first time painting - should I grind off the thin surface rust or just apply rust converter?

[willimakit]

I powdercoat steel like this everyday. Proper powdercoat is similar to painting with regard to metal prep. I use a sand blaster filled with fine grit (80) crushed glass to remove the dusty rust residue followed by just enough phosphoric acid to cure any remaining rust stain. Any white residue from dried acid must be removed. Use a good epoxy primer which contains some zinc. Once you overcoat with color, your paint job will last as long as the color coat remains. If you get scratches or gouges from use, the zinc in the primer will prevent rust from forming at the edge of the tear. Touch up as soon as possible.

 

[Egon]

Show us somewhere this is written?

Show us somewhere this is written?

Canadian Welding Bureau - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Egon]

Where did he explain anything? Clucking on a link about some exotic alloy is different than explaining something..
Secondly just how is this "the problem"?

Iron/steel is composed of grains. Between the grains there is a boundary layer which may include inclusions of carbon or other elements. The grain sizes are mostly determined by the rate of cooling or tempering methods and percentages of different elements included in the Steel. These boundaries act as a battery with transfer of materials between the anode and cathode.. IE Rust. Phosphoric acid is one way to neutalize or stop this action by creating a film over it.

Note: do you recall the days when Rolls Royce engine blocks were cast and then stored for a few years? This was so carbon could form at the grain boundaries and increase the block strength. It's not done anymore as metallurgical processes have changed.

Many of the paints you use will have rust preventative chemicals added.

 

[PILOON]

Well 18 years ago I made a DIY cab.

I wire brushed and used grinder for rough welds and then acid etched everything.
Next primed and painted.
To this day it still looks as good as the day I built that cab!
Now my fenders, which were factory painted, are in sad shape and need attention.
Also I'll add that I sloshed some linseed oil inside my cab tubing structure B4 plugging the open ends. (trick learned from aviation) No rust 4 me.

 

[Sberry]

I will agree there is a perfect ,, good better best way to go this especially if a guy has a steep budget.
You can always make it better, get no argument from me with that. But this is a first time implement project, first time painter.
Read the back of the can. Says clean it. Paint it. Once in s while mentions the grit.
You also get no argument from me that powder is excel r, can be great but it ain't always so. I never had custom applied epoxy come off in sheet fashion. Not saying yours does but lots of paint in the world fell off dun by experts and lots look ok by semi skilled. I got 20 yr 30 jobs too, got spray can hold up near as long cause its stored indoors, some outdoor doesnt look bad considering.

 

[Sberry]

I ain't trying to argue that isn't true,, just that it ain't gonna mean s pinch of shot yo this guy now and maybe never. Actually most likely never.

 

[Sberry]

If I am painting that it's getting some before the end of the day if I am busy. Ut if all is perfect ahi solar paint job on a common implement should outlast a scuff and dip a brush in the can job but it's a value call for the owner.
You wanna be a compulsive mental masturbator or you wanna get it done on practical fashion with appropriate results

 

[Sberry]

 

[Sberry]

Before we put some black on the pump. There is a guard somewhere, and we sponge paint the pump orange again. All left over, about 3 standing disks and a pad.
Paint still looks decent, 10 yrs out in the weather . No regrets about not standing around tossing 100$ bills at it.

 

[Sberry]

Guy is gonna paint an implement and we give instructions to do the space shuttle.