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truckasaurus · 03-26-2009, 08:30 PM

Having studied up on frame coatings I'm thinking POR15 but just wanted to see what was considered the right amount to get. Any comments on the below? I'm thinking brush on, but might try spraying, I mean how bad can it turn out!! Scratch that, I'll paint it unless the sandblasting guys want to spray it on (at $185 an hour I suspect I'll be wearing the right of passage splotches).

So 26' frame sandblasted clean should this cover it?

POR-15 Rust Paint, gallon, Semi-Gloss Black 1 Gallon
Marine-Clean - 1 Gallon
Metal-Ready - quart
Top Coats, pint, Stirling Silver

soldiermedic · 03-26-2009, 09:04 PM

I am interested in seeing what people say. I bought two quarts of of paint for my 21 foot frame, and a pint of the silver top coat for the bumper and hitch. I am hoping to get two coats on the frame with this. If people are skeptical, I can always order another quart.

Steve

Wabbiteer · 03-26-2009, 10:35 PM

Brushing works just fine - you don't need to spray unless you are Jay Leno adding it to a show quality collection. Besides that is just asking for a new Darwins' Law category to be post-humorously awarded in your honor, the stuff is that gnarly.

I bought a gallon and have two and one-half quarts left over. I decanted the second quart into canning jars, spraying electronics cleaner 'canned air' into the jar prior to pouring and during the pour and immediately capped it. Water vapor in the air was displaced by the canned air and the pint of POR-15 is exactly as it was over 18 months ago so their is a way to store partial cans.

wabbiteer por-15 - Google Search <-- my posts here on POR-15, 25~ or so in some great threads on AS frame repairs.

Don't think twice, just do it. The stuff is incredible. Just beware the fumes; three-day hangover esp. from the second coat going on just as the first coat is hardening.

3Ms75Argosy · 03-26-2009, 10:53 PM

I say brush it on... them fumes are awful! I can't imagine it being in the air... and the potiental for ruining a spray gun if it's not cleaned well...
Marc

Ganaraska · 03-27-2009, 01:58 PM

Work in a well ventilated area. Use a brush or roller and wear rubber gloves and overalls. That stuff digs in like a tattoo if you get it on you.

utee94 · 03-27-2009, 02:11 PM

I did not get it all over me, so I'm pretty sure I must have done it wrong!

I used just under one quart to do two coats on the back 8' of my Overlander's frame, plus two coats on the bumper. I would think a couple of quarts would be enough to do your whole frame, but I suppose YMMV. I brushed it on, by the way, and even then it lies down beautifully. It's really incredible stuff.

The Stirling Silver topcoat, on the other hand, I was less impressed with. It did not lie down nearly as well.

DavidsonOverlander · 06-02-2009, 10:24 AM

I thought I posted this yesterday, but now I can't find it.

I've been repairing the frame on our Sovereign and am getting ready to paint it with POR 15. What should I do where the factory paint still looks good?

I could try to get the paint off with a wire brush on the angle grinder, but it will be hard to do in some areas unless I sandblast it. I don't have a sandblaster, but could get one if that's the way to go.
I could paint over it with POR 15, but that seems like a waste of POR 15 as it won't be able to bond with the metal.
Or I could just paint the rusted and newly repaired areas with POR 15 and leave the factory paint where it still looks good.
Comments?

Jim & Susan · 06-02-2009, 10:30 AM

Paint over it. Look on the container for instructions or call the POR folks. I sandblasted the frame first, but that is not necessary.

Jim

soldiermedic · 06-02-2009, 11:57 AM

I just got done painting my frame, and I cannot see how many people do this with getting NOTHING on you. Lets say I'll be silver and grey for a week before this stuff wears off. It was rather messy, and got everywhere.

I do hope it lives up to its' moniker.

Steve

utee94 · 06-02-2009, 12:27 PM

I have no idea how I evaded becoming one with the POR15. I wore nitrile gloves and traded them out, but it was pretty warm when I painted my frame, so I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.

Like I said, maybe I did it wrong.

Jim & Susan · 06-02-2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

I just got done painting my frame, and I cannot see how many people do this with getting NOTHING on you. Lets say I'll be silver and grey for a week before this stuff wears off. It was rather messy, and got everywhere.

I do hope it lives up to its' moniker.

Steve

Steve, give it a couple of days to cure, then take a hammer to it. If it adhered properly, the hammer will barely make a mark on it. I'm serious.

