paint booth up and running.

[jeffsunzeri]

I painted a utility trailer a few months ago with the Tractor Supply paint. I used their black, along with their catalyst and reducer. For me, their reducer recommended percentages were WAY off. I think they (the paint manufacturer) recommended  1 pint for the whole gallon... No way.

The paint went on real well, over an epoxy primer, and after 4 - 5 months in the sun, it still looks great, and is fairly hard/chip resistant. Of course, a few months is not much, but so far so good. I would rate the Tractor Supply paints as an excellent buy at around $30 a gallon. That is compared to over $300 a gallon for the paint I use on customer's stuff.

[Los_Control]

On 8/23/2019 at 9:34 PM, jeffsunzeri said:

I painted a utility trailer a few months ago with the Tractor Supply paint.

Thank you for the reply. I did go to tractor supply, I see the paint is now called majic ... is that the brand you used?

I dunno, possible it varies from store to store?

What I did find, I had a choice between majic and rustoleum. I know nothing about majic and hear rustoleum will do what I want.

So I bought A gallon of the rustoleum, and a pint of the majic reducer, then went to napa and bought a pint of hardener.

 

Today I am preparing a new batch of pieces for paint, Trying to scuff the old pieces for a second coat.

I just doubt today I will spray, suppose to be 107 today. If I prep I will be happy, then spray the second batch in the morning when is 70 degrees out.

 

Then I can post a pic at least of how well the product applied, will be time that tells us how well it works.

 

 

[JBNeal]

I have used TSC paints in the past, most recently named Magik, on odd'n'end projects because I only wanted the paint as a base material protectant from the elements.  I would get good adhesion and coats have been durable, but every color I used faded within 2 years getting blasted in the TX sun...red turned pink, black turned grey, yellow turned pale...I could clean and topcoat after a few years, but that too would fade...so when I do larger projects, I have used more established brands for durability and color consistency.  Rustoleum primer and colors have been quite durable, with a set of wheels I refurbished back in '99 still semi-gloss black and those have been outside for the duration.  The Farmall 1206 I fixed up in '04 spent most of its subsequent working years outside and the CaseIH brand paint I used ($30/gallon) did not start to fade until over 11 years later.

 

I've had ppl grind on what they perceive as my excessive attention to detail (code for taking too long to get things done) but that detail is where the Devil stays...surface preparation on old and new work is key to a good topcoat so that the primer coat not only adheres to the base material but provides a protective layer between base material and topcoat.  Skipping steps or cutting corners can result in flawed topcoats and ultimately spending more time fixing flaws than if preparation was done thoroughly to begin with...paint manufacturers have good product instructions that when followed closely have resulted in good coatings that are durable for years

[Los_Control]

1 hour ago, JBNeal said:

Rustoleum primer and colors have been quite durable, with a set of wheels I refurbished back in '99 still semi-gloss black and those have been outside for the duration.

I really appreciate that feed back.

I have not written it in stone yet, but playing with the idea of two tone red with black fenders and running boards. I think my truck would hate me if it turned pink 

 

I started this thread because I was really disappointed in the finish from my first attempt. Pretty sure at this point, it was me mixing enamel paint with lacquer thinner.

Which led me to buying the rustoleum. I am glad I did and will be more confident with it, instead of the Ace hardware brand enamel.

 

With that being said, I am going ahead with the Ace paint on the frame. I put some on bare metal and was just a test spot .... later when I went to sand it off to replace with the new Rustoleum. It was bonded solid and was difficult to remove .... I decided to go ahead and use the Ace enamel on the frame and under parts that wont be seen.

I am applying it by brush, so it is going on thick and a couple coats. Right now at this rate, I may use more then 1 gallon for the frame and undercarriage.

 

The prep work for the frame, is get everything I can with a grinder flap disk or wire wheel, what ever I can with a wire brush and sand paper and scrapers. Cleaning with simple green and then spraying with ospho.

Not ideal, but I do not have the means to strip it down to bare frame and doing the best job I can from this angle.

 

The body parts are going to bare metal using muriatic acid and protected with ospho. Then red oxide primer and Rustoleum enamel paint. Hoping this prep work will be enough.

I just have some minor body work to take care of first, then will wipe down and clean the metal etc before primer.

 

Edited October 25, 2019 by Los_Control