Rust Conversion and Rust Stop Paints

[Eric]

I've use POR-15 for about 5 years. Great stuff. You can achieve a great high
gloss finish with POR-15 more easily than almost any paint I have tried. I have
used it on heavily rusted frame members as well as prepainted surfaces. The
only (optional) pre-painting chemical is another POR-15 product called Marine
Clean. (A very caustic, aggressive water based solvent that removes oily film
which POR-15 doesn't like.) Spray it on, hose it off. As I read the
instructions the only time a primer is recommended is when you have new metal.
I have primed some surfaces before I used POR-15. I didn't like it. The
Rustolem primer I used was much softer, when dried, than the POR-15. I didn't
like having a softer underlayer for the POR-15. It can be applied directly to
heavily rusted (descaled) iron and seems to me to work very well, because of the
extra tooth the rusted surface provides.

POR-15 is one part, moisture curing, polyurethane paint. Incredibly tough. You
can almost not abrade it with sand paper. You can just abrade it with a file
and a strong arm. Striking the finish with a hammer doesn't do much unless you
deform the metal underneath. At least 2 coats are recommended with about 3-4
hours between coats. In desert climates almost 8 to 24 hours can be required
between coats (it's moisture cured.)

Cleanup is a bit of a bear. Lacquer thinner works. If you buy POR-15 I would
strongly suggest small containers. Ebay is where I bought my supplies although
many automotive paint stores also carry it (usually in quart cans). I recently
use POR 2500 degree high temperature paint on my new muffler system. I'll tell
you how it works in 5 years.

Happy trails,

Eric Perplies
96 PT-42
In WA loading up to follow the sun.