Blasting and primer on 200A?

[chocolatecoco]

I should have the 200A I bought, in the next few weeks and I am trying to get some of the steps taking care of. I have talked to my relative about painting the sled and he will paint it - which he has painted a few sleds before for me and he does a awesome job.
The only thing is he can not help me with getting it blasted. He said about getting it dipped, which sounds like it costs alot.
Can anyone tell me what type of blaster to use and what they blast the metal with? Once it is blasted, what primer should be put on the parts?
Thanks for any help!

[Barrie2777]

The key to sandblasting is to have an ENORMOUS compressor. A 2-hp will do the job but may take you days. The cfm is important If you are thinking about buying a compressor, then it will have a cfm requirement. If you plan to restore more than one machine, buying a sandblaster and compressor may be a good idea but farming out this part may be more economical for one machine. I use an epoxy primer since it sticks to everything very well, and provides an excellent base for any paint.

[RONOUE]

I AGREE WITH BARRIE ON THE SANBLASTING YOU NEED 10-12CFM TO BLAST PROPERLY. WE BUILT A BLAST CABINET OUT OF PLYWOOD & KEMLITE 8FT LONG BY 4FT WIDE 6 HIGH. I WILL TAKE A PICT TO SHOW YOU. ANY PIECE WILL FIT IN IT. AS FAR AS PRIMER. IF YOU USE EPOXY , A TRUE 2 COMPONENT POLYAMIDE OR POLYAMINE. I WOULD NOT USE ALKYD ENAMEL TOPCOAT OR WHATS CALLED STANDARD OIL ENAMEL DERUSTO, RUSTOLEUM, MACHINERY ETC.AS YOU CAN GET SUPONIFICATION BETWEEN THE COATS AND IT MAY /COULD COME OFF IN SHEETS. IF YOU DO USE IT LET HE EPOXY FUL CURE 7 DAYS. THEN SAND IT FOR A PROFILE AND THEN TOPCOAT. WE HAVE SOLD INDUSTRIAL COATING EXCLUSIVELY FOR NEARLY 45 YEARS, ALL INDUSTRIAL COATINGS, HYDROCARBON MODIFIED POLYAMIDE & POLYAMINE EPOXIES, POLYESTER ACRYLIC ALIPHATIC URETHANES, DTM'S, ORGANIC & INORGANIC ZINCS, SINCE THEIR INCEPTION. THE RECOMENDED TOPCOAT FOR 2 COMP EPOXY, OTHER THAN EPOXY ITSELF IS URETHANE, 2 COMPONENT ALIPHATIC, (DUPONT IMRON OR WE SELL P&L ENDUTHANE THIN OR THICK FILM. WATERBORNES ARE ALSO GOOD. THEY ARE USED EXTENSIVELY IN VERY HARSH ENVIROMENTS FOOD PROCESSING , PAPER MILLS AND MANUFACTURERS OF SHORE PLATFORMS ETC.IN 60 YEARS WE HAVE SEEN IT ALL. MOSTLY EVERY PROBLEM ,99.5% HAS BEEN SURFACE PREP AND OPERATOR ERROR. SP2 OR 3 NEAR WHITE BLAST IS RECOMENDED. ONE ADVANTAGE TO EPOXY IS IT IS SURFACE TOLERANT TO RUST IT BASICALLY ENCAPSULATES IT, IF IT IS NOT SCALING.

[Barrie2777]

One point which I forgot to mention and I would STRESS HARD is the toxisity of these industrial paints. Spraying outside is okey of there is no wind but a respirator should still be worn. The first time I sprayed one of these paints I was very nervous about the quality of the finish regarding runs and orange peel but I soon found that they were easyier to spray than the finishes I use on furniture...however I did have many years experience and that accounts for some of the ease. If you decide to spray it yourself, listen closely to the guy who sells it to you. He will advise you very well.

[Barrie2777]

I have a question for our resident paint expert, Ron O......I have just sprayed a Dupont Imron paint which took three days to dry but all of a sudden it did dry. This was the part I sprayed first. Parts sprayed lastly were dry in one day. Since the instructions say that no activation time is required, I am guessing that the activator was not thoroughly mixed? Now that it has dried , can I apply a second coat? Is it applied directly or sanded slightly before spraying?

[RONOUE]

THE DUPONT IMRON SHOULD HAVE BEEN DRY TO HANDLE IN 6-7 HOURS UNLESS YOU DID NOT MIX IT PROPERLY. (POLYAMIDE EPOXY'S WILL HAVE A 30 MIN INDUCTION TIME BEFORE USE.) THERE IS NO INDUCTION TIME WITH MOST URETHANES. MIX PROPERLY AND WELL SCRAPE THE SIDE AND BOTTOM IF MIXING BY HAND... MANY ARE 6:1 RATIO. NORMALLY YOU WILL HAVE A 6HR POT LIFE MEANING TIME ,TO USE IT UP. DEPENDING ON TEMP. SET TO TOUCH NORMAL 1 HR. ....DRY TO RECOAT TIME IS MAX 48 HR THEN AFTER THAT YOU MUST SCUFF OR SAND FOR A PROFILE SO NEXT COAT WILL STICK WELL... WATCH YOUR DEW POINT WHEN PAINTING OUTDOORS NEVER PAINT WHEN LESS THAN 5 DEG ABOVE DEW POINT OR 85% HUMIDITY. SORRY ABOUT RESPONSE TIME AS ITS GETTING NICE OUTSIDE

[RONOUE]

ALSO BARRIE SINCE THESE 2 COMPONENT PRODUCTS CURE THRU CHEMICAL REACTION VS. AIR DRY. THE ONE THING THAT STOPS THE "CURING " PROCESS IS TEMP. FOR AN EXAMPLE IF YOU TAKE STANDARD EPOXY WHICH HAS TO HAVE A "SURFACE TEMP"NOT AIR TEMP OF 55 DEGRESS MIN TO CURE PROPERLY, AND YOU WOULD PUT IT IN THE FRIDGE IT WOULD STOP CURING UNTIL YOU BRING IT BACK OUT TO ABOUT 55 DEG. WE HAVE TRICKED SOME PRODUCTS INTO EXTENDING LONGER POT LIFE BY DOING JUST THAT. BUT YOU HAVE TO WATCH FOR SURFACE DEWPOINT.
ALSO HAVE SEEN MIXING WRONG ACTIVATORS, OR FORGETTING TO ADD IT IN.. MOSTLY WITH EXPOXY THOUGH.. YOU CAN'T MIX POLYAMIDES WITH POLYAMINES. ONE THING IS I HAVE SEEN URETHANES CURE WITHOUT ACTIVATOR JUST TAKES TIME. THEY ARE ALMOST LIKE ENAMELS WITH A HARDNER ADDED FOR THAT EXTRA GLOSS & HARDNESS. THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN WITH EPOXY, EPOXY WILL STAY STICKY FOR YEARS A MESS TO CLEAN OFF.

[Barrie2777]

I am sure my instructions said 4:1. That may have been part of the problem. It is hard now, when those reactions happen, they happen fast.