Painting Galvanized Steel Tubing

[MikeVDS]

We're painting galvanized steel tubing for our dome. Our last one we tried to use galvanizing primer, thinking it might not scrape off as easy as normal primer, but it easily scrapes off. Has anyone found any multi colored products or products we can paint that sticks to galvanized steel?

[unjonharley]

We're painting galvanized steel tubing for our dome. Our last one we tried to use galvanizing primer, thinking it might not scrape off as easy as normal primer, but it easily scrapes off. Has anyone found any multi colored products or products we can paint that sticks to galvanized steel?

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years ago all rain gutters were galvanized.. We would give them a wash with something from the acid side of the scale to get the paint to stick.. Ask your paint supplier..

[MikeVDS]

Ok thanks. I just found out we got some primer that's expensive and designed to go on galvanized then covered with an oil based paint. I'll let you know how that turns out.

[hunter S]

After you prime try "one shot" sign paint best danm stuff you can buy! most of the old hand painted signs from the 40's were painted with it, on galvinized steel.

seem's to me they made it thru the test of time! you may have to go to a art supply store. In Reno you can find it at Seirra Fine Arts.

[Tiahaar]

"Rust Destroyer" is a red primer type coating that says on the can here I'm reading that its good for rusted metal, new bare metal, rusted painted metal, hot dipped zinc galvanized metal, core tan steel, tin and aluminum all without sandblasting. It takes all types of topcoats but has to dry 48-72 hours. I use it a lot, it makes a 3mil film, but does seem to take a week+ to really get hard and scratch resistant.

The magnets in my wind turbine rotor were clicking in their slots so I dunked the whole thing in this primer and am now waiting for the coating to harden before reassembly...

[gyre]

Phosphoric acid wash.
I used a water based primer by rustoleum.
Hate it but sticky and tough.
You can use heat shrink tubing.
The best is teflon or irradiated pvc (only in black).

A mono epoxy ester would probably work well.

[capjbadger]

I understand that a vinegar wash will do the trick too to "clean" the metal for painting.

Just don't paint the strut ends. It will flake moop like hell.

Speaking of which, anyone have any good ideas for keeping those ends from rusting since the paint just gets rubbed back off? I though maybe some oil, but that just attracts the dust, which causes more rust.

Badger

[gyre]

A lot of people use diesel fuel.
You could use Boeshield or wax.
Kano makes some great stuff.
I think they have something that would work.

[robotland]

I've built a few geodesic monstrosities in my time, and often use them year-round for recreation and/or storage...Traditionally I've used Krylon gray primer and a shot of whatever colored spray enamel I have on hand to dress my struts, and they've held up quite well. One thing that helps is to avoid laying the paint on too thickly whether you're spraying, brushing or dipping...
I'm assuming that the surface to be treated is good 'ol galvanized EMT?

[MikeVDS]

I'm assuming that the surface to be treated is good 'ol galvanized EMT?

Galvanized fence top rail. 1 and 3/8" and a little thicker than EMT.

[capjbadger]

I'm assuming that the surface to be treated is good 'ol galvanized EMT?

Galvanized fence top rail. 1 and 3/8" and a little thicker than EMT.

Holy crap.. that must of cost a pretty penny..

Badger

[MikeVDS]

It was about 1800 feet at about $1 per foot. One guy funded most of it and other camp members gave him some money toward it.

[deviceone]

Im partial to cover stain myself. Noxious stuff though.

[unjonharley]

Im partial to cover stain myself. Noxious stuff though.

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Gives me an idea, How about blueing ?? That stuff stays on anythng.. Or lamp black, That's used on wood stoves to keep them from rusting.. It only comes off the stoves in the hotest places.. both are applied cold.. You polish lamp black with a fine steel wool to make a shinny smoth surface..

[Toolmaker]

Im partial to cover stain myself. Noxious stuff though.

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Gives me an idea, How about blueing ?? That stuff stays on anythng.. Or lamp black, That's used on wood stoves to keep them from rusting.. It only comes off the stoves in the hotest places.. both are applied cold.. You polish lamp black with a fine steel wool to make a shinny smoth surface..

I had a lamp black/tool black phase back when I was just a machinist. I worked in a shop that did in house tool blackind and I must have dipped half my friggin tools. I had to go get a black toolbox/roller to put em in. Tools that I didn't black did not fare as well.

[Bob]

Gun bluing processes are designed to work chemically on iron, not zinc or other metals.

Painting seems like a lot of trouble & mostly futile given the abuse the struts would experience in transit, assembly & sitting on the playa for a week. Life's too fucking short. It would also make the struts a lot more slippery than you might want for climbing the thing.

[unjonharley]

Gun bluing processes are designed to work chemically on iron, not zinc or other metals.

Painting seems like a lot of trouble & mostly futile given the abuse the struts would experience in transit, assembly & sitting on the playa for a week. Life's too fucking short. It would also make the struts a lot more slippery than you might want for climbing the thing.

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The cold touch up blueing sticks to almost any thing.. You rag it on..

Another light coat trik in to paintwith satan black.. Wait 5 min. and buff the satan off.. This will leave a stove black look..

[MikeVDS]

Painting seems like a lot of trouble & mostly futile given the abuse the struts would experience in transit, assembly & sitting on the playa for a week.

We're painting the ends for ease of assembly, to differentiate the different length struts. We painted the entire struts of the last one, and it easily scratches. We've taken it on 5 trips, including BM06 but still looks good from 10 feet away. It's also easy to see which strut goes where. We also plan on setting this up for more than just Burning Man, so ease of assembly, goes a long way. Also painting the ends protects the ungalvanizd areas from rust. It's something that is worth doing IMO. Multi-colored electrical tape would work, but the paint is just nicer overall.

[knowmad]

great resource thread, thanks for asking this stuff, am earmarking this for later retrieval.