Lost on primer...

Hey Yall, I need some advice from everyone. I went to my local parts store today and was gonna buy some self etching primer for my boat since I heard it was the best thing for bare metal. They had some and sad I needed Etch Primer Catalyst to go with it. The total was close to $40.00, that seems steep. I didn't buy it because neither of the cans had the mixing ratio on them nor did the dummies at the store know what the ratio was. Does anyone know the ratio or maybe a cheaper way to prime the bare metal. I'll post a pic with this forum topic so you can see just how bare metal I'm talking here. Its so pretty and shiny.......

Oh yeah by the way... That is the only 22" Low Profile tire swing I think I have ever seen. LOL

Hey Waco. You've come to the right place for advise. I am sure many members will chime in, but from what I have read and seen here, and from what I've gathered from painters/auto body people, you will need to use a primer specifically made for aluminum (it has a fancy chemical name?). I have seen it at the auto parts stores, you just have to seek it out. Once you get a good coat of primer, I've seen guys paint with roll on's to spray on's.

I went to an auto parts store one time and asked where the buss fuses are, and the kid behind the counter asked "what year, make, and model bus do you have?" Meatballs.

tholdah said:

I went to an auto parts store one time and asked where the buss fuses are, and the kid behind the counter asked "what year, make, and model bus do you have?" Meatballs.

Click to expand...

:LOL2:

Good quality automotive paints/primers are not cheap. $40 for a gallon is normal. Do you have a spray gun and compressor? A small amount of the catalyst just needs to be added when ready to spray.

Gamefisher, I have the spray gun and compressor but I bought a gallon of reducer and have been spraying straight reducer to test the pattern of the gun I'm tryin to adjust the gun so everything is spraying the way that I want it to. That way when I get ready to paint my gun should be pretty close to the pattern and pressure I want. I have done a little spraying before I just have trouble sometimes setting the gun. Also the $40.00 for the etch primer and catalyst was for 1 quart not 1 gallon. Thanks