Temporary coating

Ashgoldchevelle

Promoted Users
Hello all. First wanted to say what a great site this is. Been a long time reader and finally got around to registering. Anyhow I was wondering if anyone could recommend something to put on small bare metal areas. Either something I could remove fairly easily or that wouldn't react negatively to spi epoxy. What's going on is I really don't have the time, skills, or space to strip and repair large sections at once. So what I have been doing is small areas at a time. So what I have been doing is mixing small amounts of epoxy and applying. The problem is I end up wasting more than I would like and even more worrisome to me, I don't have a lot of confidence the mixture is exactly right in such small amounts. Hope this is the right section to post this. Thanks in advance
 
what you need to do is exactly what you are doing. strip an area then coat it in epoxy. get small 8oz mixing cups so you can mix it accurately then spray the area.
 
what you need to do is exactly what you are doing. strip an area then coat it in epoxy. get small 8oz mixing cups so you can mix it accurately then spray the area.
Thanks for the reply. Been using the small cups. Still way more than I need. Last time I did it I tried mixing only a couple of ounces. Pretty sure the mixture was off a little. Seemed like it took an extra long time to harden on the car. What's the worst that would happen if my mixture was off? If the risk isn't that bad I guess I will just have to keep wasting some. Just thought maybe there was a temporary option. Something I could strip back off when I was ready to do a big section.
 
This doesn't answer any of your questions but just a suggestion. Also available are 2.5 ounce mixing cups with 1/2 ounce graduations on them.
I have some small metal caps (off of old gallon reducer cans) that hold about 1/4 ounce of fluid. Since epoxy mixes at 1-1, two caps only gives you about 1/2 ounce of mixed epoxy. Of course at that small amount you only get just a squirt or two from a small detail gun or if used for a temporary
coating you could just brush it on.
 
I buy the tiny plastic medicine cups. Don't use anything else but epoxy on your bare metal. Do get a heat lamp and a non-contact thermometer.




 
Thanks for the replies fellas. Maybe I need to worry more about how I am pouring the epoxy. I will keep using the epoxy. Can I pour unmixed epoxy or hardener back into the cans? Thinking about pouring each into small cups and then mixing in a separate cup. If not, still might be a more accurate way of mixing. Haven't sprayed anything yet, just brushing. Working on floor boards in a chevelle and so far have just done the inside of the cross braces and a few other areas that I won't be able to access easily once the floors are in. Thanks
 
Thanks for the replies fellas. Maybe I need to worry more about how I am pouring the epoxy. I will keep using the epoxy. Can I pour unmixed epoxy or hardener back into the cans? Thinking about pouring each into small cups and then mixing in a separate cup. If not, still might be a more accurate way of mixing. Haven't sprayed anything yet, just brushing. Working on floor boards in a chevelle and so far have just done the inside of the cross braces and a few other areas that I won't be able to access easily once the floors are in. Thanks

You are over thinking it. Simply get a few of the 1/2 pint or even 1 pint mixing cups at your local paint jobber. Being that the ratio is 1:1, it is super simple. Use a couple of them if you want to for epoxy and activator. Then simply put the same amount of both into a third cup. Mix thoroughly. Whatever you have left in your epoxy cup and activator cup you can pour back into the container. The cups available at your local paint jobber, (PPG, Axalta, Basf etc.) are as accurate as you will need.

PS. Make sure you mix the epoxy component very well before pouring. Use a paint stick and scrape the bottom of the can with the end of the stick to make sure you don't have any settled on the bottom. Keep stirring with the stick for at least 5-10 minutes. Remeber also that epoxy has a long pot life so any left over you can cover and use a day later. Epoxy has a long pot life
 
Okay. I was just concerned for a moment that some kind of coated cup might be in use, but anything from a jobber should be okay. If you are using acid brushes, wash them off in solvent before you use them because often they are contaminated with oil even when new. Another reason for the slow cure you mention is because even though the air temperature may feel very comfortable, the floor pan is likely to be colder than you think. That's the reason for the thermometer and heat lamp. Epoxy is pretty hard to mess up, as long as you are close to 1:1 there should not be an issue chemically.
 
Okay. I was just concerned for a moment that some kind of coated cup might be in use, but anything from a jobber should be okay. If you are using acid brushes, wash them off in solvent before you use them because often they are contaminated with oil even when new. Another reason for the slow cure you mention is because even though the air temperature may feel very comfortable, the floor pan is likely to be colder than you think. That's the reason for the thermometer and heat lamp. Epoxy is pretty hard to mess up, as long as you are close to 1:1 there should not be an issue chemically.
Yeah they are regular paint mixing cups. Thanks for the tip on the brushes, didn't realize that. I have some acid brushes but hadn't used any yet. Just regular paint brushes. You may be right about the temperature. Had the heat on the garage before I painted anything and while it was curing. But didn't actually check the metal temperature.
 
