what paint will hold up best

[Spudland_Dave]

2-part epoxy for rough duty stuff and mill finish steel.

Any specific Epoxy Primers you reccomend? Looking at the TM's, looks like the Nason 491-35 would work for me?...

 

[ray66v]

I spent over 30 years spraying for a living. I have painted everything from airplanes, to garbage trucks.

Sorry to throw a wet blanket on everyone's Imron admiration society party.

The truth is the only thing special about Irmon is that it was the first true urethane automotive finish.

The first generation of the product was many years ahead of its competitors, so it got the name recognition. Just like Zerox did with copies. And just like the original Zerox copies were very mediocre by today's standards, the original Imron was rubbish by today's standards. It was very slow drying, and extremely difficult to repair. Spraying primer over it without wrinkling it up was even difficult.

Today's Imron is a good product, but there is nothing special about it. Every single automotive paint company makes a comparable high end product that is just as good. As lay people, you just don't hear about them.

All the products made today in the top, high end category, are grossly overpriced, and in most applications, a waste of money. There are many good products in the mid price ranges that I can assure you, that you would never know the difference. And many low end products that perform just fine, at 25% of the cost of the high end stuff.

The majority of quality of a paint job is the prep, and the undercoats. Even Rustoleum can look good, and hold up well, if the prep work is done well, and you use the proper treatments, and primers.

Every situation is different. And, every job requires some special treatment.

It is too complicated to be able to simply say, just use this, and this, and your all set.

 

[valley]

The most durable paint is Synthetic Enamel. Dupont is great. Nason is made by Dupont. True Synthetic cannot be had in California but can be found in Nevada.
Synthetic is colored glue. It never completely hardens and therefore will not break or chip. Heavy equipment that should be painted a real paint. I owned a paint shop and used Synthetic exclusively. It, Synthetic, stays tender longer, nothing will stick to it [dust] after a couple hours and it will be tender for about 36 hrs but it will last years longer than the #%$**^ they paint cars with at the factory today.

 

[/pine]

...I have painted everything from airplanes, to garbage trucks.

and Imron is still the most popular commercial high end finish in the industry


Imron® Polyurethane Enamels | DuPont Performance Coatings - appp20.asp.dupont.com

 

[timswi]

I've buffed out well cured Imron..like buffing concrete..It is very hard stuff. Far more than standard urethane.

Nothing beats base/clear for wetsanding and buffing.

As far as primer..The PPG DP 2 part epoxy is the best I've used.

 

[mustangsallysdad]

Any specific Epoxy Primers you reccomend? Looking at the TM's, looks like the Nason 491-35 would work for me?...

I think that would be fine for all around use...as for someone's post "wet blanket" & "been spraying for 30 years"...ignore it... he bases everything on the assumption that we are all idiots and "layman". I'm not a layman on this subject, DuPont Imron was a ground breaking product when it came out 25-30 years ago and has been constantly reformulated to keep it at the top of the heap when it comes to quality medium to heavy duty coatings. Almost all of the large truck manufacturers specify it today. I think if you do a little research on the subject you'll agree with the rest of us...Imron cannot be beat. Good luck with your project.

 

[ray66v]

he bases everything on the assumption that we are all idiots".

I resent you making this this statement.

If you disagree with me that is fine, you have a right to do so. You do not have the right to personally attack me.

You once complained that people don't seem to want the benefit of your experience, then you personally attack me for offering people the benefit of mine.

Explaining that the mythological persona about Imron being a stand alone exceptional product is false, does not benefit me in any way. I offer this information solely for those who are open minded, and want listen.

I have actually worked with people who developed some of these products, doing product testing, and have used these products extensively.

The profits from these products are high, and these companies will often go to any length, to be competitive. I have seen paint company's hire competitor's developers. In one case, a company hired a whole department. Sometimes they buy other companies out right, to get new technology. And of course, they use high tech chemical analyzers to backwards engineer products, and create their own versions.

The fact is they all have the similar technology within about a year of someone coming out with a new product. They have to, or they lose market share. That is reality.

The paint company that has the largest share of the market for a certain product, at a given time, does not necessarily have the best product. This is more often the result of how much they are willing to give away, to entice users to switch to their product.

If you are a high enough volume user, paint companies will offer to convert you to their product by making offers you can't refuse. Those who already have the larger share of the market, have more profit to work with, so they have the advantage in these price wars.

 

[nuffer460]

Paint, painting with modern materials is a loaded question. For the most part it comes down to preference. If you put five painters in a room, they all have products they like better. As for ray66v, I also painted garbage trucks for four years. Believe me when I say " garbage companies only want the best". It cost too much to do a truck more then every three years. My company used both Dupont's " Imron " and PPG's " Durathane ". When each company introduced their own urathane paint systems neither was perfect. I personally liked PPG's system, it's heavier more binders. Dupont's Imron is a little easier to spray,but still a great product. In fact, PPG has dropped the Durathane, and has used a simple Acrylic Enamle with a hardener added to replace the more expensive Durathane system. For me I like a plain Acrylic Enamle with a urathane hardener it's cheaper and just as durable. Now for ray66v, any one that has painted even five garbage trucks, has more knowledge then most any other painter. If I remember right. It takes three gallons of epoxy primer, equal activator. Four gallons of color, equal activator/ hardner. Three mixed gallons to paint the frame. So if any one has counted thats six total gallons of primer and seven gallons of color. ray66v my hats off to you,I've done that job. I don't care who you are, if you spray that much paint multiple times a year, you are ranked higher then most other painters. If anyone has ever tried to make a hood of a tractor shine. Try painting something the size of your house, and not get any dry spots!!

 

[/pine]

From my experience the "average laymen" will have never heard of Imron paint...the key word being "average"...it is really a commercial product that should only be applied by a professional...it is not meant for the DIY crowd...

My experience (40 years) as a fabricator in the marine (yachts and sport fishing vessels) industry...was mostly matching existing paint jobs (99% of which were Imron finishes)...often Dupont would send technicians to assist in matching custom colors...

The only thing I remember even coming close to an Imron finish was some of the really deep laquers...on some millworks....

 

[nuffer460]

/pine, your right about the use of Imron. It goes for most catylized paints. If you read any of the labels. They all say "professional use only" I know it's just a disclaimer, but the fact is paints are plastic based. Not allot out there organic any more. The acrylics and hardeners will active inside of you, as well as outside of you. I live on the shores of Lake Ontario. There are allot of Imron painted hulls here to.