Best Steel Finish

[rockshaft]

I've never been all that impressed with various methods/products I've used to protect steel equipment. Would *love* to hear what has given good results for anyone else.

Products I've used:
Rustoleum
Zinc Sel
Rusty metal primer
Clean metal primer
Industrial
Hammerite

Seems like the best case scenario for me has been applying numerous thin coats of both primer and topcoat (on a nicely prepared surface)- but even then, after about 1 year outside, I usually start seeing rust staining coming through (flaking to sure to follow)

Its almost enough to drive me to use more aluminum- but I love the ease and cost of using steel.

I realize powder coating is nice- but rarely is it practical or friendly to the pocketbook.

Is this refinishing on a 1-2year cycle the best I can expect?

 

[Baby Grand]

Best steel treatment I know of is a barn that's built on a dry spot with good air movement. In this environment I've seen steel form a thin surface oxidation and then stop. It's like a mummy.

I'm wondering if you're doing adequate surface prep before priming and waiting 'til coats have dried sufficienly before applying more paint.

 

[rockshaft]

Best steel treatment I know of is a barn that's built on a dry spot with good air movement. In this environment I've seen steel form a thin surface oxidation and then stop. It's like a mummy.

I'm wondering if you're doing adequate surface prep before priming and waiting 'til coats have dried sufficienly before applying more paint.

I usually clean steel with a detergent (even windex) then wipe it down with paint thinner. I only paint in the right weather conditions.

Steel with light rust looks ok, but if you don't keep it dry it will eventually get a lot worse.

I'm welding together a new brushbar for my truck- I'm hoping someone has a new suggestion for me to keep this looking sharp for longer than 1-2years

 

[rockshaft]

Expensive but it works. Zinc Chromate is as good as it gets. 2 Coats before painting and it is good for years. Don't expect good protection from a Rattle Can.

Bare metal & wood wiped down with linseed oil holds up pretty well. Wipe things down a couple times a year. Quick & Easy. Farmers used this stuff for many years. It cooks off to a fairly hard finish and if kept out of the rain will really last.

If you own a gun chances are it has a linseed oil finish. I refinished a rifle stock almost 60 years ago and it is still good.

Yeah, a dude at the local steel yard recently recommended I try that Zn paint as a primer. But I've used Rustoleum Zinc Sele before (same thing I believe) and I remember reading on the can it said not for topcoating. Worth a try anyway.

IME I've had slightly better results with a rattle can than with paint from a regular can. I always attributed this to the thinner coats I could apply with the rattle can.

 

[strum456]

Two words: Epoxy Primer

 

[rockshaft]

Two words: Epoxy Primer

Are you recommending a two-part kit? I've worked with a fair amount of fiberglass and resin in my time. I haven't seen any epoxy primer outside the boat stores, though I suppose what you are recommending might be available at Napa or other similar auto-parts store?

I tend to think of the "epoxy" rattle can paints as a marketing gimmick- I don't see how they can be equivalent to a resin/hardener product which chemically cures.

 

[strum456]

Epoxy primer is a two part kit, as you mentioned. It is available at any automotive paint store. Like anything else, you get what you pay for.

I use Southern Polyurethanes epoxy. IMO, it is the best at ANY price, and it is cheaper than most! If intrested, you can get more information at www.southernpoylurethanes.com. I use it all the time and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed (provided you follow the tech. sheet for application procedures and surface prep).

 

[rockshaft]

Thanks. I'm going to look and see what I can find. I wonder how it compares to cost of powder coating?

 

[strum456]

It is about $160 for two gallons (one gallon activatior and one gallon primer). You can get it in quarts too (half gallon total).

This stuff is as bullet proof as anything I have ever seen. When cured, it sands great too. Most restorers I know use it exclusively on any bare metal that they are going to paint.

 

[Soundguy]

they way I do a tractor is to remove paint and get down to bare metal.. remove rust, degrease and clean.. apply a primer, then a hardened enamil.

paint don't rust.

 

[Kernopelli]

Here is a recent thread on how one innovative TBNer dealt with rust. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/yanmar/235371-galvanized-yanmar-1820d.html

 

[PILOON]

I sandblasted my snow blower and immediately primed it with TREMCLAD primer.
Next day I sprayed it with tremclad enamal, that was about 4 years ago.
Even today the Tremclad is holding up fine.

But then I think sandblasting is just about the ultimate metal preparation as it gives that 'toothy' base for the prime to adhere to, and naturally enamels really need a prime base.

