I have a couple of quick questions about what every one uses for primer. The first is about my frame, I have cut and rewelded it back together, I want to eventually finish it with Por15. My question is: what do I put on the bare metal for now? I don't want to use the POR until I've made all the other cab mounting brackets etc. But I don't want to put anything on there that won't react well with the POR later and would be a pain to strip off.
My second question is about the body: If I fix up something small like say the headlight buckets or something, and don't want to mix up, and dirty up a spray gun with the good primer for a couople seconds of shooting, is there something in a spray bomb or simpler way to protect it until later and, just like the frame won't, need to be stripped off before the good primer?
I told you guys that I would be choking you with beginner questions!
Thanks all,
Matt

I use a product called "Picklex" that is acid-based and available through Eastwood or the Autobodystore.com site. It can be used as a rust-converter to some extent but is best used as a protective coating for bare metal and as a base for primer and paint. You simply spray it on from a pump-spray bottle and use a paint brush to spread it around for a few seconds. I have a pickup bed that I made over 10 years ago in my garage that was sprayed after fabrication but still looks like it was fiished yesterday. When you're ready to paint, simply scuff the surface lightly with a scotch brite pad and prime/paint afterwards.

For priming situations as you mentioned, I still use my 2-part urethane primer but apply with a brush or roller depending on the part shape, location, etc. You're going to be sanding the primer later anyway so a few brush strokes are not an issue.

Have fun.

- EM

DuPont makes a self etching spray can primer for bare metal and then a grey spray can primer as a topcoat for the self etch stuff. Kinda pricey per can but it will do what you need. Check your auto parts stores for a place that handles DuPont paint products.

If I were you, I would do some research before using POR15 on your frame. It needs to go on bare metal. If the metal is too clean (ie rust free), the POR15 won't stick and will come off in sheets. Skip the POR and use a good epoxy primer.

Thanks for the replies guys. Sixpack4spd, I was actually going to ask about that, I had heard something about that before too. The frame is about half rusty and half bare metal where it had been undercoated origionally. So with the epoxy primer I can spray the bare parts as I go and eventually paint it when the whole frame is finished to where I want?
Matt

Cleaning a gun after a quick shoot of epoxy isn't bad. Epoxy does have some amount of moisture resistance, you can shoot a fender, and come back to it later without much worry. I bought SPI epoxy, nice stuff. I used Por15 on my frame, just as much prep, should have sprayed epoxy then paint.