question Red Oxide Primer - Are they all the same?

[madrat]

I'm trying to figure out what red oxide primer to use on the Scammell.

 

Years ago a friend of mine painted an old rusty trailer with red oxide and never top-coated it with anything, its still not rusting.

 

I bought some 'red oxide' primer in a spray tin which turned out to be rubbish and have no rust inhibiting properties at all :argh: And the zinc 182 primer I have doesn't seem much better.

 

 

My question is what primers have you guys used successfully and what should I look out for? I only wish to paint this thing the once!

 

Thanks in advance!

[Minesweeper]

We use Bonda "Bondaprimer" on the WW1 Trucks which we have found really excellent. Old metal sandblasted back to clean and then primed with this stuff has been first rate. It is very thin to apply and gives a lovely finish. Clean your brushes with a cellulose thinner -and it happily takes any ordinary paint on top of it when it is dry. We usually give two coats of that on the clean metal and then undercoat and finish paint in the usual way on top of it.

 

If you Google "Bondaprimer", you will find it.

 

Tony

[rambo1969]

Your local car paint shop should be able to sort you out. Brush paint is miles better than spray cans.

[madrat]

Thanks guys,

I'm guessing the bonda primer is this one?

 

 

I think this might do the same job as the rust converter I'm using? Looks like good stuff anyway and thanks for the recommendation!

 

Unfortunately my 'local' paint shop is a 2 hour round trip! Where possible I order off the internet to save time/fuel :cool2:

 

Did they perhaps take the lead out of red lead primer and call it red oxide?

[Stormin]

Did they perhaps take the lead out of red lead primer and call it red oxide?

 

That's exactly what they did. The old stuff used to bond better and inhibit rust better. Some of the zinc phosphate/oxide primers are good. Of course primers are not waterproof and you should topcoat as soon as possible.

 

I'm thinking of giving this a try when I blast the Ward LaFrance.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/20-Litres-Quick-Dry-Zinc-Phosphate-Red-Primer_W0QQitemZ220366804347QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_FarmingEquipment_RL?hash=item220366804347&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

 

Seems good value for the quantity and cheap delivery.

[Minesweeper]

Yes - that's the stuff. I bought mine off the Internet - I will get the address and post it later.

 

Tony

[Minesweeper]

I bought my last lot from:-

 

www.marinemegastore.com

 

10% off on first order!

 

Tony

[woa2]

Trimite do a very good Red Oxide primer. I buy mine from a stall at Beaulieu Autojumble, either May or September, who sells all types of paint and thinners.

I used Bonda primer on my WOT2. It's not bad, but put a coat of Gloss between the primer and the matt topcoat. This is essential, in my experience.

[madrat]

Many thanks for the replies, that ebay link is certainly good value and I bought floor paint from the same seller which was very good!

 

The topcoat I have was bought from W&P and is thinned with white spirit. I'm now worried that this might react with the xylene based primer? Anyone got any ideas/experience of this?

 

I did read somewhere that so long as the primer has a stronger solvent than the top coat you will be ok? I.e. xylene primer overcoated with white spirit based topcoat would be fine.

 

Help! :???

[snowtracdave]

My vote goes to Bondaprimer too . Used it for a number of years now & it's good stuff . I have got very small tins from local motorists shops but I've also bought it from my local chandlers who've been very helpful & got me a 2 1/2 litre tin in for a not unreasonable price . I've used 'red oxide' primers in the past but not been impressed with them .

[Simon Daymond]

there's no such thing as red oxide primer anymore (was refered to by some as red lead I believe?), the name refers to the colour only. Zinc phosphate is the stuff to use, you can brush or spray it. I agree that the spray cans are usually a waste of money as they contain so little paint, they are handy but you don't put as much on as you would with a brush. Most primers I've used can keep the weather at bay, provided a thick enough coat was applied in the first place.

