i'm trying to spray some alli, but maybe doing something wrong>.....


I've used wet n dry to take the surface off it, then a good clean in soapy water, rinsed, then dried on a heater

i'm using zinc primer, but it seems to be 'crazing', then flaking off

any ideas??

Im not a sprayer but i think you can get an etching primer for ali, ive used zinc primer over me welds so they dont rust

I thought zinc primer was an 'etch' primer?

are there special primers for alli??

Dont mate i could be wrong see if any one else pops in

Cleen with thiners first to remove any greese

Special etch primer required or the paint will fall off.

Your prep is good, but just prior to painting its worth wiping over with thinners, as ali oxidises really quickly its best to prep then paint immediately.

Cheers Mark

Get a 2 PART (not PACK) etch from your local paint factor, you can get a hibuild 2 part for ally now, I used it and was really happy with it. Dead simple to apply too.

not sure why you are using zinc primer, ali doesn't rust!

I''m prettyr sure to get a good key, you need to use an etch primer - not sure what it does but guess it stoick to the very hard oxide that forms on ali.

im using zinc primer cos it was there!

to be honest, im painting a very small area of metal, so ideally i didnt want to source some special primer/paint

two pack seems a lot of hassle..... is there no 'easy' primer available from good ole' Halfords??

maybe i'll make it out of some other material than alli


thanks for the suggestions anyway!!

you can get etching primer from halfords

aha!!

on my way to halfords tomorrow then!!

Hammerite "Special metals primer" is available anywhere, works fine for overpainting with "normal" paint, available in small tins.

I've used it and seems fine over a year later...

try brewers or similar painting and decorating suppliers....
they will sell ali primer because its the only thing you can prime certain hardwood doors with buggared if i remember what hardwood though...

quote:

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Originally posted by Jumpy Guy

two pack seems a lot of hassle..... is there no 'easy' primer available from good ole' Halfords??

thanks for the suggestions anyway!!

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I have sprayed all my ally panels (coz I'm like that!)

I keyed the panels first by running over them with a electric sander with coarse paper. Then cleaned with thinners (remember not touch the surface after with bare hands). then a 2 part etch primer followed by bog standard cans of halfrauds car spray. worked fine for me.....

I took it one step futher and etched the metal with a metal prep (PPG brand). Wearing rubber surgical gloves helps keep hand contaminates off the ali as well.

got some etch from halfords- bladdy hell its expensive..

but after some thinners, and rubber gloves, i now have a good surface

thanks guys!!

That's just it, Halfrauds are a rip off, which was why Mark Allanson made his suggestion. £10 or so will buy a litre (which is actually 2 litres due to the 2 part bit, which is "activated thinners" of hi-build 2 PART etch primer, and I have used this on degreased but otherwise unprepped plain ally panels on my grasser and it has not flaked at all, even near severe stone/mud/other car! impact damage.

the problem is that this two part stuff needs to be mixed, then I'm assuming i need a spray gun, compressor etc etc..

i appreciate that it may be cheaper if you have all of that kit, but i dont.

which makes a nine quid can expensive, but still a lot cheaper than buying al the hardware

ahhhhh! Fair point!!

should all be ok now!