Surface Protection

[paddyx350]

I am cleaning up some areas of rust for repair. It's going to be a while before any welding or painting takes place.
What products have people used and would recommend to protect bare metal after stripping old paint and rust before welding repair work and painting is carried out?
Are there different products for the underside of the car and up top?

[cass3958]

Standard primer paint is porous as is Red Oxide paint and if it gets wet or even damp, the area is likely to rust even though you think it has been sealed. Standard primer will also burn if welded and it will interfere with the welding process so you will have to scrape it off where you intend to weld.

If you want to protect an area you are going to weld you should use Zinc primer. Non porous and because of the zinc content will not burn so good for the back of the weld joint.

For areas that are not to be seen, under the car, wheel arches or inside box sections which are not going to be welded then a product like Hammerite Rust Beater primer or Hammerite direct to rust paint are very good. Not to be welded over but can be applied to an area after it has been welded. Over the top of this before final coat I have applied a Schult/Hammerite underseal which you can paint over. Not to be used on external panels but great on the underside of the car and wheel arches applied using a Schultz air gun on my compressor

Once you have finished your welding and have finished your top coats then treat all box sections like the sills, front wheel arch by the "A" pillar, the rear wheel arch, up behind the fuel tanks and rear valance with Waxoyl. I have just finished the repair work on my rear wheel arch and then injected waxol into the box section. I soaked the can of Waxoyl in a bowl of hot water to get it really runny then sprayed it into the box sections using the Schultz air gun with my compressor.
Word of caution. First Waxoyl is flammable so should not be applied before welding. Second if you apply Waxoyl before you paint your car the paint will not stick as Waxoyl is a wax and your painter will hate you for it as it gets everywhere.

[paddyx350]

Thanks Rob