light rust repairs

Plymouth71 · May 20, 2017

I just received a van from my father in law and it has numerous paint chips from travelling up and down his 1 mile of his gravel road over the years. Most chips have not rusted but the paint has separated about the size of a quarter. I also have a number of rust spots which are all surface in nature. I was thinking POR 15, but they are all small spots. Is there another product I should consider?

Bladecutter · May 21, 2017

Plymouth71 said:
I just received a van from my father in law and it has numerous paint chips from travelling up and down his 1 mile of his gravel road over the years. Most chips have not rusted but the paint has separated about the size of a quarter. I also have a number of rust spots which are all surface in nature. I was thinking POR 15, but they are all small spots. Is there another product I should consider?

Low cost? Muratic acid. Grind the spots with 40 grit, feather paint around area with 80 & 120 grit. Wipe thin coats of the muratic acid(naval jelly works too), let dry for an hour or so, then scuff those areas with fresh, clean, red scotch-brite and then spray them with self etching epoxy or urethane primer. I prefer epoxy. You can use polyester primer, but poly is porous, so You need to shoot a sealer or paint over it before too long. Epoxy weathers well on its own.

Matthew Maloney · May 21, 2017

If you use anything caustic like muriatic acid or naval jelly you need to neutralize the metal very well before primer. If you dont do this step, the muriatic acid or naval jelly will continue to attack the metal under your freshly sprayed primer. Ask me how i know.

What works very well as a rinse solution is using water with powdered tri sodium phosphate powder mixed in solution and used as a rinse.

The good thing is its cheap. You can buy a box of tsp powder for about $5-$7 at lowes or home depot in the paint prep section. Use a couple 2 or 3 tablespoons to a quart pump sprayer of water.

You do not need to dry off the water tsp solution either. Let it thoroughly air dry, and primer right over it.

Oh, maybe talk to your father in law about buying rubber mudflaps for his vehicles to protect his paint from flying debris, or maybe you should offer to install them for him. I havevseen really nice ones moulded to fit fenders and made for specific vehicles.

I hope this helps
Matt

Bladecutter · May 21, 2017

Yes, i forgot to say to use a just damp water rag following the acid wipe to neutralize, let dry, then scuff out with red pad. I've never had bubble back from the acid using this procedure.

Matthew Maloney · May 21, 2017

That works too. I have also used baking soda and water, but you get a little flash rust. Thats why i like the TSP water rinse. You can make a lot of it for neutralizing big areas.

Bladecutter · May 21, 2017

Matthew Maloney said:
That works too. I have also used baking soda and water, but you get a little flash rust. Thats why i like the TSP water rinse. You can make a lot of it for neutralizing big areas.

Have You ever used the old SEM Rust-Mort? A one step rust converter. Wipe on & let dry 24 hrs. Can't let it puddle anywhere.
I still always scuff over w fresh Red Scotch-Brite. Heavy surface rust & deeper, i always grind & sand prior to any chemical treatment, try to abrade away as much orange as possible.

Matthew Maloney · May 21, 2017

I dont like chemical rust converters. I am afraid that if they dont work that the rust will come back. I do aviation sheetmetal structural repair for a living. Any corrosive pits in the metal left behind will allow more corrosion to continue to form. That thought process follows me thru into automotive sheetmetal. I either cutout, spotblast, or chemically remove all the corrosion then repair the damaged area.

I have actually used a 9 parts water, to 1 part animal feed molasses on steel parts to strip off corrosion. It stinks to high heaven, and sometimes takes a week being submerged to strip off the rust, but its cheaper than evaporust. I keep it in a covered vat behind my shop, and wear heavy duty rubber gloves, because it will make your hands stink. Some stuff like bolts and clip nuts the molasses water mixture will eat up, but sheetmetal valve covers, pulleys, fender shields and stuff like that, its the bomb. Works on steel parts thru a process called chelation.

Bladecutter · May 21, 2017

Matthew Maloney said:
I dont like chemical rust converters. I am afraid that if they dont work that the rust will come back. I do aviation sheetmetal structural repair for a living. Any corrosive pits in the metal left behind will allow more corrosion to continue to form. That thought process follows me thru into automotive sheetmetal. I either cutout, spotblast, or chemically remove all the corrosion then repair the damaged area.

