We have an oil truck to letter, belonging to my employee's brother. The tank is bare aluminum, with some extensive "ghosting" from old vinyl, so I'm thinking of just taping out and rolling a big color panel on the sides. What works to prime bare aluminum for topcoat with bulletin enamel? I've coated lots of stuff over the years, but unpainted aluminum is a new one. My first thought was metal/wood primer; tell me if there are better products. This being a budget/favor job for my employee and his bro, getting the thing sprayed by a body shop is out of the question.
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
Hey Cam ...Mathews 2 part (self etching) Zinc Chromate primer 734 (primer)and 735(Catalyst)
Hands down the best product on the market(it will never fail you).
Normally you spray it ...but I have rolled it and brushed it (works fine)
Trust me this is the best!
Posted by roger bailey (Member # 556) on :
Zinc Oxide, thats the one made for alum. as far as I know!
But, would it be more "cost effective" to cut a block out of vinyl(cast/premium) instead of coating with primer then paint 1 or 2 coats??
Seems you could save a lengthy paint process?
Roger Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
Roger ....you been layin around Hawaii too long...Zinc Oxide is that white stuff you been usin on yer nose...It's ok I knew what ya meant.
Cam...I forgot to mention ...in less than 30 minutes after it's applied you can paint right over it with any kind of product you wish to.
I'm telling you ...it's the best!
OK Mathews send my commission!
[ April 08, 2002, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: Monte Jumper ]
Posted by FranCisco Vargas (Member # 145) on :
Cam, another one is XIM-#100 I used it several times with no problems. It's a great primer for what you want to do. Strong smell though, use it outdoors.
Posted by roger bailey (Member # 556) on :
Monte, your absolutly right, I'm so easily confused!Hah ha ha ha
I'm glad you caught it, its been too long away from my paint bench!!
Now I'm putting some a that oxide on my nose, and I'm off ta you know where!
Roger Posted by Bruce Bowers (Member # 892) on :
Cam,
Bruning paints makes a primer for non-ferrous metals called "Silathane". We use this extensively for aluminium tubing and such.
It rolls and brushes out fairly well and will suit your purposes just fine.
Have a great one!
Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :
I have to stick with Monty here. The Zinc Chromate will not only stick to the aluminum tank, but will help slow the effects of electrolisis. This is important because where the aluminum tank is mounted on the truck frame(steel) some interesting things are happening because of the 2 different metals.
Posted by J.T. Gazaway (Member # 2001) on :
Now that Roger has his nose primed, who's up for a Hawaiian nose panel jam? Hold still...I'm on my way. ROFL Monte is right with the M-2 part zinc Cam. Best of all for aluminium.
Posted by Mike Kelly (Member # 2037) on :
Cam, I've used XIM#100 with great results. It can be found locally at Sherwin-Williams paint stores.
Posted by roger bailey (Member # 556) on :
Ok J.T., ya gotta give me a bit more time to recoup some of the money it took gettin over here!!
Then Rapid Tac would be up for sponcering a big meet over at Doug Allens' shop on Maui, maybe "free attendence, eats, drinks, super deal on lodging (% participation by Rapid Tac) or something.
Who knows?, I'll be thinking bout it !!
Roger Posted by Michael Boone (Member # 308) on :
Well...Im a DuPont guy... DuPont's Vari-Prime would be my choice..its a spray finish It works on all metal surfaces. Etch the aluminum..no matter what choice of finish you use. Vari-prime has some acid in it..its self etching.
Posted by Miles Cullinane (Member # 980) on :
Cam Over here we have a water based etch primer from international paints with works on all nonferous metals. On a hot day you can recoat in 30 minutes and top coat in another hour.
works for me Posted by Cam Bortz (Member # 55) on :
Thanks for the replies. I'm going to stop at the paint store this morning.
As for covering the thing with a big sheet of vinyl - it may be cost effective. But frankly I'd rather have a root canal than mess with a big piece of sticky plastic outside in the wind. . Besides which, we'll probably paint our main copy.
