that red "anti-rust" primer dries *SO* dang slow - what's faster? maybe add cobalt drier?

I had some week-to-dry red oxide primer once. Best thing I ever did was just throw it out. I think it's a bad batch. I bought 12 cans recently of a commercial quick-dry red primer which is just wonderful. The cans look el cheapo but they paint just great and the paint dries fast and goes on well. Keep looking.

GWE

The reason that Rustoleum dries so slowly is that it contains oils which are meant to penetrate the bonded rust. Primers that dry fast, such as automotive primers, are meant to be used only over clean metal. A fast drying primer applied over rust will dry on the surface, and the finish may chip, flake or peel later on.

Rustoleum is incredibly slow to dry. Even warming the part doesn't help much.

Go to the local ACE hardware and get their house brand rust preventive red primer. Big can, good nozzle, around $4. By the time you get finished with the part and clear the spray nozzle it is dry.

Or use ZeroRust primer. You might have to look for it, not every store carries it. Stuff dries really fast, less than 30 minutes. regular size can, standard nozzle, around $8.

You might consider just spraying them with so-called "cold galvanizing" paint if you don't mind the funky dull gray look.

Rustoleum is typically very slow drying. They use some solvents that will eat other paints, even eat Rustoleum paint if you don't let it harden. Ditch the Rustoleum except for long dry top coats.

Most of the usual primers are designed for adhesi> I have a few 'various stages of rusty' rollaway toolboxes I need to

You don't have to wait. You can put on the finish coat within (I believe) one hour or after 48. Andy Asberry recommends NewsGuy but deplores the crappy spam line they tag on.

DON'T use red rustoleum! It's not your typical red primer. It's called Rusty Metal Primer for a reason. It's made specifically for heavily rusted metal and will never completely dry on clean or lightly rusted metal. It has fish oil in it that's supposed to penetrate the rust. If there isn't enough rust the oil will rise to the surface of the primer over time and cause all kinds of problems. I learned this the hard way and then found out more about it on their Web site:

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

"Keith Marshall" wrote: (clip) It's called Rusty Metal Primer for a reason. It's made specifically for heavily rusted metal and will never completely dry on clean or lightly rusted metal. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ It's refreshing to see a post that is exactly on point. (I used to own a paint store, and I know you are correct.)

Ditzler PPG epoxy primer as DP-40. Incredibly durable stuff with excellent adhesion and rust-prevention properties.

"Leo Lichtman" wrote

Thanks for the kind words! I've been known to put my foot in my mouth a time or two so I try to only offer input when I can back it up with a decent reference. :-)

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

What Roy said. I've had excellent results and good fortune with auto type primers. Make sure they're not primer-surfacer, though, unless you're trying to fill minor defects and intend to do some serious sanding.

Harold