Painting Steel Tanks

JONT

JONT

New Member
Hi:

Whats a good way to strip and paint Faber Steels? I have 2 LP50's that look like hell and I'd like to give them a new finish, any ideas?

Thanks,

JOnT
 
- Remove valve, plug the top with a plug that has a decent loop in it so you can hang the tank to paint.
- Chemical stripper, don't use a blowtorch (it will change the temper of the metal).
- Once the old paint's off, rub down with a 400 grit or so wet and dry.
- Allow to dry, then wipe down with thinners for the
- Marine 2k primer filler you spray it with next
- Lightly sand down to smooth and round
- Finish with a couple of good coats of Marine 2k in your choice of colour
- Let bake in the sun a couple days
- Pull the plug out, ensure it's clean inside, reinstall valve and off you go.

~ or ~

- just buy another tank.
 
I've used a good aircraft stripper, then I do an electrolytic rust removal to get the rust off. Then sand, a coat of POR 15 (maybe two) and the color of choice. I've also just bought an aluminum tank:lol:
Later,
John
 
There's a post on TDS that mentions both POR15 and ZRC. I haven't used either, but I had a set of doubles that someone else Redid with ZRC before I bought them. I had no complaints with the finish, but I had to touch up a couple of spots where it had come off and begun to rust again.
 
ZRC galvalite is good for a galvanizing primer. IMRON makes a great paint, hard as hell, but really expensive. I wish POR15 came in white, not just black.
 
If you are leaving your tanks sitting out in the sun all the time, which seems fairly ill advised... And if you are, you are also promoting other UV damage, such as rubber hoses, counterlungs, etc.

My unit stays covered until I'm ready to dive.
 
chemically strip, clean and dry, go to an auto part store get a can of SELF ECHING PRIMER not cheep but worth it, have a beer watch the primer dry, paint with oil based machinery paint, have 1 beer between cotes, apply second cote, 1 more beer.
 
Is there any reason not to use 2 part acrylic paint as the final coat?

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The other way to go here is let them clean up after they are pressure checked.
Prices are not bad ... ( in the Netherlands)

Corrosiebehandeling:
Uitwendig stralen; opnieuw schooperen en spuiten (wit) € 43,50
 
How long do you want it to last and how much to you want to spend? The tight arse option is rust converter, then high zinc high fill primer in a can, sand it back with 600 then finish it off with a good enamel spray pack. Will last a few years but not as well as the other options
 
I have a friend who got his tanks powder coated. They look sharp and are very durable.

Mind you I do not believe it was super cheap but not crazy expensive either.

Regards

Steve
 
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I spoke to a local car repair / respray facility about this. Their suggestion was two part acrylic paint applied on an adhesion promoting primer. Preparation was to rub the original paint back to provide a key and preserve the galvanised corrosion protection. Has anyone any opinions about this?

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Aaen said:
I have a friend who got his tanks powder coated. They look sharp and are very durable.

Mind you I do not believe it was super cheap but not crazy expensive either.

Regards


Steve
Click to expand...

Do not powder coat tanks! You will get rust pockets under sections that appear ok but are not evenly adhered to the metal. This is probably the worst possible solution. Ask me how I know. ***55357;***56850; Better to just spray on some tremclad and touch up when needed.

Sand blasting is problematic as it can cause heating that can draw the temper of the steel.

Peter
 
PeterN said:
Do not powder coat tanks! You will get rust pockets under sections that appear ok but are not evenly adhered to the metal.
Click to expand...

We had a guy here locally that got some tanks powder coated, looked nice until spots of rust started spidering out from various pinholes in the coating. There are definitely better and safer options.
 
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