[drewm]

I am looking for a rattle can primer that can be used on fresh metal and patch panels. Since I would like to do as much welding and metal work as possible before filling and skim coating, I would like something that I can spray first, then at some point in the future do the filling. I am not a body/paint man, and am learning as I go, but I know that it may be many months before I am ready to begin filling, so any primer would have to be able to be coated over with filler in the future.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I am doing this in my garage and I am not sure if I am going to be the final painter (most likely) so at this point I have no special painting tools, thus the need for a rattle can solution.

Thanks in advance. Pic of current work attached.

[nytrainer]

I assume you are doing patch panels where needed and car still has paint on it. It sounds unprofessional but I would use SPI epoxy with a 4” foam roller to cover your patch work.
The possible texture from roller is easily sanded smooth and if you’re going over these areas with filler there’s no need to remove the epoxy (scuff and fill when you’re at that point).
The best part is you can mix just enough epoxy for the days work and not have to keep cleaning your spray equipment each time. There’s no rattle can primer that will protect your metal as well as epoxy.

[randy1966GTO]

I'm using Eastwood's 2K Aerospray Epoxy Primer, it has an activator that you release into the can on the bottom and is working well for me.

[Formulabruce]

If you must have a spray bomb, use an epoxy.
Eastwood has them. Follow directions explicitly.
Make SURE metal and air temp is at least 70 degrees.
Link here. .. https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-s-...ray-black.html

[drewm]

Originally Posted by randy1966GTO

I'm using Eastwood's 2K Aerospray Epoxy Primer, it has an activator that you release into the can on the bottom and is working well for me.

Are these basically a one-time use can?

[drewm]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

If you must have a spray bomb, use an epoxy.
Eastwood has them. Follow directions explicitly.
Make SURE metal and air temp is at least 70 degrees.
Link here. .. https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-s-...ray-black.html

And that might be an issue...unheated garage in the northeast in the winter. I do have a kerosene torpedo heater in the garage that will make it a comfortable temperature in short order, but maintaining that might be a problem.

[burd]

I would t use rattle can, let the painter decide

[78w72]

Originally Posted by drewm

Are these basically a one-time use can?

yes once activated they have a limited use time from what ive read.

& he said he will most likely be the painter...

[tjs72lemans]

I agree it's best to put epoxy (any kind for now) on bare metal. As said, rolling or brushing on works. You can always sand it down later. It's better than trying to sand/neutralize surface rust. Your heater could work, but you need to keep the air temp up to 65 degrees (I think for 24 hours), or all curing stops. A hair dryer/heat gun for quick metal temps may help also.

[nytrainer]

Didn’t see you’re in PA but yeah the temperature is a concern. For small repairs I’ve mixed up small batches of epoxy to spray and let it “induce for an hour or two”. Then I used an old heat lamp I had in my shop back in the day. It’s a seven bulb round fixture that rides up/down on a rolling stand. Just a couple bulbs on brings surface temps 80 degrees or more.
Ospho is also an alternative instead of primer. You’ll need to re-wet the areas with more Ospho solution and rinse when you’re ready for epoxy primer when weather is more suitable.
Forgot to add that you need an 80 grit scratch on bare metal for the epoxy.

[rustedgoat]

I was going to say use Ospho on the parts, I've had fenders in the garage and basement for years that held up fine with nothing else on them. I'd treat with Ospho then once you have a enough parts epoxy prime them. I would consider a small compressor to get your feet wet with spraying. You won't be able to spray the whole car but you'll be able the prime one panel at a time. Any primers you use should be compatible with your top coats, if your primer is subpar you'll have nothing but problems later with anything applied on top of it.

[Entropy11]

Totally agree with nytrainer on this one. Whatever way you can find to get SPI epoxy down as a first coat would be best. At that point you’d already have it down for areas you might need filler and also never have to worry about getting it all off down the road when you’re ready for your final paint. I have the same temperature issues this time of year (NY) and usually revert to Ospho as a “holdover” till better weather. It’ll protect whatever metal you expose until you can prime/paint and also leave things well prepped when you finally do neutralize it.

