Went to PPG today -- Really confused now

I went to the Local PPG store today to find out what was available at their store. This is the only auto paint store within 40 miles of me. From post by you guys in the past and reading elsewhere I told them I was looking for PPG Ditzco (sythetic urethane enamel) or Delstar (acrylic enamel). I was told that both of these lines were NOT available and I would have to move up to Deltron. So I told them I was painting a tractor and what would they suggest.

They told me they have a PPG industrial line of paint. Available in gallons only; the ford red is $53.46 and the ford gray is $33.87 including hardener. The price quote list it as Item #ALK200-201. The weird part was this paint is sold pre mixed ready to spray out of the can called a Paint Kit. The only thing you would add is 2oz of hardener per quart if you want. She told me a disposal charcoal filter would be good enough to use with hardener but think I will not use hardener after reading post here. Do not want to take the chance. Maybe this hardener does not have ISO's. Need the fact sheet!!!! I then asked about a primer for this paint and was told they have a two part epoxy primer. Well that sounded right from reading here but when I got home and compared to past post it is not the PPG OMNI MP170 I was told to use. Quote list it as IND. Primer Item# EPX900 $33.19 per gallon and Catalyst # EPX901 $21.55 per gallon.
So now being lost with all this over whelming different kinds of paint I went to PPG site and did a search on the paints I was quoted. I can not find it any where. Guess I will call them tomorrow and get a name line for this paint so I can search it further.
Has any one heard of these paints before?????
Any advise on what to ask when I call tomarrow???
One thing I did forget to ask about was a cleaner such as DX330.
Thanks in advance guys.

Well, I am not surprised they don't carry the Delstar mixing tints. They don't in my area either. That's an expensive acrylic enamel that's not used much anymore in the auto refinish business. I also am not surprised about not having the Ditzco. That was (is?) PPG's alkyd (synthetic) enamel from years past. That's used even less in the bodyshops. I am not sure PPG still makes it at all.

I am not familiar with PPG's industrial lineup. I know the major paint manufacturers also have industrial/architechural paint lines as well as automotive ones. Out of curiosity I did find out the following for you:

The paint numbers you mention are in PPG's line known as "Commercial Performance Coatings". That line is covered here. The epoxy primer tech sheet is here. The tech sheet for the ALK200 (without hardener) is here. And for the ALK200/201 go here.

I am surprised (well, actually I'm not) that the salesperson told you it would be "good enough" to use the hardener (ALK201) with only a charcoal mask. That's definitely not what the manufacturer recommends. The ALK201 hardener does contain isocyanates. See the MSDS sheet for this material here. The catalyst for the epoxy (EPX901) does not contain isos. See the MSDS for that here. Note the recommended respiratory protection measures for each of the materials.

It is always easy to play fast and loose with somebody else's health. Just like it is always easy to spend somebody else's money :o).

Deltron is a high-end urethane in PPG's main, native line. It is expensive. For red, think big $$$. It would also contain isos in the required hardener. I am surprised that they apparently do not carry PPG's economy line of auto paints called OMNI. You might want to specifically ask them about that. The MP170 epoxy primer is in that line as is the MAE acrylic enamel and the MTK acrylic urethane.

I really can't advise you on the commercial line. At first blush it would appear that the EPX900 would be similar to the OMNI MP170. The ALK200 stuff is referred to as a "acrylic modified alkyd". Whatever the H that means. I would peg it as having a performance similar to an alkyd (synthetic) enamel. My concern would be early fading of the ALK200 since it is a synthetic enamel. It seems to cost significantly more than a typical synthetic though...more like the OMNI MAE acrylic; so perhaps it could work out well for you. Not many choices out there for performance if you are trying to stay away from isos.

I got carried away with links in this one. I hope they all work correctly.

Good luck.

Rod

I just bought some DelStar Acrylic Enamel at our local Auto Paint store in west central Louisiana (DeRidder). They did not seem to have any problems mixing the color I needed and they had all the correct supplies (reducer, hardener, etc). Not sure where you are at, but if you are interested I can give you their phone number/address.