I have actually used a 9 parts water, to 1 part animal feed molasses on steel parts to strip off corrosion. It stinks to high heaven, and sometimes takes a week being submerged to strip off the rust, but its cheaper than evaporust. I keep it in a covered vat behind my shop, and wear heavy duty rubber gloves, because it will make your hands stink. Some stuff like bolts and clip nuts the molasses water mixture will eat up, but sheetmetal valve covers, pulleys, fender shields and stuff like that, its the bomb. Works on steel parts thru a process called chelation.

Somewhere on here is a thread started by Photon 440 a while back, about using molasses for stripping corrosion.
Do You work A/C sheet metal for an FBO or do You freelance, contract out?

Matthew Maloney · May 21, 2017

Heavy MTX tin bending for the airlines 23 years. Its a living. I prefer antique stuff. V12 liquids and radials. Something about pistons, props, avgas, and the staccato bark and roar of raw unbridled mechanical horsepower. Jet engines bore me.

Clecos are the bomb for automotive panel replacement too.

Bladecutter · May 21, 2017

Matthew Maloney said:
Heavy MTX tin bending for the airlines 23 years. Its a living. I prefer antique stuff. V12 liquids and radials. Something about pistons, props, avgas, and the staccato bark and roar of raw unbridled mechanical horsepower. Jet engines bore me.

Clecos are the bomb for automotive panel replacement too.

X2 on the clecos. I grew up in aviation, the Old Man logged over 45,000 hours in a multi-faceted career.....i'm the same,,,,recips are king, dig a lot of turbo props, but pure jets dont cook my blood much.

Matthew Maloney · May 21, 2017

When we get old radial ww2 stuff flying in for air shows that radial engine sound gives me a big chubby. Something cool about an engine with pistons the size of coffee cans. Or the engine number being its cubic inch size designator. I mean a pratt and whitney R4360. Thats 28 cylinders with pistons as big as coffee cans thumping 4,360 cubic inches.

I love them old aircraft engines just like i love steam train locomotives. Diesels are boring but steam engines are cool. Old stuff was cool. Must be why i love 60s mopars too.

Bladecutter · May 22, 2017

Matthew Maloney said:
When we get old radial ww2 stuff flying in for air shows that radial engine sound gives me a big chubby. Something cool about an engine with pistons the size of coffee cans. Or the engine number being its cubic inch size designator. I mean a pratt and whitney R4360. Thats 28 cylinders with pistons as big as coffee cans thumping 4,360 cubic inches.

I love them old aircraft engines just like i love steam train locomotives. Diesels are boring but steam engines are cool. Old stuff was cool. Must be why i love 60s mopars too.

4360 "korn kob" as long as living room couch....they are something.
@ 14, i flew a 749 Constellation, ill never foget the throb of the 3350's. My two all time favorites are the Martin B-26 Marauder & the Howard 500, both R-2800 Birds. My Dad was a test pilot w/ Martin during WWll & flew a lot of B-26's. I grew up in Twin Beech's & Lodestars.
Have a Good Day Man!

Auggie56 · May 22, 2017

Plymouth71 said:
I just received a van from my father in law and it has numerous paint chips from traveling up and down his 1 mile of his gravel road over the years. Most chips have not rusted but the paint has separated about the size of a quarter. I also have a number of rust spots which are all surface in nature. I was thinking POR 15, but they are all small spots. Is there another product I should consider?

Most body shop guys, just grind the spot out with 80 grit and plastic fill. But sometimes if you don't get all the rust out, it comes back. The plastic filler will hold moister. Fiberglass is good but hard to work with and get a smooth undetectable repair. There is something better, but I can't think of it at the moment.

light rust repairs

Plymouth71

Waterslide Decal Artist

Bladecutter

"Pursuit of Shape"

Matthew Maloney

Well-Known Member

Bladecutter

"Pursuit of Shape"

Matthew Maloney

Well-Known Member

Bladecutter

"Pursuit of Shape"

Matthew Maloney

Well-Known Member

Bladecutter

"Pursuit of Shape"

Matthew Maloney

Well-Known Member

Bladecutter

"Pursuit of Shape"

Matthew Maloney

Well-Known Member

Bladecutter

"Pursuit of Shape"

Auggie56

FBBO Gold Member

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