Easiest way to prep metal for painting?

[dilalio]

Rear step on van,
Bulkhead and cover plate.
Lots of rust and half clinging coating.
Best way to paint subframe and plate?

Just want to protect subframe, rather than looks.

Direct to rust paint?

Cheers

 

[RrogerD]

Vans do not arrive new with this structure already attached. It is an after market add-on. In other words, the van itself is not affected.
I would unbolt the whole thing and then it's up to you. You can take it to be shot-blasted and powder-coated to come back as good as new or easier and quicker, do a DIY yourself. Rub it down, removing as much of the rust as you can and providing a key to the remaining paint; wash and let to dry; treat all rust patches with 'rust-eater' or similar; apply primer-undercoat all over and then a couple of top coats. Spray looks better than brush-on but requires a lot of work as otherwise can be very thin.
Alternatively, brush on something like Smooth-rite after applying the rust-eater. Although brushed, it settles to a smooth finish and it pretty thick.
Whatever you do,you must stop the rust otherwise it will simply eat through any new paint and look rubbish again in no time at all.

 

[dilalio]

Thanks.
Yep, know it's an accessory - as is the ladder and rhino bars.

I'm a heating engineer and this is my horse! Don't want to end up putting my foot through the step and also the jcb yellow colouring of the step has faded so not easily visible to drivers behind.

Just want to smarten it up a bit.

 

[dilalio]

Vans do not arrive new with this structure already attached. It is an after market add-on. In other words, the van itself is not affected.
I would unbolt the whole thing and then it's up to you. You can take it to be shot-blasted and powder-coated to come back as good as new or easier and quicker, do a DIY yourself. Rub it down, removing as much of the rust as you can and providing a key to the remaining paint; wash and let to dry; treat all rust patches with 'rust-eater' or similar; apply primer-undercoat all over and then a couple of top coats. Spray looks better than brush-on but requires a lot of work as otherwise can be very thin.
Alternatively, brush on something like Smooth-rite after applying the rust-eater. Although brushed, it settles to a smooth finish and it pretty thick.
Whatever you do,you must stop the rust otherwise it will simply eat through any new paint and look rubbish again in no time at all.

Been at it for an hour or so with scraper, wire brush and cup brush in drill but it's laborious so want to know how far to go an best way to speed it up.

Rusteater sounds a good plan.

 

[dilalio]

Can you recommend a rust eater product?

Cheers

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Just want to protect subframe, rather than looks.

Direct to rust paint?

Remove it, then have it shot blasted, before painting with red lead paint, then your preferred colour of paint.

Another way, if you can find someone with suitable equipment, is to clean it via electrolysis, then proceed as above.

Slowest, hardest method, is wire brush to remove flaking parts, then lots of Kurust, to convert the rust, then as above.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Been at it for an hour or so with scraper, wire brush and cup brush in drill but it's laborious so want to know how far to go an best way to speed it up.

Find a local shot blasting company. Failing that, all you can do is clean it down to bare rust, before painting with lots of Kurust. The Kurust will turn the rust into a hard, black coating, but it doesn't penetrate far - hence why the loose flaking needs to be removed first.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Hey Dilalio. do you want me to come round and jet wash the ba$tard!

Andy

 

[Munroast]

Remove it, then have it shot blasted, before painting with red lead paint, then your preferred colour of paint.

Another way, if you can find someone with suitable equipment, is to clean it via electrolysis, then proceed as above.

Slowest, hardest method, is wire brush to remove flaking parts, then lots of Kurust, to convert the rust, then as above.

that is a wonderfuul way to prepare small pieces of rusty metal for painting. I think you would have to borrow someones jaccuzzi for that (may be a small stick welder for the electrode)

 

[dilalio]

Hey Dilalio. do you want me to come round and jet wash the ba$tard!

Andy

Lol. Cheers mate.
Might give it a go with the Karcher in a bit... Am at the GPs right now

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

that is a wonderfuul way to prepare small pieces of rusty metal for painting. I think you would have to borrow someones jaccuzzi for that (may be a small stick welder for the electrode)

Most electroplaters will have such a facility, however all is not lost if not....

Sheet of visqueen(sp?), couple of planks set on edge, parallel to each other, milk/beer crate at the ends, then lay the plastic sheet over the top. You have your dip tank. Add water, dissolve washing soda in it, a 12v battery, negative to the bracket, positive to a long sacrificial piece of metal, in the water, but electrically separated from your bracket. To avoid potential dead shorts across the battery, add a 12v brake lamp, in series.

Leave it a few hours, then check progress, you make need to reposition the bracket to ensure all parts are de-rusted, but the sound steel will not be attacked. The electrolysis action, only works line of sight, between your bracket, and the sacrificial metal. Anything in the 'shadow' will not be cleaned, hence the need to reposition.