 

[lostcause]

i built my equipment trailer about 12 years ago. it was all new steel, but even still there was rust from outdoor storage at the steel yard. i wire wheeled it and then wiped it down with cheap paint thinner. paint was a brush coat of clean metal primer and a topcoat of rustoleum sunburst yellow - two coats on the very top surfaces. it has held up perfectly and the only rust showing is where i've scraped the paint off. it's been outdoors the entire life. certainly not as pretty as a nice sprayed finish, but for something that has to earn its living through function as opposed to just looking good, i'm content with it.

i actually am not impressed with powder coating on equipment that gets used. if you buy new and trade stuff in every few years it's fine, but if you have it long term around here it actually gets far rustier than paint. the powder coating is so tough that it remains intact when moisture gets behind it through a scratch or improper metal preparation. the rust then spreads and grows behind the powder coating, rather than just come to the surface in one spot as it often does with paint.

 

[rockshaft]

I haven't had your good results lostcause! I took my time refinishing an equipment trailer quite a few years back- and used the same products, only I was very disappointed in how it looked within two years time. And it took a lot of effort to get the surface ready for paint- so I was very reluctant to try it again.

I generally agree with your assessment of powdercoating. I was mainly thinking of that for a brush guard I'm currently building for my truck.

i built my equipment trailer about 12 years ago. it was all new steel, but even still there was rust from outdoor storage at the steel yard. i wire wheeled it and then wiped it down with cheap paint thinner. paint was a brush coat of clean metal primer and a topcoat of rustoleum sunburst yellow - two coats on the very top surfaces. it has held up perfectly and the only rust showing is where i've scraped the paint off. it's been outdoors the entire life. certainly not as pretty as a nice sprayed finish, but for something that has to earn its living through function as opposed to just looking good, i'm content with it.

i actually am not impressed with powder coating on equipment that gets used. if you buy new and trade stuff in every few years it's fine, but if you have it long term around here it actually gets far rustier than paint. the powder coating is so tough that it remains intact when moisture gets behind it through a scratch or improper metal preparation. the rust then spreads and grows behind the powder coating, rather than just come to the surface in one spot as it often does with paint.

 

[Bigfoot62]

If you'll sandblast the metal, then treat it with Ospho, you're done. (but it's expensive)

 

[rockshaft]

Thanks for the advice TBN folks. So far I've seen a few products recommended that I haven't even heard of before- that's exactly why I posted

 

[strum456]

I would stay away from any miracle products. There are a lot of gimmics out there which are marketed aggressively to do it yourselfers. Do your own researsh and you will find that epoxy primer is the leading technology at this time. You might find some dinosaurs still using acid etch, but you wont find any professionals using rustolium, or any of the various miracle products.

Blast your brush guard until it is gray metal.

Clean it with a good automtive grade wax and grease remover.

Spray 2 coats of epoxy primer

Top coat with single stage urethane paint (for best results).

You could use tractor enamel, or whatever as a top coat, but it will chalk out eventually. It depends what you are going for. The epoxy will protect it against rust 100%, even if it is not top coated at all. I good urethane paint will have excellent scratch resistance and uv hold out.

 

[o2batsea]

My thing for steel, clean,rusty whatever is a 50 50 mix of terp and linseed oil slopped on with a rag.
Add a dollop of black Rustoleum if you want color.
For bush hogs plows blades and stuff it's the Schmidt.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

I would stay away from any miracle products. There are a lot of gimmics out there which are marketed aggressively to do it yourselfers. Do your own researsh and you will find that epoxy primer is the leading technology at this time. You might find some dinosaurs still using acid etch, but you wont find any professionals using rustolium, or any of the various miracle products.

Blast your brush guard until it is gray metal.

Clean it with a good automtive grade wax and grease remover.

Spray 2 coats of epoxy primer

Top coat with single stage urethane paint (for best results).

You could use tractor enamel, or whatever as a top coat, but it will chalk out eventually. It depends what you are going for. The epoxy will protect it against rust 100%, even if it is not top coated at all. I good urethane paint will have excellent scratch resistance and uv hold out.

I am one of the dinasaurs that still use etching primer. I only use it on equiptment. If you have ever sand blasted any thing that was primed with etching primer you will be impressed. It is nasty to spray and an ugly green but it holds up better than anything I have used. 5-Star Direct To Metal Self-Etching Primer w/ Reducer: Automotive Paint, Auto Paint, Car Paint This is what I use.
Bill