preparing bare aluminum for paint

[boater1234]

Hey guys i need help on a small subject.I am painting my outboard and have all the knowledge to paint it right from the people here.I am stuck however on one small thing.I have heard some people use alumiprep and alodine.I have also been told to use 50/50 water and vinegar before putting on the zc primer.I can't seem to find any of the 2 chemicals anywere here in my local area of port richey,fl.I have hit hardware stores and a ton of marinas and even some paint stores with no luck.

Now doesn't the 50/50 water and vinegar do the same job as the other 2 chemicals?Do i need those chemicals for my paint to stick or will the water and vinegar be enough?Also is there another chemical similar to the alumiprep and alodine i could use.Like i found a naval jelly that is made specifically for aluminum in ace hardware,it says you can use that to clean the bare aluminum off before you paint.Will something like this work?I read the alumiprep is like an acid for cleaning so i would think the naval jelly or water and vinegar would do the same.

I just want to make sure the zc primer will stick as good as possible to the metal.Thanks for any help.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

You are over thinking this one. Yes the vinegar is an acid and should be applied to the fresh bare aluminum as a wash. It will do a sufficient job if alodine or alumaprep is not avaialable but IMO that is where the replacement stops......... then ZC primer.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

I dont know about the 50/50 thing... It might replace the Alumiprep ( or equiv alum wash to prep bare alum ).

But the Alodine ( again or equiv ) Cannot be replaced ..

You need the Alodine to make the Alum compatible with primers..Its a chemical thingy..

YD.

PS. I will try to post Again How to prep alum with pics tonight ..

 

[JimS123]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

Alodine is a chromate conversion process and its use requires that the metal be acid etched beforehand. It in itself acts as the primer.

ZnCr and acid etching primer basically etch and prime all in one step. They are also a chromate process, thus they provide the chemical thingy as well. Alumiprep or vinegar are not really required then, but if you did use one or the other you likely will have a better prepped surface.

For home crapsmen painting Outboard motors, using ZnCr or AEP is the preferred practice by many because its the easiest and least time consuming. I painted my first OB in the 1970's this way and it still has the paint on it to this day. If you're painting an airplane that goes hundreds of mph in varying weather conditions, alodine, epoxy, etc,etc is a better approach.

If you alodine you don't want to put on AEP because you will then acid etch the alodine. If you AEP alone, you want to put on 2 wet coats. If you put on a dust coat it won't etch the metal very well.

If you google "alodine" it will bring up tons of advice by professionals, plus mfg'rs TDS sheets that explain it all.

 

[boater1234]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

So what your saying is that i don't have to use the alumiprep or alodine to get the paint to stick better.So if i use the 50/50 water and vinegar it will be ok.Then the zc,and then paint.I don't know were i would even get the alumiprep or alodine around here.

[Someone told me at a marina today after i was done sanding to use alcohol to clean everything very good then use a 50/50 water and vinegar on the bare aluminum only to help the zc stick better,then the zc,then paint and you should never have a problem with the paint coming off ever.Does this sound like it's the right way for what i'm doing?]If yes then i will stick with that method.

 

[kilowatts]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

Hi Guys:

This is what I've done with very good results, I hope it helps:

(i) Wash/degrease with detergent and warm water.
(ii) Scuff up the good paint and remove any flaking or bad paint with sandpaper.
(iii) Wash again with detergent and blow dry. I use a leaf blower as I don't have compressed air!
(iv) Wash with 50% white vinegar and water to etch the bare aluminum and blow dry.
(v) Shoot the bare metal with a thin coat of ZC soon after drying to preclude further oxidation of the bare metal.
(vi) Shoot with 2 coats Rustoleum. finished!

I do this on just about all the parts I repair or redo with very good results. I know there are other ways but they are more complicated, more expensive and in my opinion more trouble than I need for my uses. Hope this helps. Good luck.

kilowatts

 

[boater1234]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

Beautiful kilowatts.I'm printing your directions out as we speak.Now that sounds good and easy.I just keep hearing all these steps you must take or it won't stick.I'm a newbie at this.I want to paint the outboard and have it stick on for along time.Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

Beautiful kilowatts.I'm printing your directions out as we speak.Now that sounds good and easy.I just keep hearing all these steps you must take or it won't stick.I'm a newbie at this.I want to paint the outboard and have it stick on for along time.Thanks for the help everyone.

Boater1234...

I think by now with this thread coupled with all the other facts/howtoos/answers/optinions etc that have been givin in All the Other threads you have started about this subject you probably should know more then us.

How many times do you want to beat this horse mate..

Or..please KEEP it in one thread instead of asking over and over .. or read what people have allready said in previous threads..

Good luck..

YD.

 

[boater1234]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

In my previous thread i asked about the alumiprep and the alodine and got no responses on it as to why i need to use it and if any other chemical will do the trick..That is why i did it seperate.A few people say it's a must and i can't find the stuff anywere.Then some people like kilowatts say it will be ok the way he does it.So the answer to my question is like 50/50 and that makes me feel a little uneasy as i don't want to put all this hard work and effort for notta.I have never painted before and have already screwed it up once by putting way to much paint on.I will go with what kilowatt said as i have seen some of his work on you tube and it came out awesome.Jim has given me a ton of advice as well as a few other people.I just don't want to screw this up again so i want to make sure i have everything down to a tee.I think i finally got it though.I was just really trying to find out why people use this alumiprep and alodine.I was trying to find out if it makes that much of a difference.I don't think it's the paint i'm worried about it's the preping for the bare aluminum i'm worried about more then anything.Sorry as i won't ask about painting anymore.I know i sometimes go a little overboard.It's better to me in my eyes to make sure i'm doing something as good as i can do it and i really do appreciate all the help from everyone.I have always been this way with everything i do.I want it to be as perfect as possible so i don't have to do it 10 times.So i ask a ton of questions.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

I have made a decision

 

[boater1234]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

I put pics up in my other thread.I put them up over in the other thread thinking i would get some answers on certain questions which i did.I am just curious about this alumiprep and alodine stuff of it's importance.If i don't need it then that makes me feel a whole lot better.But some people in the thread say it's a must so there must be some type of importance to it.This is why i'm trying to understand if the 50/50 water and vinegar is all i will need.What does the alumiprep and alodine do.If they are just cleaners i would think a good dose of alcohol would work first followed by a nice wipe down of 50/50 water and vinegar on just the bare metal followed by the first coat of zc.That is the way i will approach it and hopefully it will work out for me.If not whats one more time right.

 

[JimS123]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

This is why i'm trying to understand if the 50/50 water and vinegar is all i will need.What does the alumiprep and alodine do..

Review post #4 above for the answers.

You'll never get a concensus on an internet forum. There may be more than one way to do things, plus you'll get a lot of wrong ways as well.

Just remember, you are using cheep rattle can paint. You're not doing a professional job with a sprayer, hardened paint and baking it on. It;s not going to last - at best you'll be doing it over again in a couple of years. So, shoot it, ignore runs if you get them, hang it on the transom and go fishing!

 

[boater1234]

Re: preparing bare aluminum for paint

Sounds like a plan jim.I hope i get more then a couple of yrs out of it but if i don't that will just give me another project to do.