Oh, Sum, nice ride! Love the flame job!
Thanks. If something is open inside like ......
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/trailer-mods-3.html
......square tubing I try and weld it totally closed so that no water gets inside in the first place, but with a mig that is sometimes hard as it seems like it always leaves small pin holes in the weld. The reason I do this as I can't get to the inside to paint it. Now maybe if you could get them dipped that would take care of that, but that isn't an option for me where I live.
If I was dealing with angle or channel I would either have it powder coated or I would paint it which is what I do, since you can get to all the surfaces.
On the paint I got mine from Summit Racing. they have a line of primers and paint that is about as cheap as I've seen it and less than the auto paint stores near me. If you get primer from them or someone else be sure it is the epoxy primer made to go on as the first coat and not one of the 2K or other high build primers that are designed to fill low spots when repairing a cars panels.
Here is the primer...
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-UP232/
and the catalyst...
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-UP233/
and the urethane I used....
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-UP301/
which needs at least the activator...
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-UP101/
... get the one for the temperature you will be spraying at. You can probably not get the reducer, but I used a small amount. They also have kits with the paint, activator and reducer together. There again you have to pick a temp you will be spraying at.
Also these paints have a time window like the barrier paints and bottom paints where you have to apply the finish paint over them to get the correct chemical bond. If you get past that time window you have to sand or scuff them and start over. You don't need to remove them just sand or scuff. I wouldn't spray the primer unless you are ready to go onto the top coat.
Here in the west you can sand blast something and then go months with no surface rust if the part is inside. That isn't the case back east. Don't sand blast until you are also ready to paint. When I say sand blast most places now use another medium other than sand. I sand blasted my entire truck down to bare metal at home. The trailer was done for about $275 by a commercial place using a different medium.
I have more here.....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/techinfo/tech--body-paint-index.html
....and this .....
http://www.harborfreight.com/20-oz-5-cfm-gravity-feed-spray-gun-91009.html
......HF HVLP gun is probably good if you have an adequate compressor. It looks like a newer version of the ones I have from them. I have info also on setting one of these up as the instructions are usually bad....
http://www.purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/techinfo/HVLPspraygun.html
Good luck,
Sum
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