hardner for Rustoleum

[toplessHO]

whats everyone using for hardner for the oil based Rustoleum?
I ususally go to the auto body paint store and buy universal hardner,but now looking for something I can pick up at tractor supply,walmart,NAPA etc.

 

[astroracer]

Any enamel hardener will work. I have used both automotive and "tractor paint" hardeners with excellent results.
Mark

 

[toplessHO]

found this which seems about half the price of the universal Ive been getting at auto paint stores.Ive used UPOL products before with good results.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IK1YLLK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[PacificaVette]

found this which seems about half the price of the universal Ive been getting at auto paint stores.Ive used UPOL products before with good results.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IK1YLLK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

This UPOL hardener will NOT work with Rustoleum, which the OP is using. This product is for catalyst-based curing only.

 

[Graham08]

I have used the Majic brand hardener from Tractor Supply with Rustoleum and it works OK. I have had mixed results when trying to spray the stuff. What do you use to reduce it and how much do you typically add?

 

[astroracer]

I spray the hammered Rustoleum's a lot. I use Xylene to reduce it and generally follow the instructions on the can for reduction ratio.
I sprayed this custom chassis with silver hammered, reduced with Xylene and hardener added, it was rock hard in an hour.

 

[ng8264723]

I use the tractor store hardener all the time. It works awesome. I really don't spray mostly I brush rustoleum. I usually add a capful to a small cup. I know not scientific

 

[matt_i]

I used the TSC majic brand catalyst hardener added to rustoleum enamel. And a little drippy drip of mineral spirits so it flows a little easier when brushing. I mix it in a cut-off McDonald's recyclable drink cup. It does not seem to attack or affect the plastic.

For successive coats I lightly scuff with 150grit to give some tooth and wipe away any imperfections from the previous coat (bugs, dirt, drips, runs). Then a mineral spirits wipe on a huck towel. Then paint again.

This is a part I just painted.

 

[aka Larry]

I use the TSC Majic brand catalyst hardener as well with good results. I don't measure it, but for a pint sized spray cup, it doesn't take much.

 

[toplessHO]

nice results astro and Matt


they are certainly proud of the Majic hardner,Im going to search for others.

 

[astroracer]

nice results astro and Matt

Thank You Sir, Rustoleum Hammered paints were used for painting everything you see here on the chassis, even the engine block.



Mark

 

[matt_i]

nice results astro and Matt


they are certainly proud of the Majic hardner,Im going to search for others.

Thanks! It does go a long way...that small pint can is to be mixed with 1 gallon of paint. I've done a lot of painting this year and used 2 quarts of rusto...

Looks like there's a Krylon brand product that's less expensive. Can't speak to the results tho.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...KUkr74KFeE3AOOB97kYkspVG3_R67pNMaAnEeEALw_wcB

 

[mannydantyla]

I've used enamal hardener and painted an entire truck with Rustoleum, enamel hardener, and mineral spirits. I wouldn't do it again though. After a few years of 100% direct sunlight, the dark green paint started to fade.

http://dannix.net/node/58

 

[Earp69]

I spray the hammered Rustoleum's a lot. I use Xylene to reduce it and generally follow the instructions on the can for reduction ratio.
I sprayed this custom chassis with silver hammered, reduced with Xylene and hardener added, it was rock hard in an hour.

What ratio do you use for the hardner? Also what primer do you recommend

 

[toplessHO]

Thanks! It does go a long way...that small pint can is to be mixed with 1 gallon of paint. I've done a lot of painting this year and used 2 quarts of rusto...

Looks like there's a Krylon brand product that's less expensive. Can't speak to the results tho.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...KUkr74KFeE3AOOB97kYkspVG3_R67pNMaAnEeEALw_wcB

I too had noticed the Krylon hardner was much cheaper,waiting to here the verdict from the GJ jury

 

[toplessHO]

Thank You Sir, Rustoleum Hammered paints were used for painting everything you see here on the chassis, even the engine block.

Mark

A future Astroracer?

 

[astroracer]

What ratio do you use for the hardner? Also what primer do you recommend

I use the same ratio recommended for regular automotive enamel paint.
Epoxy primer is my go to for big stuff like chassis and underbodies. If you are doing smaller stuff Rustoleum's grey primer/surfacer is perfect.
Mark

 

[Rlfd213]

Looks good mark. The paint isn’t to soft or doesn’t mar easy?

 

[astroracer]

A future Astroracer?

Yes Sir, this is going under an '88 Astro shorty.

 

[astroracer]

Looks good mark. The paint isn’t to soft or doesn’t mar easy?

No, not at all! The hardener makes it rock hard in a very short time. It is no where near "soft"... Without the hardener it can take days for the paint to set up and get hard. The added hardener speeds up that process greatly.

 

[Graham08]

I use the same ratio recommended for regular automotive enamel paint.
Epoxy primer is my go to for big stuff like chassis and underbodies. If you are doing smaller stuff Rustoleum's grey primer/surfacer is perfect.
Mark

OK, so you're mixing at something like 4:1 (paint:hardener). I've been doing 16:1, which is recommended on the can of hardener (8 oz can to 1 gallon of paint).