Jim

soldiermedic · 06-02-2009, 01:08 PM

Jim,

I hope you mean the frame and not the parts of my body that have POR 15 all over them

Steve

Jim & Susan · 06-02-2009, 01:19 PM

Well, I was talking about the Airstream frame. But with two Doc's living in the same house you have built in assistance with just a shout.

Jim

soldiermedic · 06-02-2009, 01:31 PM

First I POR'd, then nature POURED.

I was unable to paint my frame yesterday because I kept getting calls throughout the day for work. I looked at the forecast, and no rain was scheduled till later tonight. I got up at 0700 and started painting. It was already mid 80's, and the paint was curing fast with 80% humidity. I got multiple coats done, the bumper and hitch top coated, and then went to the store for some black rustoleum spray paint for top coating the rest of the chassis. This was advised by Mr. Winick, and it suited me just fine.

I finished that, and feel pretty tired. Then I mosey inside for a shower, and I hear the clap of rolling thunder. I haven't even peaked to see what kind of issues I may be dealing with. I think most of the POR was dry, but the spray paint was fresh. I am hopeful that I only need to re paint with the spray paint.

Steve

putback · 06-02-2009, 05:28 PM

A quart of por goes a long way, exceptional coverage, about twice as far as a qt of primer. Spraying works but a lot of waste. It goes on slick as snail snot with a brush, even vertically, very little sag and "self leveling", do the frame joints with an near empty brush to aviod waste. Poor adheasion over existing paint, it often peels after a few years. It needs a top coat if exposed to direct sunlight, which means a prime coat first. Tough to rough up por when cured. A car frame resto tip if you want color over por. When the por is almost cured, barely tacky, spray on a coat of quality primer, then when dry its ready for a topcoat of color. No hassle. **** Get it in your hair and its like epoxy, you cut it out! Latex gloves get nicks and always leak under the finger nails. Rub some vaseline on your hands befor you start, especially under your nails, it helps, some!**** Oh yea, when your on your back underneth painting the bottom a small hair scrungie thingamajig wraped around the brush handle helps, some!

Wabbiteer · 06-02-2009, 08:03 PM

I used Rustoleum aerosol flat black paint on anything inside the frame ladder rails that was not rusted, there was very little rust and most looked factory fresh. The paint bonded very nicely to the original paints, one reason I did paint everything is to trap any off-smells or other nasties the rat condos left behind.

The lower edge of the spars got POR-15 as did the spar welds, the water tank frame and everything aft of it, plus everything outside the ladder frame got two coats minimum, I went back and recoated the needy spots as I went along so some places may have four coats.

I did add a couple of tablespoons of the POR-15 thinner to each pint to help stretch the coverage - and wet the brush with the thinner a few times when it started hardening up.

Arrowstream · 06-06-2009, 02:32 PM

Just a side note on keeping paints fresh, before sealing the lid, put some argon in the can. If you have a mig, set it to vent/purge and pull the trigger over the can. Argon is heavier than air so it will displace the air in the can and argon is inert, so it won't react with the paint.

nick6930 · 06-06-2009, 04:13 PM

Great info guys!!! I just bought a bunch of cans of POR15 and top coats made by them I had the bright idea to repaint my Argosy with the stuff, but now I am getting scared. The skin is in such good condition I am thinking about painting only the end caps with por15 and then silver.

I was wondering if the silver lays down well enough to get a good look to it? I was thinking about using foam or low nap rollers.

Does anyone have photos how it looks?

Thanks
Nick

Wabbiteer · 06-06-2009, 10:15 PM

I've used Carbon Dioxide "canned air' meant for cleaning electronics successfully to cut quart cans of POR-15 into two or three containers. The CO2 is a by-product of the paint curing so allows no further reaction by itself.

I tried to eliminate any water vapor that might mix with the paint AS ITS BEING POURED from container to container, what you need to do is fill the empty container with the cold canned air, cover w/ paper and crack the top of the POR-15 and give it a squirt too, then slide back paper and pour in the POR-15.... I even kept the canned air spraying while the paint was being poured, all I know is now almost 2 years later the glass canning jars have not 'pressurized' like they would if the paint was curing and releasing CO2..

Arrowstream · 06-07-2009, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arrowstream

Just a side note on keeping paints fresh, before sealing the lid, put some argon in the can. If you have a mig, set it to vent/purge and pull the trigger over the can. Argon is heavier than air so it will displace the air in the can and argon is inert, so it won't react with the paint.

Disclaimer: Don't arc/spark over the can, ground lead not attached, do not blow yourself up, may cause cancer in Kalifornia, etc.