[BWS]

Youngins drug a 12',70's Elgin Alum. boat up to the shop.They Tigged up a cpl bullet holes and in general got the thing looking right spiffy.Now they want quick cheap paint(yeah,I know).I've got some Epoxy primer but alot of my search's keep pushing self etch on Alum. boats.

DA w/80....W&G clean?.....quickly,shoot primer(which)......heres the cheap part.Can we use el cheapo enamel(Sherwin Williams industrial) w/hardener as a topcoat?

These boys are already into me for major $$$,between them eating all the table legs off and waaaay too many projects......just gotta get some paint on it.Thanks BW

[302 Z28]

I am not a big fan of self etch primers. I would use an epoxy primer, a good one. Which epoxy primer do you have, they are not all created equal. IMHO PPG has some of the most expensive least durable epoxy primers on the market. There is an excellent epoxy primer that you will not pay an arm and leg for and it will outlast anything on the market.


Southern Polyurethane Give them a call and tell them what you are wanting to do. I am certain they will be of help.

Vince

[matt167]

it is common practice to use self etch on aluminum boats

[jcclark]

I have a alum. fishing boat that I scratch up regularly from
hitting the rocks and stick-ups with it. It's 49 yrs old.
The first time I painted my aluminum boat, I stripped it
and used etch. It did fine. But the second time I painted it
I stripped it and used epoxy. The epoxy does much better to resist
scratching off. When the etch was on there, all the scratches went
down to the etch and that's what you saw, the etch.
With the epoxy, when it does finally scratch off-it's to the aluminum,
the epoxy won't let go of the paint. It takes a much harder hit

[deadbodyman]

If you want out cheap, try some Ospho.It'll etch and you dont have to prime at all ,just use that SW paint on top after scuffing with a scuff pad and good cleaning with W&G ...it only cost 15.00 a qt...its not the best way but when I did it I was surprised how well it held up.I didnt even sand anything. I started out by applying it with a scuff pad..then wiping the excess of with a paper towel...works with galvinized too.

[Old Fool]

I use nothing but SPI epoxy on aluminum.

[deadbodyman]

Same here ...SPI for quality work...over metal

[BWS]

Thankyou.Ya'll have been a great resource over the years.We're just a small fab shop,but have benefitted from the knowlege base here enough to be a decent prep/painter....with plenty more to learn.BW

[red65mustang]

BW,
let them do the work and learn!!!
cheapest/simplest effective way for kids to do it is buy a 3M paint and rust removal wheel at Lowes/HD/auto parts store for $6? that you mount in a drill (looks like a brown "rice cake" wheel)...
and some Duplicolor truck/van or Krylon rattle can paint in flat or semi-flat finish...
(maybe several colors for a camoflage scheme?)
plus maybe one $.99 can of Walmart flat black to use for a just dusted on sanding guide coat to show themselves they did wheel prep every bit of the surface (don't use good flat paint for guide coat)...

SUPER easy to repair semi or flat rattle can scratched or stained paint,,,just use a bit of lacquer thinner on a scotchbrite pad to clean and scuff the repair area and then shot on some more,,,it will blend right in...

they can use a roller or brush to apply the epoxy to the wheel prepped bare outside bottem surface only (while wearing your respirator!!!!) and mask it off with just trash can liners to do the sides/insides/etc with rattle can....

(I did my last Lowes alum bass boat used both in fresh and salt water that way and it held up for years and did get alot of use/abuse)

old saying for a boat thread:
give some one a fish he thanks you for a day (you paint it for them)...
teach him how to fish he thanks you for a lifetime!!!

I have been having a blast teaching my 11 year old grandson how to "resurrect" and customize a total junk bike he took off the road side trash...
LOL,,,"don't ask" how many hours spent to end up with a bike you can buy new for $100