I used Summit's house brand epoxy primer and chassis black epoxy on a couple projects in the last few months. I'm happy with how it goes on and it's not terribly expensive, either.

 

[driftpin]

I have poor reading comprehension, what does astroracer say is the hardener he uses? What's the in-between time for successive coats? Do you need to mix a new batch of paint for each coat, or can you mix enough for say, two coats, and leave it in the cup or a vessel you can seal, like a glass jar, if brush-painting? Thanks.

 

[astroracer]

I have poor reading comprehension, what does astroracer say is the hardener he uses?
Any enamel hardener will work fine. You can get some at an auto paint supply or any farm supply that carries paint. Just ask for an enamel hardener.

What's the in-between time for successive coats?
This depends entirely on the hardener used and the amount added to the paint.
Do you need to mix a new batch of paint for each coat, or can you mix enough for say, two coats, and leave it in the cup or a vessel you can seal, like a glass jar, if brush-painting?
The hardener is a chemical reaction. The reaction is based on my above answer. Work time is generally 1 to 2 hours if mixed according to instructions. It will harden the paint if you leave it set so only mix as much as you can use in one application.
Thanks.

Mark

 

[tonyciambrone]

I use Valspar Enamel Hardener
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LNY1MY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Available at Blain's Farm and Fleet, probably others as well. Works great, any serious project like painting a vise, tool, worktable etc I always use it. Holds up on forklift forks for almost a year for me.

 

[E.rodz]

i have used just about every brand of enamel hardener and have had good luck with all. the ratios that work well are adding 4 oz of hardener to a qt. of thinned mixed paint i use xlyne for a thinner for average temp and humidity acetone for cooler temps and or higher humidity.you still need to be careful clearing over if you clear it an hr later it will wrinkle everything up.i normally let it dry for a couple of days before spraying clear on it.

 

[driftpin]

Thanks to those who provided the additional and original info. I'll try it out.

 

[toplessHO]

It seemed like the stuff Ive used before(used for rustoleum and john Deere enamel)
was a 20:1 ratio.
But couldnt find any old cans to refresh my memory,hence why I started this discussion.
Good info from all,26 posts and I dont think one persons feelings were hurt. Is this a GJ record?

 

[Earp69]

It seemed like the stuff Ive used before(used for rustoleum and john Deere enamel)
was a 20:1 ratio.
But couldnt find any old cans to refresh my memory,hence why I started this discussion.
Good info from all,26 posts and I dont think one persons feelings were hurt. Is this a GJ record?

LOL you might be onto something

 

[pamike]

I have written on my hardener cans 8:1. I have done that and it works well. I think I researched quite a bit at one time to come up with the 8:1

 

[RotaryLove]

Hey y’all, I figured rather than start a new thread id continue on with this one.

Last year I painted the rear cab wall and front bed wall of my truck with hardened rustoleum, with quite good results. I’d like to do it again, however this time using most likely hammered black on some RX-7 subframes.

Does the hardener improve resistance to solvents such as fuel, brake parts cleaner, etc?

 

[shortykorte]

Found this video. 5 parts paint, 2 parts acetone, 0.3 parts Valspar hardener.

And an update to above.

Sounds like depends on temps and what’s being painted…..and what works.

 

[jerrydorm81422]

Thank You Sir, Rustoleum Hammered paints were used for painting everything you see here on the chassis, even the engine block.



Mark

good luck with this!

 

[Bennylava]

I used the TSC majic brand catalyst hardener added to rustoleum enamel. And a little drippy drip of mineral spirits so it flows a little easier when brushing. I mix it in a cut-off McDonald's recyclable drink cup. It does not seem to attack or affect the plastic.

For successive coats I lightly scuff with 150grit to give some tooth and wipe away any imperfections from the previous coat (bugs, dirt, drips, runs). Then a mineral spirits wipe on a huck towel. Then paint again.

All of this stuff is news to me. I thought paint had to be created to work with a hardener. I didn't know you could just "harden" paint that was sold to be stand-alone.

So is this all tractor and paints made to be used on metal? It would this also work with oil based house paints?

 

[MAD]

Recently, I used the Valspar hardener with PPG MAE single stage enamel on some body panels for my wife's Elantra with great results. The PPG hardener was expensive and the smallest size was a pint, so I took a chance and tried the Valspar I had on the shelf. I think the Valspar hardener is discontinued now. I wish I would have bought a few more when it was available and cheap.

 

[mogandave]

Been a long while, but we used to use Jap-Drier....

JAPAN DRIER - Sherwin-Williams

Speeds the drying time between coats, even in damp or cool weather.

www.sherwin-williams.com

 

[Bennylava]

How did you guys figure all this **** out... You must be chemists. This is all wizardry to me. Using hardeners on regular paint..

 

[mogandave]

Nothing new about it, jap-drier’s been around at least forty years.

 

[logixjock]

And hardener for single stage paint has been around at least since I was in high school. (80's)