Okay, I bought paint, gun, etc........?

Black MTK9300 $20.14 QT
Fast Top Coat Hardener MH167 $12.21 QT
Fast Reducer MR185 $18.85 Gal
Epoxy Primer MP170 $14.56 QT
Epoxy Primer Hardener/Catalyst MP175 $4.87 QT

Total = $74.67

Supplies:
Quicklatch Respirator $39.98
Spray Gun Cleaner Kit $2.47
Mini Regulator $19.94
In line filter (water) $9.96
Gravity feed Spray Gun (1.4 mm) $59.94

Total = $133.00

I asked the gentleman about DX330, and he said he'd just use Laquer Thinner, or preferred, the reducer (gallon) I bought. He said the reducer would work fine for cleaning the metal prior to painting. He did say, that after I clean the metal with the reducer, I'll want to paint or epoxy as soon as possible in order to avoid rusting of the metal....being that it is vunerable at this stage to rust or surface rust? Actually, he said after sandblasting metal can become vunerable to surface rust too?

Question: I forgot to get the spec sheet for the paint, reducers, hardeners, etc...all products are OMNI. Anyone know where I can get the specs? or will it be listed on the back of the cans?

Thanks.

You are correct in preferring the 330 (or 440). A lacquer thinner or an enamel reducer, especially a fast one, is not a comparable product IMO. Here's why. Just because some people use gasoline for surface cleaning prior to painting and apparently get away with it doesn't mean it should be done. You won't find anyone in a professional shop using it for that. At least one that wants to stay in business. It is not the proper product for the job at hand. And neither is lacquer thinner or enamel reducer.

That said however, DuPont's 3812S alkyd enamel reducer was used years ago as a final wipe just before topcoating. For light duty stuff such as finger prints. It was a fairly fast reducer used with the famous Dulux alkyd enamel. For more serious cleaning, the more aggressive 3919S "Prep-Sol" was used. I don't know what DuPont is claiming for those purposes nowadays. The DX330 has been around for a long time...since the '70's at least. Back then it was the only PPG cleaning product as I remember. I see now where there are several different products in the PPG "cleaner" lineup, the 440 included. I have found the 330 to be pretty much a general purpose cleaner. If time was money for you and you wanted a fast final wipe it might be too slow. A few minutes extra dry time is not a problem for me (I'm in no hurry) so I don't bother with another, faster product. A gallon of 330 lasts me a very long time.

I've never tried the squirt bottle approach you mention in a prior post. Sounds like a good idea. I take it you mean a mist spray like you would get from a Windex bottle and not a stream?

The iso caution appears to be falling on deaf ears. A personal decision to be sure. I just hope the tendency of some to ignore the written safety recommendations with using modern paints doesn't somehow end up with jobbers enforcing the current labelling "This Material Is Designed For Application Only By Professional, Trained Personnel Using Proper Equipment Under Controlled Conditions And Is Not Intended For Sale To The General Public". Big government's tendency to "protect us from ourselves" could cause such a thing to happen...iso-containing materials sold only to registered autobody shops with an approved safety plan :o(.

Rod