A part you might be overthinking is needing to coat the part. If the metal is clean and dry, all that is going to happen in a bad climate is some surface rust might start up. If its too humid, a portable house dehumidifier does a nice job of getting moisture out of small areas to keep the surface rust from happening. Then you get a big enough area where you will not waste material, do the 80 scratch over that entire area and spray.
Now, if I am reading it wrong and you are stripping, then driving the car, then yeah, the little cups are your best way. If you are worried about finding lines in a cup, then get two equal cups. All paper, not wax coated dixie dispenser type cups, kitchen measuring spoon cups, anything equal is what you need. It is much harder trying to mix small amounts of 2:1, 3:1 or 4:1 "epoxies", but equal amounts is pretty simple. Just dont use the same little cup for both parts since there will be the equal amount of leftovers in both of them, so your second part would be a little low if you use the same cup.
 
On nice straight metal, meaning not all welded up with pinholes, you can let a little surface rust form & quickly sand it back off completely weeks to months later if you're in a decent work spot.. No biggie.
You can also store unmixed in a smaller plastic container with lid to make dispensing smaller quantities easier.
Also you can pour mixed product in plastic container with lid, tape the lid, & restir with a little reducer if needed & use like 4 days later if you keep it in cooler, but not too cold place, such as in the house. Wife doesn't need to know.
 
Thanks for the advice. Actually the places I am most concerned about is weld seams. So far I have only epoxied some areas I won't have access to later. But I have the passenger side toe board welded in and getting pretty close to having the rest of the passenger floor ready to go in. I am a so-so welder at best. I know I have a few pinholes to address. Some of the weld seams on the bottom side I won't have much access to until I take the body off the frame. So I think after listening to you guys I am going to try to get as much epoxy on as I can until I can get to them and fix them up right.
 
Been trying to read up on some of the welding threads. So I have a few more techniques to practice with. So hopefully I can eliminate some of the pinholes and concerns with that.
 
For areas with welds that sanding may not reach everything, a small rotary wire brush approx medium stiffness in a drill will get in deeper than sanding will, especially if hit from multiple angles. Even laying a dry clean towel over areas between working sessions helps keep raw metal clean,
Particularly for floorboard areas not in plain sight later, tiny pinholes aren't the end of the world. epoxy can seep into the holes & seal. Think someone mentioned brushing. I wouldn't be caught dead brushing onto an exposed body panel to save from spraying, but a floorboard or inner panel is fine & can help force it into pinholes. Curing to full hardness is greatly extended in spots that are brushed on thick, but for out of sight areas that you're not trying to rush sanding & body filler, etc, --so what. It'll get there as long as it gets a couple of days not going under min temps. as mentioned, heat lamp,even cheap 250w screw in infared bulb & checking with IR temp gun will go a long way towards getting important initial cure in. Temp can be hotter after dry to touch cure approx 120 to 150. 160 to 170 risks bubbling finish.
Again as others said, don't overthink the need to hurry up & coat a part on a vehicle not in service. Real world projects al take extended time & even professional shops have raw metal sitting for weeks to months before a reclean & coating.

The welding thing is a whole subject on it's own. extra lighting at welded area & magnifiers in helmet or reading glasses if you're over 40 like most of us here can be a big help. If I'm chasing mig pinholes where it really matters, backlighting area for inspection & fine red sharpie marks will highlight spots to rehit will help.
 
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Not to hijack this thread but has anyone tried Gibbs Oil for temporary treatment of bare metal?
It's touted pretty highly on some Hot Rod forums and is said it can be painted over. There's something about "oil" on a metal surface to be painted that just doesn't give me a good feeling.

I'm in the same situation as the OP in that I have some welding and patching to do and have to leave the metal bare for awhile.
Here in the S.E. our humidity is always high. This morning (07:00) it's 86% so keeping stuff dry is almost impossible.
BTW, my shop is enclosed but not climate controlled.

Sorry for the hijack.
 
Maybe if he wants to sell his own brand of paint and be responsible for it when it fails? I can guarantee you that's not ever going to be recommended for SPI epoxy.

Or, spend the money to do proper testing instead of just saying he's had personal success with it.
 
A lubricant that can be painted over? OK (sarcastic), he must be referring to "oil" base :D!

I have a few MC tanks in bare steel that I put some machine oil on to keep them from rusting. When time comes for paint I with clean the $hit out of them with mineral spirits, 710 W&GR, clean with phosphoric acid-wash-neutralize, sand again and final wipe with 700 W&GR before the epoxy goes on.
Reason I didn't just put epoxy on them was to show potential buyers just how good the tanks really are, hiding nothing.
 
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