Posted by John Smith (Member # 1308) on :
Wow, this post could not have come at a better time! I was just awarded a sign contract for the local Navy base here to fabricate 3 each 3'x12' and 3 ea. 1'x12' double faced signs. The 1/8" (mill finish) aluminum sheets are attached to alum. 2"x4" frame with Lord adhesive and painted teracota with white reflective vinyl. I have made these signs in the past and went through the acid etch, zinc chromate primer, and enamel topcoat. It has been over 10 years now and they are still in "fairly good" condition. But, the self-etching primer seems like a winner as I really hate the acid prep stuff. Thanks for all the input!!! (( oh, Roger, don't put zinc chromate on yer nose ))!!
[ April 09, 2002, 11:16 AM: Message edited by: John Smith ]
Posted by roger bailey (Member # 556) on :
Heck John, back when I was slingin a paint gun I got that stuff everywhere.
Maybe thats why my hairs fallin out and I can't see or hear so good, probably why I can't spell to good either????
Roger Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
Yeah Roger, I was going to let it slide, but since you brought it up...it's spelled Allan, & a Rapid-Tac sponsored meet over here sounds like a great idea to ponder for the future.
Posted by roger bailey (Member # 556) on :
I wondered if you would catch that(co-op meet), Maybe we can put some thoughts together for this coming winter, so all those folks in the cold can come over and warm up for a spell!!
I'll get ya on the phone when I get back from mainland May 2nd or so!
Sorry bout tht spellin a mine Roger Posted by roger bailey (Member # 556) on :
Hey Cam, BIG vinyl??? Ahhhhh, nuttin to it!!
Roger Posted by Cam Bortz (Member # 55) on :
After a futile morning trip to the "paint" store (they have every possible variety of Ralph Lauren colors in latex, but etching primer???? they look at you like you've got two heads). I wised up and went to a marine store, (where we go when we need to get serious), and got a quart of Petit two-part non-ferrous metal etching primer, $20. Scott sanded the sides of the tank and wiped them down with naptha (when our suppliers start selling Rapid Prep, we'll buy it!) and rolled on the primer. It dried fast, and by midafternoon we had the tank painted process blue. It's some bright I tell ya! Tomorrow morning I'll make patterns and we'll blast it out.
Scott's brother brought it over almost full of #2 heating oil, which works just fine in my old 'Benz...
Posted by captain ken (Member # 742) on :
Cam, as you might have noticed when you wiped it down, your rag was black, so wipe it again? Black again? no way it's that dirty? it aint' it's aluimiun oxide, it happens ho matter how many times you wipe it. as for primer, well ya already figured it out but you do need a self etching primer, you can get it in a spray bomb at the auto body supply house for about 7 bucks a can. I did some panels about a year a go that were brush aluminium I wiped em down and sprayed a 2 part urathane clearcoat, so far so good....
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
Cam who's your Sign supplier? They should have or have access to the Mathews product.
All three of our suppliers have it.
Is N.Glantz in your neighborhood? They have it!
If you ever try this product you'll never use another!
Posted by Carl Wood (Member # 1223) on :
Hey Cam - This post bothers me - all the answers so far have been application related - -#1, prep your tanker - run it through your local truck wash - usually around truck stops, naturally. Ask & make sure they will "acid wash" your tanker. After thats done, then just treat it like any other vinyl job. No need for paints, primer, or all that crud. P.S. Method also werks for cement mixers - have a few out there going on 3 yrs. for lettering on the drums........by the way, I find that ol cheep Oracal 651 works better than most.....seems to resist abrasion better than High Performance ..........hope this helps,. . . . Carl
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
Cam, thanks for posting this!
I never had to do an Oil Truck in paint but it is nice to know how to go about it when or if the time arises.
Also let me be the first to applaud you on taking the path less traveled, It would be the easier to lay vinyl but not always the best. After seeing the layout, it is no doubt it will be a steller job!
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
I know this subject has been talked to death already, however, I had log in problems and couldn't post my 1/50 dollar here.
As has been stated, to paint Aluminum, an etching primer is necessary. There are a number of brands on the market. We personally use Grip Gard since it has a two week pot life after mixing. We put the extra in a can and write the date on the top. If we have to prime something in the next two weeks, it is ready to roll...er spray...whatever. We have brushed and/or rolled it on smaller items.
Somewhere on the post XIM was mentioned. If that is the same product as XIM Flash Bond, don't use it on Aluminum. I had an expensive lesson 20 years ago using it to prime Aluminum. I went to the etching primer and have never looked back. As Satchel Paige once said: "Never look back. Something might be gaining on you."
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. Besides which, we'll probably paint our main copy.
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