Paint/coating for a bare metal attachment?

[AWSubie]

Rustoleum

 

[mike48130]

This was several coats of the bedliner.

If you want to paint, get the Eastwood 2 part epoxy primer. $20 a can, but you need a grinder to get it off if you prep right.

 

[EddieWalker]

Since this is an attachment that you will be using out in the woods, and probably damaging the finish on a regular basis, I would approach it as something that will require upkeep when I'm done with it. I would buy the most expensive Rustolium primer and then their most expensive spray paint, and then have an extra can on hand for touch ups after I'm done using the implement. I've done this with my railings on my gazebo's and have yet to find any rust or need to add any more paint. They are outside 24/7 and I spray them pretty thick, several times. I've also used Rustolium spray cans on my backhoe where I've had to weld cracks and there is no sign of rust years later. It's good paint, easy to use and very affordable.

 

[PILOON]

About 12 years ago I bought a used snow blower.
Did a complete sand blast job and within the hour primed it with a grey Tremclad primer and next day followed up with a coat of red Tremclad.
Other than the chute, fan and auger blades there has been no flaking or peeling and it still looks great.
Also it lives outside 24/24 12/12.
Oh, do bag the U joints for protection and park it on wood blocks.

Powder coating reminds me of the early automotive undercoating's.
They peal a bit and trap water and the rust grows and spreads creating blisters that then peel away in large flakes.
By that time serious pitting occurs.

For weather exposed metals give me a high quality oil based finish any time.

If U want the best of the best go to aviation finishes like what is used on big jets, but have fun shopping for a supplier.

 

[oosik]

I've never seen a consumer available product that works too well. Most will fade when exposed to UV and grind off with heavy use. I use Rustoleum and touch-up as necessary. Quick - easy - inexpensive.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I still think Primer is just a ploy to sell more product. Makes twice the work and cleanup too. I don't think I have ever had rust paint come off, without having used primer. So, what's the point? Don't tell me you use primer, please tell me the point?

Actually, anything I ever used primer on was not as durable. Like a snowblower getting scratched. You can scrape off Primer with your finger nail. You can't do that with enamel. So guess what happens when the enamel is ontop of the primer? That has been my experience with primer.

 

[oosik]

Likewise - IT. I quit using primer long ago. Just extra work and I really never saw any benefit.

 

[fried1765]

I wouldn't give you two cents for powder coating.

I have painted a lot of equipment over the years. Never use primer. Waste of time and money. Usually tremclad or rust paint. Surface prep is everything. Friend makes thousands of farm gates and feeders a year. Never uses undercoating but a high quality industrial paint. I have found it somewhat better than the consumer offerings.

Now, if you are talking about anything that comes in contact with salt, all bets are off. Except one and that is that powder coat is the absolute worst!

You are SO correct about powder coating!
I hate the stuff!
Brittle as he11, and when it chips off the rust then forms underneath.

A good quality TWO PART marine epoxy is my first chuice.
Amerlok (by Ameron Corp.). is the best....used on steel water towers, and steel bridges.
It is a commercial product, and available in 2 gallon kits.
You will need to find a dealer as it is not a homeowner product.
It is expensive, but it keeps forever.

I just used some Amerlok 400 that I bought in 1997......still good.
I put Amerlok 400 on our salt water concrete seawall 20+ years ago.
It is still there, looking great.

 

[/pine]

My experience with those that have problems with Rustoleum primer don't bother reading the instructions and or bother with surface prep...

Using primer on new bare metal fabrications (after surface prep) keeps the surface rust off if there is a delay before final painting etc...

Also primer has added adhesive properties and it creates the perfect substrate for a finish coat of paint whose main purpose is an exposed exterior finish

 

[truckdiagnostics]

+ 1 on NOT Powder Coating an attachment.... Don't get me wrong powder coating has its place but IMHO on on equipment. Sooner or later you are going to chip it (or your not using it) & it is almost impossible to touch-up.... not touch-up sooner or later moisture will get under the rest of the powder coating & cause it to fail....

When i looked for a new trailer I looked specifically for a painted trailer for the reasons you stated above. Yes, powder coating has its place. However if you are going to spend the money to blast it, powder will out perform the paint as the surface is prepped correctly. When the surface is not prepped correctly powder coating can pop and peal off it is a pain. I have a western plow doing it. They didn't prep the metal right. If when you scratch the powder to bar metal it rusts and pops the powder off it was not prepped right. It did not adhere to the metal. That is not an issue with the powder.

All powders aren't created equal either just like all paints are not either.

Somethings I paint somethings I powder coat. The larger parts if I am going to blast it i have powder coated. You want to use the same guy that blast the part to powder coat it. Some times I have even supplied the powder to make sure it is correct.

Paint is more forgiving on the prep. If when you scratch you want to touch it up paint it. If you want to use it and forget about, GOOD powder coating job is the way to go. FYI, good powder coating can be expensive! it is the prep you are spending the money on. The only way to get powder right is to blast the part, played with all the etching of the metal so as to skip blasting. didn't end well. Once powder is on, you pretty much have to burn it off.

I have stuff I paint some i powder coat to just blow off powder coating would be a mistake.