aluminum primer

Eric or anyone,
What are you using to prime aluminum die castings such as outdrives after a rebuild? I'm finding it hard to get the good old zinc chromate primer. OSHA doesn't like the stuff anymore due to their new chomium exposure rules. I just received two electric hoists I got off ebay and both need a paint job. The CM housings are die cast and are showing signs of white rusting. They will get a blasting and then the paint.

I'm using PPG DP48LF, It's white but not zinc.

If you want the green or yellow zinc this works good.
Zinc epoxy

If you don't need epoxy this works really good in a rattle can, green or yellow
Zinc spray can

Thanks for all the input. I ended up finding a self etch zinc at Napa in a rattle can. It's plenty for the two hoists. Damn powder coat!!! The EPA F*#ks everything up.

Eric,
Sorry but no use for the 1 ton 480. We've got plenty here at the plant and actually just retired about half out of our tool room to the scrap bin. They had their annual OSHA certs done and the repairs exceeded their values.

8122pbrainard wrote: Damn powder coat!!!

I started to prep the hoists by doing the first rough sanding. Feathering the edges of the powder coat that's still on them is a PITA. You get it almost feathered and another chunk of the powder comes off!!!

Gary,
Give it a try and report back. I'm skeptical on what solvent would go after a thermo setting (powder coat) plastic.

Well, as some projects go, this one has turned into a nightmare. I finally got the powder coat feathered on both hoists and the self etch zinc primer sprayed on. Next on was a Krylon orange that was supposed to be "safety orange" which is the correct color for CM hoists. Well, it wasn't - way too brown!! Since I didn't want to wait to monday to go to a industrial suppy, I went over to Ace and found their house brand premium in the proper orange. (BTW, they did have Rustoleum safety but don't stock orange.) Sprayed their "premium" on after the 24 hour cure of the Krylon and it went after the Krylon!!! The alligatoring was worse in some spots but did sand/feather out after a over night cure but now in some spots the Krylon is pulling off the self etch primer!!! The Krylon's lack of adhesion is real bad where I used a solvent based contact adhesive to glue the plastic decals back on. The whole decal can be peeled back and along with it all the paint back down to the primer!!!

I swear, it's the EPA screwing the manufacturers into using different solvent vehicals!!

The other day I loaded up the gun to spray some clear poly on wood. It must be the new "green" formula!! Horrible as it sure didn't spray like the old stuff. It did take some getting used to.