Pressing paint between coats - clean alternative to sanding?

I'm not sure running over it with a roller will achieve anything at all.

A sand & degrease is something one would do anyway isn't it?

Yeah, but I haven't been able to find anything about using dish soap to degrease bare steel and it'm not too optimistic that I could texture steel by rolling sandpaper on it. The problem with wet sanding is that I may want to do it on a lot with no drain.

Yeah, but I haven't been able to find anything about using dish soap to degrease bare steel and it'm not too optimistic that I could texture steel by rolling sandpaper on it. The problem with wet sanding is that I may want to do it on a lot with no drain.

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Dry sand and wipe over with acetone or similar & paint?

Yeah, if I want to do it the normal way. I'm trying to go as clean and safe as I could.

Interesting thought. You may be interested in a method used between coats on boat enamel: After it's partially dried (hours or days, depending on how "classic" the enamel is), painters will rub over the first coat with a piece of burlap wrapped around a block of wood. It flattens the pips and dust motes and leaves the surface ready for the next coat. Timing is everything. I've never had burlap clean enough for that, but it must be available. Maybe a fabric shop.

Dish soap is a bad idea unless you follow up with a solvent or strong alkali detergent. Remember, they put stuff in dish soap to keep your hands from drying out. Bad news for pre-painting.

As for solvents, if you really care about your job lasting, don't use acetone you buy from a paint store or Home Depot. It's recycled from industrial uses, and it's not completely free of oils.

Someone can tell you where to get the pure stuff, which you should use at least for the final wipe.

Many corrosion-preventive coatings and refinishing products can be recoated without abrading/scuffing between applications if applied at specified intervals.

Pressing sandpaper into a drying finish isn't the same as scuffing for bonding/adhesion of additional applications.

You don't say what the specific requirements are, but I think you hinted at outdoor equipment.

Almost any time one takes on projects requiring coatings for corrosion resistance, they expose themselves to stuff they'd be better off avoiding.. dust, chemicals, fumes etc. Proper surface preparation for most coatings is paramount, where minimal effort generally results in wasted time and expense.

There are acids and treatment products which clean and/or etch metals more effectively than sanding. Pressing abrasive against metal isn't effective at breaking or removing surface oxide or capable of much of anything in the way of surface prep.

You may benefit from reading some refinishing literature/guides provided by paint/coatings manufacturers, which often include the reasons for various steps involved in proper surface prep, and the features of specific products they offer to meet the requirements of different conditions.

Have a look at POR products. Also, there are additives for paint products to enhance adhesion when applied over old or weathered finishes if they're fairly clean.

Um, if you're going to be that loose about it, why paint it?

If you still want to paint it, grab a spray can and go. Don't worry about cleaning, drying, masking, or any of that bother. It's the Babin Way!

-- Make awkward sexual advances, not war.

Indoor steel shelf. I think it looks like something for an office or garage, but since I make them I may try selling them at craft shows. I may eventually claim that no electricity was used in its construction so it will appeal to environmentalist types, who would also care about the coating toxicity.

I was thinking of using

(MetalCoat) as a primer and (Mythic Classic) over it. The primer instructions say:

"All surfaces must be clean, dry, free from grease, dirt, rust, mill scale and any other foreign matter. Surfaces must be very clean and neutralized for this product to be effective. New galvanized should be cleaned with an acetic acid or phosphoric acid wash and rinsed. Rust and mill scale must be removed with power steel brushing or sandblasting. All other foreign matter must be cleaned with a solvent wash and dried thoroughly before painting. Dull glossy surfaces and remove dust."

It's so much easier to find galvanized sheet metal near me than plain steel that I may use the acetic acid or phosphoric acid.

I generally use "fast" thinners for the final wipedown. If it's good enough to put IN the paint, it should be good enoughto clean for paint.

Now I'm thinking about degreasing with diswasher detergent. I still may try my sandpaper idea. I'm more worried about getting a smooth coat with a brush than anything else. That's been a problem with my last couple of projects.

use the right brush, the right pait, thinned to the proper consistency with the right thinner, and at the right temperature.