Priming - safety/setup/use

Hi,

Just researching about various options for my upcoming build and was wondering what type of safety precautions are required for Rattle can, AKZO type primer or Zinc Chromate.

Do you need a fresh air source or just a face mask with filters when spraying?

Do you require special storage requirements for your materials?

Can you just scuff, prekote and spray or do I need additional steps to use AKZO?

Type of spray gun required? Any additional filters required for air compressor? Toxic clean up materials required?

Is the learning curve steep with AKZO spraying?

Thanks Jim

Akzo info

Jim ? Can?t speak for other primers, but have been happily using Akzo primer. Find it to be a very robust primer which is easy to mix (50:50) and spray ? it dries to touch fairly quickly, but full cure is a day or so. You will want to mix the paint very well prior to use and be sure to run it through a paint filter. Acetone seems to work OK for spray gun cleanup, but may require a little scrubbing if the Akzo is set up. Unused Akzo can also be placed in a freezer for a day or two but filter again before use. I do that in case I need to use the airbrush to make touch-ups the next day.

Because Akzo only requires 1 mil of thickness, it is easy to spray it much heaver than necessary. Spray a thin wet coat to about the point where you almost can?t see the grain of the metal anymore ? or it just barely fades away. The app data sheets recommend a 1.4 mm tip for a HVLP gun and temps above 59 degrees.

I?ve been prepping with Scotch-Brite, Acetone, and Alumiprep 33 or SanChem (an Alodine like conversion treatment without the nasties) depending on the parts.

My understanding is Akzo has no Isocyanates so a good 3M face mask outfitted with an organic vapor filter coupled with a P100 filter should serve you well. I only mix and paint outside because Akzo fumes ARE very nauseous.

The spray gun you choose will largely depend on your compressor ? some HVLP guns require a vast amount of air. My compressor is a 110 volt unit and can muster about 6.2 CFM so I chose a HVLP gun from Eastwood that only requires 4 CFM. Some of the ?professional? guns will require from 8 to 13 CFM which basically forces the use of a larger 220 volt compressor. Most times I do use a water separator at the gun for large shoots but at times have not when spraying very small batches. You will NOT want to use the same air hose used for your air tools if you have a tool oiler on the airline.

Hope this helps.

John

Thanks John, exactly what I'm looking for.

Cheers Jim

AKZO

I got good results using non-filtered air, spraying outside, and not straining the paint, using a HD $35 gun. (and just using a 3m organic filter mask)

Now have started painting plane for real and have purchased the filters, fresh air system, and high end gun.

I like the Stewart Systems Ekoprime--it's water-based so you don't have the chemical fumes, and you clean up with water. It's a little frustrating to mix at first (the solids really precipitate out of the mixture, and it takes a while to mix them back in), but once mixed it works pretty well. I scuff, etch with a biodegradeable metal prep, rinse very very well, and let dry overnight.

When applying, I use a Harbor Freight HVLP gun. Having never used a spraygun before it took a little getting used to, but by the end of my first priming session I was getting pretty decent results (at least for priming--finish painting will take a lot more practice!). Compressor-wise, I'm using the 15 gallon 200psi C-H unit from Lowes. It kept up just fine. My drill uses more air...

The primer will dry to handling in just a couple minutes, though full cure will take two or three days.

so paint filters are things that you put into the gun? YOu don't filter the primer then put it into the gun?

I can get the paint filters from Harbor freight. Correct?

rmartingt said:

I like the Stewart Systems Ekoprime--it's water-based so you don't have the chemical fumes, and you clean up with water. It's a little frustrating to mix at first (the solids really precipitate out of the mixture, and it takes a while to mix them back in), but once mixed it works pretty well. I scuff, etch with a biodegradeable metal prep, rinse very very well, and let dry overnight.

When applying, I use a Harbor Freight HVLP gun. Having never used a spraygun before it took a little getting used to, but by the end of my first priming session I was getting pretty decent results (at least for priming--finish painting will take a lot more practice!). Compressor-wise, I'm using the 15 gallon 200psi C-H unit from Lowes. It kept up just fine. My drill uses more air...

The primer will dry to handling in just a couple minutes, though full cure will take two or three days.

Click to expand...

+1 for Stewart Systems EcoPrime ... I've been using a very similar setup, tho I have a 50 gal Ingersoll-Rand compressor. The 1.4mm HF "purple" spray gun has worked well. I find it's good to keep it a bit thicker, about 30-40 second on a DuPont viscosity cup. The primer dries to the touch is 30-60 mins, but it does take a 24-48 hours to fully harden (I live in the San Fran fog zone; humidity is relatively high and temps are around 65F. You'll get better results in PHX!). The primer is tough once cured (after a day or so) and the cleanup is easy. Also, the solids do seem to settle quickly, so aggressive mixing is necessary prior to filtering and spraying. 20 PSI at the gun is just about right for me.

Prep is with an EcoSysytems EcoEtch (or equivalent) aluminum etching acid, applied with a maroon ScotchBrite pad and some elbow grease. This seems to get the base metal very clean and ready for the primer.

(also, I've found that the spray gun is great for furniture refinishing with slightly thicker mixes, 40 ish on a DuPont cup and 20 psi. The kids and Mom are happy with their custom-painted desks! And, Dad wonders why he never discovered the magic of a sprayer earlier)

filters

Stockmanreef said:

so paint filters are things that you put into the gun? YOu don't filter the primer then put it into the gun?

I can get the paint filters from Harbor freight. Correct?

Click to expand...

Buy the 3M disposable paint up system. Awesome product. Every cup and lid has a built in filter. Just toss after painting and fun some thinner through the gun the clean up. Plus you can paint upside down. They work like those disposable baby bottles.
I went with the medium cups.

wirejock said:

Buy the 3M disposable paint up system. Awesome product. Every cup and lid has a built in filter. Just toss after painting and fun some thinner through the gun the clean up. Plus you can paint upside down. They work like those disposable baby bottles.
I went with the medium cups.

Click to expand...

Or use the equivalent cup system from DeVilbiss

http://www.spraygunworld.com/Information2/DKups/Dcups.html

For very small jobs, I find a cheap air brush works - get one with a glass jar and not the plastic ones from HF.