Por 15 And Other Rust Treatments

Don't forget the zinc phosphate acid wash after blasting and before paint.Very important step.

 

I've thought of doing this but haven't heard much discussion on it. It sounds like a good idea to me. It's weird how you can watch the moisture escape as you take a torch to an old random piece of steel, you wouldn't think there is much in there.

 

I'm glad you said that. I love using red oxide but I've never used the one by Tractor Supply.

 

When I worked construction years ago, I was in charge of structural steel. My fabricators used red oxide on most of that metal. It's probably not what you would use under a 10k paint job ( but I have) but for rims, frames, etc. I do. I have used red oxide under two part epoxy in the past with great success. I think another part to that is, I let the red oxide dry for at least two weeks before prepping (scuffing) for epoxy. It's very soft prior to that. Gets pretty hard after two weeks. Just what I do. Don't make it right, but has worked well for me.

 

Just an FYI, the metal isn’t holding any moisture. When heating with a torch, any moisture you see accumulating on the steel is a byproduct of combustion; water condensing on the cold surface. Any hydrocarbon fuel, whether it is wood, coal, oil, or a gas such as acetylene, propane, etc., produces water as one of the by-products of combustion. As a test, look at the backside of the metal you’re heating. Little to no water will be seen (if any is seen, it is from water condensing out of the atmosphere). Also, notice no moisture when heating with a tig torch.

Likewise, most of the moisture coming from the tailpipe of an internal combustion engine is not from condensation like is broadly believed, but a byproduct of fuel combustion. Once the muffler system of the car heats to a temperature above the dew point, condensation ceases because the moisture will stay in the gaseous state.

 

Im glad to hear that! Thats new to me

 

The ultimate protection to me isn't practical today. Back in 1978, I completely sand blasted my '64 frame and axles (that frame had some significant rust), painted it with red lead (the nice bright orange stuff where a gallon can was about 40lbs), and top coated it in MartinSenor chassis black.
I was up in NC last fall and pulled the tub off, and there was very little rust anywhere except the springs. This has been outdoors in salt air for over 30 years, and was used for over 20 years on the beach. Its been in an open carport for the last 20 years up there. I was pleasantly suprised there was still a usable frame!
-Donny

 

I have used Pickle X 20, and Marine Clean for treating after washing and POR 15, Rust Bullet, and Master Series, whatever is cheaper. Seem to last very well. I think they are all basically the same. Rust Encapsulator on the frame is great. Keep some lacquer thinner close by to clean up what gets on your hands. If you don't wash it off quickly, you will wear off the skin trying to peal it off for a week. It will soak through shirt sleeves really well also so wear skin protection. Once you open the can, shelf life is short, so I get quarts and brush it on. Can't see running that through a paint gun.

The 2 part epoxies are great also. Use them on the body panels. Quite expensive, but they last. Got to sand the epoxy or topcoat it before it fully cures or sanding it will take forever. You can even do your filler over the epoxy primer if you don't wait too long.


Dave

 

Trick the POR salesman showed me was to punch a hole in the top of can and screw in a self taping screw with a rubber washer. Then you just pour out what you need and reinstall screw. Shelf life has been several years for the quart I have.Plan to use throw away brush,rags,cheap H/F spray gun,etc. nitril gloves . I use POR Metal Ready for acid wash cuz it's easy to buy.

 

Just to clarify, in my open air barn (hay barn) there is plenty of moisture on my metal parts, to the point of water droplets forming on the surface. Normally tool boxes, motorcycle etc all have condensation on them. Even tools inside the tool box are moist. So hence heating my projects and removing said moisture as stated. Today I painted a 3b windshield frame. Got it back from the blasters yesterday, but too late last night to do anything with it. Today it was wet and already began to flash. At midnight last night it was 70, this morning it was 50. Yeh New England weather. I had to heat that, scuff it and primer it, otherwise impossible to get it primed. Wish I had a environmentally controlled building to work out of, but us dumnass farmers have to work with what we got. Been working out of barns and painting under lean to's for way to long to give being a bubba up now.

 

It's funny because a couple of years ago, I lost a bunch of por 15 to a lid that came loose. I realized I had a ton of empty lacquer thinner gal cans from tractor supply. I ended up using those and pooring what was left of any unused por 15 into them. Just be careful and wipe the threads off on the screw caps.

 

[QUOTE="masscj2a, Today I painted a 3b windshield frame. Got it back from the blasters yesterday, but too late last night to do anything with it. Today it was wet and already began to flash. .[/QUOTE]
If you read about the benefit of acid wash on your newly blasted parts it will prevent that instant rust by providing a protective barrier. mike

 

If you read about the benefit of acid wash on your newly blasted parts it will prevent that instant rust by providing a protective barrier. mike[/QUOTE]
A light rag wiping of Ospho on just blasted steel will hold things for a couple weeks until you can get things primed.
-Donny

 

Ospho seems to be interchangeable with zinc phosphate .Seems to do same thing.I guess I would use which ever one I had on the shelf. thanks for the heads up. mike

 

I used POR-15 on my frame. When the frame was done, I set it out in the yard for several months, not covered, have not seen any rust. If you use POR-15 follow the instructions, cleaning and prep. Use a different color for the first coat than you will use for the top coat. Putting black on black, it is hard to see where you have painted. Wear old cloths, the material does not wash out. Wear gloves, long sleeve shirt, if this stuff gets on your skin , it will not come off, will have to wear off.

 

My last restoration was in 1999. I used POR-15 on the underside of the body and the frame. Everything was great for about 12 yrs. After that is started to peel. I didn't do any of the prep they recommend. This is what it looks like now.

 

Ouch.

 

This is why I use paint and fluid film.any void in the topcoat leaves it open to water which gets trapped between the por and the steel accelerating the rust.

 

I've had really great results with KBS coatings.
KBS Coatings - Rust Prevention - Stop Rust Paint - Gas Tank Sealer - Clear Coat Paints