Tim Babcock Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 I am doing a refurbish on the Wolverine fan. The base is pot metal. Could be aluminum but looks more like pot-metal. I sprayed it with black lacquer paint. It bubbled up with goose pimple size all over the base. I waited for it to dry and wet sanded and did it again leaving on most of the paint. I did it again, On the steel parts no issue only the pot metal parts. Anyone have this issue with Lacquer paint? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Dunlap Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Painting old pot metal is basically a nightmare. It's likely full of cavitations which collect air, perhaps oil, which bubbles to the surface. I don't really have any permanent solution to the problem. All paints will do this, not just lacquer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Babcock Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 This is really frustrating. I stripped it for the third time and tried enamel on it. It still blisters. Its like this metal is possessed. LOL. I put on a clear coat and am wet sanding it to see if I can get it to stop bleeding through. When I strip off the paint its not blistered under it but when the paint is on it. I had one of the coats that I could live with, I put it in an oven at 165 degrees F and it blistered like someone with small pocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Rogers Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Could it be oil in the rather porous pot metal. I'd try some serious soaking in a de-greaser or some similar process. ~Sparky~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Babcock Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 If I have to strip it again I will soak it in Alcohol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 15 minutes ago, Tim Babcock said: I put it in an oven at 165 degrees F and it blistered like someone with small pocks. Did you in any of these attempts simply let the paint air dry and cure over time? You can't oven bake die cast parts with fresh paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Babcock Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 I have baked Lacquer and enamel paint on cast iron, steel, Aluminum, pot metal with no issues. My oven goes down to 160 so its not all that hot. This is the first time I have had any issue and I have painted a few hundred fans. I cleaned the metal with alcohol and carb cleaner. First the carb cleaner then the alcohol. I did not put it in alcohol and let it set for a day but I did clean it and used a tac cloth, then warmed the metal to about 80 Deg. F. Its really strange because even if I let the lacquer dry and then give it a second coat it still reacts like its going on bear metal and reacting to it. I have done a ton of GE pot metal gear boxes and never ever have I had an issue. I switched to Lacquer when its black I need as the dry time is so fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 1 minute ago, Tim Babcock said: I have baked Lacquer and enamel paint on cast iron, steel, Aluminum, pot metal with no issues. My oven goes down to 160 so its not all that hot. This is the first time I have had any issue and I have painted a few hundred fans. I cleaned the metal with alcohol and carb cleaner. First the carb cleaner then the alcohol. I did not put it in alcohol and let it set for a day but I did clean it and used a tac cloth, then warmed the metal to about 80 Deg. F. Its really strange because even if I let the lacquer dry and then give it a second coat it still reacts like its going on bear metal and reacting to it. I have done a ton of GE pot metal gear boxes and never ever have I had an issue. I switched to Lacquer when its black I need as the dry time is so fast. Ok, but it appears cooking this obviously very porous die cast base is not going to plan, right? Try painting it and let it air dry and come back with the results. BTW...Appliance epoxy works great on die cast parts. You can give it multiple coats the first time, careful for runs, no primer needed. You just have to practice patience and give it a good week or more to dry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Cunningham Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Wipe it down with Vinegar, then repaint it after it dries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Dunlap Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 If someone has a small vacuum chamber, I think I have a method that would work well. Lay a coat of paint on the part, place in the chamber and evacuate. Once dry, remove and paint again. I think it will solve the problem. Probably need to use a catalyzed type paint. Not sure if any paint will dry in a vacuum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Babcock Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 I don't have a vacuum chamber. I did end up stripping it down, letting it soak in Alcohol for a few hours. I then wiped it down and let it dry. I went to Wally world and bought a can of automotive primer. I put two coats on it. No issues. It dries fine. Then I add the paint and let it dry and it looks good. Then when it dries Here are photos after it was nice and dry to the touch half an hour then some photos over the next three hours showing how it pocks out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadine Thiel Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 What about a stain blocking primer with shellac like Kilz? