Is there a etching primer in a spray can?

[calicraig]

I am cleaning, sanding and need to prime small areas at a time and it is a major deal for me to set up to use the spray gun (the wife yells when the overspray gets on the garage fridge). Is there a spray bomb product that is good enough to get me through this step so that I can get ready to 2nd coat prime with a gun on the whole thing later?

[bretcopsey]

Auto Zone, Pep Buys etc carry an etch primer by Dupli Color (I think that's the brand). I've been using it but I can't report on how it holds up for long term use. Maybe by August I'll have a clue as I have a pair of doors primed with etch, followed by filler then the "high build" primer in a can. The doors are in my shed now, and I'm hoping for a humid summer to see how they hold up.

Until then , hopefully someone else will chime in.

[gmachine68]

yes there is, most of the major paint companys have a spray bomb etch primer, i use standox however i know sherwin williams makes one also and is around 8 bucks a can.
2nd, etch primer should only be used for bare metal for corrosion resistance and to etch the metal for urethane primer, do not etch prime metal that will be getting body filler work on,(just look at any etch primers tds) you should do a panel at a time, strip, feather edge whatever your plan is, then body work panel with hammer dolly/filler to where you are happy, then apply etch primer to bare metal areas, then either go wet on wet (apply urethane high build primer without sanding etch primer, there is a window with mosts etch primers where you do not need to scuff them) now if this is too much i would strip/featheredge which ever your doing and epoxy prime the entire panel, this is th best for a at home project since the epoxy both seals and etches the metal, but you can also use body filler on it, just once primed and ready to body work, sand areas needing work with 80 grit, also most epoxy primers need a certain mil thickness to be weather resistant, generally 2-3 mils which is 2 good medium wet coats.
good luck

[CAMAROBOY69]

Welcome back jake. :)

[gmachine68]

bret, there are a few things, you should not have bodyworked over the etch primer as you canhave issues with bleed thru etc as the acids in etch will go right thru the filler, however it may be ok, its your call, also the spray bomb high build has no catalyst (hardner in it) so it may never stop shrinking into the body worked areas.

[bretcopsey]

Calicraig, I don't mean to 'jack the thread, but maybe this info will help you too...


Jake, first off this is my 51 truck project. I only intend to get it to driver status. I took both doors to bare metal then etch primed. It was a couple weeks before I went back over with filler so I scuffed first, then did the body work. Do you still think I could have bleed through?

Secondly, what should I have used over the filler instead of the high build keeping with the spray bomb paint, just regular sandable primer? And should I then have gone over that with the high build, or skipped it alltogethr?

I have access to a "paint booth" at an inlaw's place, but it is over an hour away. My plan was to get everything done then take it to his house for a once over with primer, final blocking then paint.

[gmachine68]

i am not sure, alot of bleed thru happens on white and light colored cars, however it is up to you, its alot of work to strip it now, but if it were me i would.
i am not sure i would want anything on top of my bodywork/ metal other then a quality 2k urethane primer, but if you have to use whatever you have to to seal it up, then when it comes time, guide coat the car and block sand it all off with 180, fix any problems then use a quality high build 2k primer (2k is 2 part, primer and hardner) just becarefully if you use a mar hyde type 2k, make sure it gets baked or sits for a wek or so in the sun to get it to shrink up good.
now bret if you have a compressor at home i would epoxy prime 2 coats your stuff and i would feel safe, but its up in the air on the stuff you have done

[calicraig]

,,,, as long as I cover the etching primer with a urethane primer on the interior surfaces and just go with the urethane primer alone on the exterior where the body work is going to be I'd be in the ballpark?

[gmachine68]

here goes
1. strip, feather edge etc what your working on # 2 can be done 2 ways
2.(1.) once stripped, do body work till happy, etch prime bare metal, then go right into 2-3 coats 2k urethane primer. (2.) strip , feather edge work, then 2 coat epoxy prime, then do body filler work whenevr you want, just prepare area with 80 grit.
3. do not apply body filler over urethane primer, only polyester finish glazes. as body work should not be primed until it is super close and not needing any medium weight filler, if you do find a spot i would take all urethane off with 80 grit and re work it till happy.
what i would do if i were in your situation is epoxy prime your stuff 2 coats then you can do whatever you want,body work after roughing it up, polyester prime, urethane prime etc, where as etch primer should only be topcoated with a urethane primer or sealer.