Re: Aluminum Boat Paint CONFUSION!!!!!!
Did they name any specific etching primer? There are different ways to prepare raw metal for paint. Are they painters of boats? Airplanes? Cars? Do they know steel? Aluminum? Plastics?<br /><br />I do not think zinc chromate is "old school."<br /><br />I think what they may be talking about with etching is using Alodyne. This is typically use on aircraft grade aluminum because the aluminum is aclad. That is, the stronger copper alloy aluminum has a thin coating of pure aluminum on each side 1m thick and is designated as 2024. I am pretty sure boat aluminum is softer, not quit 3003, but close. <br /><br />Etching will still require another protective primer like the zinc. But back to the etch..<br /><br />NAPA has something called Twin Etch. It is cheaper and will be okay for your boat or car if you want it. I contains chromic acid so if you have to dilute it remember to add the acid to water and not the other way around.<br /><br />Before you start, remember to *completely* degrease the metal using MEK or a lacqure thinner and then run a tac cloth over the sections you are coating. The cloth will pick up any lint or dust and will make sure the metal is really clean.<br /><br />There are places that you can search if you go to the "ask" site and type in the words that you are looking for.