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Babcock Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 1 minute ago, Nadine Thiel said: What about a stain blocking primer with shellac like Kilz? That is a possibility also I may get some hammered black and paint it. That is a bit of camouflage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 (edited) Your call, possession is 9/10s the law. The entire motor housing on the Diehl fan is pot metal. I used a bench grinder fine wire wheel over the motor housing surface. Wiped it down. No need for primer with appliance epoxy. Just put on a few even coats with no more than 15 minutes between coats. NO OVEN BAKING. Put it aside for in a warm dry place for a good week, a few days longer, better yet. Make sure your surfaces are clean from all the other finishes and goops you have been using prior. Edited January 5 by Russ Huber 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Rust-oleum appliance epoxy. It is a durable finish as well. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Babcock Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 Its not fisheyes my father in law was a paint and body man. So I know how to stop that. There is even an additive to help stop that,but it would be for mixing paint and a sprayer and compressor. I have all that I don't like to set it up for such small jobs. This is not a fish eye thing. This develops pimples not fish eyes. That is why I am so perplexed. I have painted aluminum, zinc or pot metal, steel, iron, plastics for my firebird where I use Bulldog to soften the plastic so the paint can seep in the plastic. The funny thing is that when I take off the paint with stripper there are no pimples. Usually I just wipe the clean metal down with alcohol 91%. then a tac cloth to get any paper towel or rag fiber residue. Never had an issue like this. And I tried regular enamel and lacquer. The auto primer seemed to paint like normal. I put two coats on this and then the lacquer and it did it again. I can take the paint off again and put on the auto paint and then black enamel. I have not tried that. I did go to Rust-Oleum web page and looked up the Appliance epoxy "Dry and recoat times are based on 70°F (21°C) and 50% relative humidity. Allow more time at cooler temperatures. Dries to the touch in 2-4 hours, to handle in 5-9 hours and is fully dry in 24 hours. May recoat within 30 minutes or after 1 week" I have been into shooting and guns my whole life. There are two part paints that we use for guns that is a two part epoxy paint in a can. Duracoat is a two part hardener and paint epoxy. Its very excellent and takes a beating. Problem is two fold, one is its expensive. Around 30 bucks a can or more and shipping. Second issue is once you pop the hardener you have a limited amount of time to use it. So if you have several things to paint it may work out OK, but if not you are going to lose some expensive paint. Here is a link to a DuraCoat video The other type of paint we use on firearms is Cerakote paint. Its a ceramic based paint. There is also Durahide. CeraKote is a two part paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Huber Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 I did go to Rust-Oleum web page and looked up the Appliance epoxy "Dry and recoat times are based on 70°F (21°C) and 50% relative humidity. Allow more time at cooler temperatures. Dries to the touch in 2-4 hours, to handle in 5-9 hours and is fully dry in 24 hours. May recoat within 30 minutes or after 1 week" Trust me, I have used Rust-oleum appliance epoxy enough in the past to get wise to their above B.S. You need to let it air dry for more than 24 hours to gain a durable finish. I used it during the spring through fall months and you can leave fingerprints in it when handling it days after the application. One thing you absolutely don't want to do is to add more coats before at least a week has past, and I would give even more time. I have applied additional coat(s) after one week to see the previous coats bubble up. And you are well aware where that problem goes, back to square one. If appliance epoxy is done right with nice even coats and PATIENCE, it can give a decent gloss finish similar to the old enamels and Japan of past. Good luck with whatever path you choose. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Babcock Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 I used Bullseye, its similar to Bin,Kiltz ect. I put it on thin. then after letting dry for a few hours I applied a coat of black lacquer and clear coat. It is much better but still the blisters are there but almost livable. I am going to let that dry and put one more coat of black and clear on. If that fails I am going for the appliance paint and the spray kiltz primer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.