Rustedgoat makes a good point about having a small compressor. Even a small used compressor off Craigslist for $50 and a cheap HF spray gun will allow you to do quality work, even if it’s just at a slower pace/smaller areas at a time.

Sorry- not trying to sound biased against rattle cans. I just really believe that if you get metal totally clean and then get a correctly applied coat of epoxy on it then you’ll never really have to worry about that metal or the following coats of filler/sealer/paint/clear or whatever you put over it, ever again.

[78w72]

SPI is good quality but there are many other automotive epoxy primers that are also very good. & the 2 part epoxy & clear rattle cans from eastwood are also quality products... doesnt always "need" to be SPI or applied from a gun.

summit even has an epoxy primer, a friend of mine that owns a body shop for 40 years & does all kinds of high end builds uses another brand of epoxy primer & recently has tried the summit brand... for a recent car he did for a customer while the paint booth was full he actually rolled it on & said he was surprised at the ease of use & quality coating it provided.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-up230g

[Formulabruce]

TEMP of Metal and air and Paint is critical to making it last , once cleaned.

[drewm]

Originally Posted by Entropy11

Rustedgoat makes a good point about having a small compressor. Even a small used compressor off Craigslist for $50 and a cheap HF spray gun will allow you to do quality work, even if it’s just at a slower pace/smaller areas at a time.

I do have a small 20 gallon compressor that can keep up with everything I have used except a die grinder. I will look into a cheap HF sprayer. My thoughts with the rattle can was the ability to only spray small sections at a time. I guess I can mix up small portions and spray it that way.

[Entropy11]

Originally Posted by 78w72

doesnt always "need" to be SPI…

My apologies, wasn’t trying to promote one brand or trash any others… there are many great products out there.

That being said, I recommend it because of the quality, the price, the ease of application, and the support the manufacturer gives to even the diy’er, as well as the free shipping for any order size. It’s also nice to mix a quantity of epoxy and use the leftover a day or 2 later without issue. Oh and the UV inhibitors. I’ll stop there because now it is sounding like a commercial.

Scratch what I said in my earlier posts… I’ll just advise using an epoxy, preferably sprayed.

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by 78w72

SPI is good quality but there are many other automotive epoxy primers that are also very good. & the 2 part epoxy & clear rattle cans from eastwood are also quality products... doesnt always "need" to be SPI or applied from a gun.

summit even has an epoxy primer, a friend of mine that owns a body shop for 40 years & does all kinds of high end builds uses another brand of epoxy primer & recently has tried the summit brand... for a recent car he did for a customer while the paint booth was full he actually rolled it on & said he was surprised at the ease of use & quality coating it provided.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-up230g

Summit epoxy etc is Kirker afaik. Ok for collision work imho. I don’t see how you can buy quality resins and sell epoxy for $50 per sprayable gallon retail with multiple price markups. Definitely not top shelf. Same goes for Eastwood….

I would rather buy from a known source than some private label of unknown origin.

Don

[irgoatmike]

I have a 2k epoxy primer rattle can i am going to try this week. I work in non heated environment as well and i have customers who really like it. We will see how it goes and I'll let you know the out come good and bad. irgoatmike

[nytrainer]

Originally Posted by irgoatmike

I have a 2k epoxy primer rattle can i am going to try this week. I work in non heated environment as well and i have customers who really like it. We will see how it goes and I'll let you know the out come good and bad. irgoatmike

Assuming the 2k epoxy rattle can has a minimum temperature/time requirement that can’t be met I’d hesitate to use it.
It may dry to the touch but not cure and, IMO, it would be a crapshoot that the topcoats wouldn’t fail at some point.
Seems OP is welding areas around the car as time allows him and while the 2k rattle cans would work nicely I think it would be too costly (@$25 each) to activate a new can each time he has a new area to spray.

[drewm]

Originally Posted by nytrainer

Assuming the 2k epoxy rattle can has a minimum temperature/time requirement that can’t be met I’d hesitate to use it.
It may dry to the touch but not cure and, IMO, it would be a crapshoot that the topcoats wouldn’t fail at some point.
Seems OP is welding areas around the car as time allows him and while the 2k rattle cans would work nicely I think it would be too costly (@$25 each) to activate a new can each time he has a new area to spray.

This is exactly the issue.