confused about primer (1 Viewer)

[swelltimes]

I'm at the stage in my project that I'm finishing up some body work and getting ready for paint: just ordered some single stage paint at NAPA in Toyota 854!

But, I'm unsure where to go with primer, and am a bit confused by the options. Not sure which approach is best for my truck. (I have read through "Painting / Finishing 101" by @copasspupil.)

The amby doors, sides, aprons, and fenders have all been sanded down or sand blasted. I used Eastwood's Fast Etch on any bare metal, followed the directions, and then applied two thin and one medium coat of Duplicolor Filler primer. I started with the Duplicolor primer due to the convenience of the spray cans, and got a good price on a bunch of cans. This allowed my dad and I to chip away at one panel at a time without having to mix a batch of epoxy primer.

Pics of some panels and progress on the rear quarters we replaced.

Fenders and bib after I sand blasted, cleaned and primed.

Rear quarter panels (and sill) replaced and getting smoothed out with Evercoat body filler, and my old man looking happy!

The paint guy at NAPA was really helpful, and was encouraging me to use epoxy primer before painting. The TDS sheet for the Crossfire brand paint I bought stipulates I use a Crossfire primer before spraying color (I'm sure most brands suggest the same.)

I'm not sure where to go from here given where I'm at in the project.

• Can I spray an epoxy primer over the Dupicolor filler primer I've used? That, in my mind, would be the ideal solution since I have so many panels already primed with that product.
• Is there a different approach I could use with the Duplicolor primer, like applying a sealer to everything, then spraying some two part primer?
• Other suggestions or things I'm missing entirely?

Our plan is to the tub / body and the fenders and front-end panels done first so I can drive the truck a bit this summer, and then work shoot color on the remaining panels, and reassemble all when done. I've already repaired and repainted the hard top.

I appreciate any help!

 

[Camotubebender]

If your going to use epoxy primer you will want to put that on the bare metal -followed by a 2K sandable primer. Or you could skip the epoxy and use a direct to metal sandable primer such as Evercoat Finish sand #100738 and catalyst 100734. Throw the spay can primer away

 

[Skreddy]

I would use the Crossfire Epoxy primer if the topcoat is also Crossfire. Paint is one thing where you want to “keep it in the family”.
I would call the tech line for crossfire paints (if they have one) to explain and see what they think. I’m assuming they are going to say the epoxy primer needs to go direct to metal (can reduce the same epoxy to use as a sealer) and that you should sand it all off and start over. I am betting at a minimum, you will need to scuff/sand everything before epoxy primer anyway, as that’s what most of the tech sheets say to do if it’s been more than 5-7 days anyway. So if you’re going over everything anyway, just sand to bare metal and epoxy prime with crossfire.
Mixing small batches of epoxy sucks for just single parts (mostly the cleaning sucks). I know people who buy the purple $15 harbor freight guns just for this and toss them instead of cleaning when they are done. But at this point if you do have to respect everything all at once, at least it’s not as small of batches anymore….

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

Might want to move this to the paint and bodywork section.
Spi is a well known diy epoxy company based out of usa. Their catalog has a lot of tips. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...UQFnoECBMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1JlCVGFkGolA_NLui5Rm5V
My concern is you already have many different brands of product down and any advice we give may fail and the job may peel in sheets. I would go to metal and filler, shoot a good epoxy to seal whatever metal was exposed during the bodywork sequence. Sandable primer to take out scratches, wetsand, epoxy reduced as a sealer, then base/ clear or single stage. Wait then cut and buff out or sand out runs. Make a relationship with a local paint shop, explain what you are doing, stick with a system of paint. You prob will be ok scuffing and shooting epoxy as a sealer but nobody will tell you it will be guaranteed. I did all my own bodywork, metal repair, etc. I still had panels that I messed up steps on. Had to take it back down and start over. The awesome thing here, the quality time with your family! That is the real gift you have in this project. Not the finished truck.

 

[knuckle47]

Incompatible solvents in different paint will ruin your work, crinkle up under the finish and create so much more work it could makes you want to give up

 

[SteveH]

Echoing what @knuckle47 said - generally, if it comes out of an aerosol can (and is not a high-tech 2 part product in a special aerosol) you do not want to put professional paint products on top. Catalyzed products (like any 2 part primer or top coat) tend to tear up solvent-based stuff underneath. The result is not pretty, to say the least. Best case, you get odd print-through on your top coat from the primer underneath. Worst case, it fails massively and you have to go back to the metal and start over.

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

Ditto, even those of us that believe we know what we are doing have a panel fail and start over. I did learn a lot painting my own vehicle. Research on some paint forums. This is a great paint forum if you want to read. The tech forum faq threads are great. Southern Polyurethanes Forum - http://www.spiuserforum.com/index.php