Rust converter by Quest Chemical

I haven't used the Quest product but will say there are loads of "miracle" rust treatments out there that all claim to solve the problem with rust. The tech sheet for the Quest Rust Converter suggests it is a water-based product that appears somewhat similar to either the Loctite "EXTEND" Rust Treatment or the Permatex Rust Treatment, which is the same stuff as the Loctite.

I've used the Permatex product before. It should be readily available at your local NAPA store. I had excellent luck with it on an AC-B gasoline tank but terrible luck with it on a Chev truck roof. The truck roof problem could have been my own fault by applying a lacquer-based primer over it. I don't know for sure since there was no caution about doing that in the product instructions. My mixed experience with it has led me away from it to other products.

The best solution to rust is complete removal, usually by bright-metal sandblasting. However, I realize that is not always feasible or practical. For those specific situations, where there is light-to-medium rusting, I now use Picklex 20 as a prep before epoxy priming. The Picklex is a phosphoric acid-based product. Where the rust is more significant, I now use POR 15.

The Permatex product is easy to use and resonably non-toxic. I suspect the Quest product is similar. The Picklex 20 is also easy to use and I have had excellent luck with it so far. The POR 15 is a little tricky to use because of the required prep but I think it is the most robust of the "rust treatments" I've tried. Unfortunately, it is also quite toxic, being a one-part, moisture-cured, isocyanate product. Breathing the fumes or overspray can be hazardous to your health. Supplied-air respiratory equipment is advised. Wherever I've used the POR 15 in the last couple of years, I've had excellent luck with it - so far. It is brutallly tough stuff when cured. I've never seen a brush-applied product flow out as nicely and as easily as the POR 15.

There is another "rust paint" that I have tried, called Zero Rust. My very first (and definitely last) experience with it was extremely disappointing. I didn't get through one square foot of application before I decided to toss it and do the project with something else. Unlike the POR 15, it is the most difficult paint to brush-apply that I have ever seen. It should be thinned but the can label prominently displays a "Do Not Thin" caution. There are absolutely no other label usage directions and the manufacturer's on-line instructions are self-contradictory. I find that to be totally unacceptable and cannot recommend the stuff to anyone. There are others that seem to rave about how good it is, but it's not for me.

Regarding the Quest product; If the manufacturer is unable to tell you where you can buy some, either locally or on-line, I'd find another product. Even if you can find a local distributor, you may find he carries some of the Quest products but doesn't stock the product you want. It then becomes a special order and he may not want to do that w/o delays because of minimum purchase requirements or something. You may know that drill. There are plenty of options out there and I doubt the Quest product is sufficiently "better" than others to justify much bother in getting it. I've purchased both the Picklex 20 and the POR 15 from on-line souces which have been easy and quick, shipping by UPS.

As always, YMMV.

Rod

Have you tried Dupont Corlar 2.1 PR industrial primer? It is about $100 for a gallon of components to make 2 gal of primer. It seems to be about the same stuff as POR 15 in performance/specs. It is a NON SANDING primer - too hard to sand. Specs claim it is good for immersion (inside of tanks. I've sprayed it - it is THICK and needs a pressure pot sprayer. Goes on with a "hammered" finish so probably not good for sheet metal, but ok for cast.

www.performancecoatings.dupont.com/dpc/en/us/html/prodinfo/dic/Corlar2-1PR.pdf

Just wondering..

I've never tried any of the DuPont epoxy primers, automotive or industrial, even though I sometimes use DuPont's Centari as a topcoat. I am a firm believer in epoxy primer however, and got started with it years ago using PPG's DP. In recent years I have moved to PPG's OMNI MP170 epoxy primer as a more cost-effective product than the DP (now the lead-free DPLF) and have been very pleased with that, as I always was with the DP.

I haven't seen any epoxy primer being promoted, rightly or wrongly, as a "rust paint" like the POR15 and some others. Epoxy is a different animal than a moisture-cured urethane, but it is basically impervious to moisture. I don't think epoxy in general is as "tough" or as abrasion resistant as the POR15 appears to be, but it's safer to use since most epoxies do not require isocyanate-containing additives. I've wondered how epoxy would perform as a "rust paint/rust encapsulator" by being applied directly to a sound, rusty surface. I just haven't seen any studies or evaluations addressing that specific use of it and have no experience in trying it that way.

Rod

The tractor that I am working on is all disassembled and I have removed just about all the old paint. I am having a little trouble with rust forming on the clean parts and I was hoping to find a product that would keep the rust under control without being a problem itself as phosphorics seem to be with the residue. I'm using electrolysis to remove most of the paint from parts now, but in the past I sanded it off. Doing it that way, it was common for me to find rust under the old JD paint and there was no use of primer. That surface rust didn't seem to be causing any problem so maybe there is a little leeway as far as how perfect it has to be.