crazzywolfie

i was wondering what is the best but cheapest way to seal raw metal because i was doing some sand blasting on a pretty nice bike but needs paint and i can be slow getting around to thing. i wiped the frame down with automatic transmission fluid after i was down but that seemed to take a pretty long time. i think i remember my dad saying something about penetrating oils with silica in them were good for sealing metal but i'm not sure.
heres a picture of the bike in progress

squirtdad

Dude.... no oil based, you will have major problems with any paint sticking in the future....... best best acetone or similar to get rid of the transmission fluid, then take a scotch bright pad to make sure that all bare metal is shiny and then put a coat of primer (acid etch best) on it. In general if you want a fantastic paint job you need to strip all the paint (chemical stripper is best)

crazzywolfie

i don't see me painting it too soon. i have not even bought myself a paint gun yet and i still have some sand blasting to do. i don't see me using chemical stripper. i am not going for a super great paint job. i was just hoping for a better than the rattle can blue over what looked like a pretty nice metallic red. before i paint it i will go over it wiping it down with acetone. maybe the primer you mentioned is different but wouldn't i have to clear coat or paint over the primer in order to seal it. from what i know about automotive prime is it is not a sealer. i will most likely be using automotive supplies and maybe painting it to match my truck when i paint it.

squirtdad

Get a good acid etch primer in a spray can....that will seal the metal from air and oxidation, even if you dont paint the whole thing for while unless you have lots of deep rust that youwant to get rid of (be careful with too much metal removal ) chemical stripping is a fast way to remove the paint. If you intend to have a fairly nice job it is best to get rid of all the old paint, and if not really feather the edges.

I have done a frame with rattle can and with auto paint using the Pre-val sprayer. Auto paint gives a better, more durable finish but is more toxic. it is also expensive in small amounts. the way I went with auto was acid etch primer, fill primer (sanded), metalic color coat and two part urethane

I did a lot of research before painting and no where did I see anything about 'sealing' bare metal with anything but primer. Primer should go on as soon as possible after sanding/blasting/scotchbrite

have fun

crazzywolfie

thanks. i will try to find a good etch primer. there is no deep rust. there is lots of metal left on this frame. i don't think automotive paints are as toxic as they use to be. i think most of them now are water based but still fairly expensive. i think i was looking at pre-val sprayers and i don't think i want to go that way. they look like rattle cans and i am guessing that once you run out of pressure you have to buy a new air cartridge. i would rather just get a paint gun that i can just keep using with my compressor for years to come.

i cleaned up and primered over the wheel wells on my 1 truck and i clear coated the one side and didn't clear coat the other and you can tell which side i clear coated and which side i didn't.

jockotobling

I've use clear coat over clean raw steel frames. It is the rattle can stuff from the auto parts store. It has held up pretty well. I touch up any deep scratches in the clear when I see them to prevent rust from starting. I check out the cleared frame every so often to keep up on it.