I like Rustoleum for outdoor metal-but i have never had it be worth a bean on anything automotive.
 
The Napa store here in Quincy has Sandable Primer, Dupli-Color, it comes in light grey, dark gray, and black. Its fast drying. I use the DAP 1698 Black Primer.

According to the printing on the spray can ; " Dupli-Color Sandable Primer is an automotive grade formulation that provides a smooth, rust resistant base coat, quick drying and sandable, our formulation will fill-in minor scratches, surface cracks and irregularities. This is vital in achieving a successful paint finish. "

I just bead blasted a spare tire carrier, metal etched the clean carrier, let the Dupont metal etche dry, sprayed the carrier with Dupli-Color sandable primer, when dry I didn't sand, then sprayed the carrier with Enamel Black. I've already reinstalled the carrier on my Roadster.

Works for me, Ron
 
Back
Top