[ajmac]

I too have to give the vote to Bonda, I used it 13 years ago on the Land-Rover bulkhead A posts, the car has been on the road since through the winters etc and those A posts are still rust free with no bubbles. In the areas where I used other primers the steel is rusting quite happily under the top coat! However there is a better primer, but for the life of me I can't remember the name...it came 1st in the 'Practical Classics' salt spray test in about 1996, I brought a tin from the manufacture (Basic tins with a home made label:-), it was VERY thick stuff but even with a scratch through to base metal it will not rust, I used that on the headlight panel which again has stood the test of time.

My Dad painted a sack truck frame with original twin pack Red Lead back in 1985, the lifting plate was painted with some Holts product a couple of years later. It is still in his garden, with a perfect frame, be it with the odd spot of rust by now and not much lifting plate remaining!

Edited February 26, 2009 by ajmac

[Scammell4199]

I use Tetrosyl etch primer. It comes as a paint and activated thinner which you mix 50:50 for spraying. Unfortunatly it can't be hand painted, as I discovered through bitter experience. Where I have to do hand painted bits I use a primer from Bailey paints in Gloucestershire who are very helpful, I can't remember what it is, i'll look tonite and post it later. Richard

[Stormin]

This was recommended by a friend who used it on his Alvis many years ago.

 

http://www.rust.co.uk/epoxy-mastic.cfm

 

So I used it on my 101 chasis and axles after blasting. The chassis has not been outside and exposed to the weather since so it's impossible to vouch for the corrosion resistance. It's a two pack product and not easy to get the right consistency for spraying.

Works out very expensive too, which is the main reason I won't be using it on the Ward. I could've got my chasis hot dip galvanised for not much more than it cost to paint.

[woa2]

Have you thought about using Hammerite Smooth Black on the chassis, body and other parts before giving it a coat of OD? I have done this on my WOA2, as I don't want ANY rust after spending a fortune on body repairs. So far there is not a speck of rust. Wish I had done that on the WOT2 as there is a little rust coming through now, but that was first painted in 1984.

[mcspool]

Have you thought about using Hammerite Smooth Black on the chassis, body and other parts before giving it a coat of OD?

 

I have used Hammerite on VW Beetle chassis and floor pans in the past, without further topcoating. The finish is very smooth, I would not think any further coats would adhere properly?

 

At http://www.hammerite.com/uk/products/ps_red_oxide_primer.html I see they also carry a Red Oxide Primer in their product range, seems to have the same properties as their metal paint, but with the added bonus of providing a proper base for topcoating.

 

- Hanno

 

[woa2]

I have used Hammerite on VW Beetle chassis and floor pans in the past, without further topcoating. The finish is very smooth, I would not think any further coats would adhere properly?

 

 

 

I gave the surface a light sanding to give the paint something to adhere to, and I have had no problems. I hand painted on the Hammerite and sprayed the top coat.

[Scammell4199]

Just checked what my paints are, and as follows:

 

Tetrosyl Auto-prime etch primer GEP005 and its activated thinner GET005,

for brush priming I use Bailey Paints Air Drying Zinc Phosphate Primer 5900,

I then apply a couple coats of Cromadex 222BL2640 gloss deep bronze green because I believe gloss paints are much less porous than matt ones so its a good barrier coat, and finally I had Bailey paints mix up my own dark green matt colour in HMG 1K Fleet Polyurethane Enamel, which is commercial vehicle paint and seems to be quite tough.

Hope this helps, Richard

[Tony B]

I've been getting very good results with Dulux Metalsheild latley. They do there own primer/undercoat and the paint can be mixed to your colour specc, in gloss or eggshell.

[DanD83]

I've used Coo-Var Red Oxide Metal Primer to good effect. You may also want to try Carboxide Red Oxide Metal Primer, but buy direct as it's cheaper. Not tried it though. I imagine it's very similar to Coo-Var's product. Red Oxide refers to Iron Oxides added which simply add colour. Neither contain Zinc Phosphate or Lead. 

For those curious... I found this... https://www.amertek.co.uk/product/lead-tetroxide-lead-iiiv-oxide-minium/