Trying to build up a good coat of paint

Mark Schrier · Sep 27, 2013

I have been working on the hood of my 8N. After stripping it, and doing some repair work to the typical rust-throughs in a couple of spots on the beads, I sprayed it with Rustoleum rusty metal primer.

I got a gallon of Ace Rust Stop Oil-based enamel color- matched to a clean spot on the gas tank.

I put one coat of enamel on and waited about 10 days. Then I sanded with some 320 grit. Because this is a work tractor, there are several areas where the metal is a bit lumpy (from dents and high spots from previous body work) and I sanded through the first coat and even the primer in a couple of spots.

After touching up the bare metal spots, I applied a second coat of enamel.

I am thinking that I should probably apply a third coat, as there are going to be some thin spots from the sand-throughs. Any recommendations as to prepping the surface other than sanding? I guess I could sand just the smoother areas without any problems, but I am concerned with good adhesion in the rougher areas.

Thanks,

Mark Schrier

Patsdeere · Sep 27, 2013

Red suffer pads create an edge but don't remove
existing paint.

Mark Schrier · Sep 28, 2013

Hey Pat,

Are you talking about the maroon Scotch-Brite pads?

Thanks,

Mark

monsterpt · Sep 28, 2013

Mark,

If you are talking about smoothing out the rough
finish on the coats you already have but you don't
have a perfectly flat surface I would recommend wet
sanding with 600 grit or even finer. I use a foam
and rubber block with the paper wrapped around it.
The harder side takes the high spots down and the
foam side smoothed the lower rough surface. The
higher the grit, the slower the work but you have
less risk of burning through the paint.

I learned the hard way that it really pays to put the extra time in on the sanding. The finish will last a lot longer.

Mark Schrier · Sep 28, 2013

I guess it is hard to put in words just what I am really after.

I am looking for the best way to protect the metal, which I assume is enough thickness of paint. I am not an experienced painter so I am not hoping to achieve a mirror finish. I am more concerned with having enough paint layed down.Since the hood is kind of lumpy from all it's 'life experiences', I am only hoping to prep the surface of the paint that I have put down. This is so I can put a third coat on it to make sure that even the thinner areas will have enough mils of paint.

If there is a way to wash the surface with a chemical, I would do that rather than trying to sand. If it was OK to just paint over what's there, I'd do that, too. The last coat has been curing for nine days now, so I am not sure whether the next coat would bond well without some form of prep.

Thanks,

Mark

Trying to build up a good coat of paint

Mark Schrier

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Patsdeere

Well-known Member

Mark Schrier

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monsterpt

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Mark Schrier

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