Paint for implements - Rustoleum, store brand equivalent, or what?

[sld]

My guess is that they are one and the same. I use red primer a lot because I can see what needs a top-coat.

No kidding. Grey primer and grey topcoat is a recipe for a crappy paint job.

 

[PILOON]

My preference is TREMCLAD as I find that it retains the gloss longer.
Their red is a nice bright tone and the medium blue matches my Mitsubishi blue.

 

[flusher]

I've used Rustoleum, Velspar and TSC house brand paint on restored tractors and farm implements when I was doing that kind of work.
For galvanized sheet metal I used spray galvanize paint.
For moderately rusted parts I used Gempler rust converter and either left it black or painted over it with Rustoleum.

Good luck

 

[sixdogs]

Here's another thing you don't know. On certain lower end tillage things that I'm going to just drag in the dirt anyway, I have skipped the primer and just used the high quality OEM paint that is often acrylic enamel. Funny thing is the paint job looks just as good as the primer job, sticks just as well as the primer job and looks the same years later. And so, on low end stuff I sometimes skip it and can't tell the difference.

 

[Ford850]

Rustoleum Rust Reformer is water based and reacts with rust, turning it black as it does it's thing. It dries clear on anything but rust.
Rusty Metal Primer seals rust in a more traditional method. I've used both, and I think the reformer works best for a permanent seal on heavy rust, however it doesn't stick to clean areas as well as regular primer does and it's more expensive. I use the rusty metal primer most often, since it provides a nice even base coat and color over all surfaces.
I had some high wear areas on some steel, stainless steel, and galvanized steel areas that I couldn't get any paint to adhere to. I tried the Rustoleum Clean Metal Primer (white) and really like that for clean areas. It stays put, and holds the top coat well too. I've used a combination of rusty metal and clean metal primers on some projects, but that means an extra layer of top coat to make up for the difference in primer colors (red and white) on the same item.
Here are a couple notes about thinning Rustoleum paints for spraying, according to their labels:
Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer (red), and the Clean Metal Primer (white) are supposed to be thinned with up to 5% mineral sprits only.
Rustoleum Enamels are supposed to be thinned with up to 15% Acetone only.

 

[California]

Wow, some great information here!

 

[Ford850]

Wow, some great information here!

I agree. I learned from Sixdogs' project threads on here a few years ago. I had used some of the same methods already but he had some excellent tips, and that encouraged me to research a little more and improve my methods.

 

[westcliffe01]

If it matters to me, it gets sandblasted to white metal, primed with zinc rich primer and then painted with a 2 part epoxy top coat, like you would with a steel boat. That way I know I am probably not going to be touching it again before I croak... Most implements or equipment seems to be painted with the cheapest stuff the manufacturers could get their hands on and with no prep beforehand. Rust creeps underneath the paint ultimately lifting it off.

Primer: Organic Zinc Rich Primer V17,

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Best Rustoleum primer is something called Rust Reformer. It's black and turns any rust black as well. I once sprayed some on a snow plow. It never rusted again.

Ralph

It's not a paint, it's a pickle. The phosphate chemically bonds to the metal. It's essentially the same as a Parkerized gun finish.

 

[Code54]

I always prime the implement by hand with a brush with Rustoleum primer and then paint it with their oil based paint (with a brush again).
I put it on a bit heavy and it always smooths out and holds up great. (I do sandblast most things before paint)
Sold many rebuilt implements and had several buyer mention the great paint job.