Por 15

[240zGraham73]

Dumb question but I need to find out.

Where can I find por15, maybe home depot or someplace like that?

And is there any "special" tricks I should know about before using it?

[BD240Z]

I googled POR15, then called them and asked them where I could buy their product in my area. Turns out there's several places close to my home.

You can also buy directly from POR15, you just have to wait for it to arrive. MSA also carries their stuff. I suggest you also get the Ti Coat primer and the Metal Ready and then follow the directions for good results.

Bruce

[Surfsup]

go to msa. they still a starter kit for 13 something bucks plus shipping, i got ripped off with spending 24 bucks at the por15 site.

[geezer]

I'm sure you will find all you need to know from the members here or by doing a simple search. There was one thing that came to mind when reading your post. When you put the lid back on after use, make sure you clean it off real good first. I had one can that I had to cut the lid off to get it open again. It was bonded to the lid and impossible to separate. I suppose that is a testimonial on how good this product is. They make great products and I swear by them. I first used it about 8 years ago and those jobs are still rust free. There are 3 autobody supply outlets within a few miles of me and they all carry it.

Oh yeah...dress appropriatley...hard to get off skin!

[280z1975]

Cerain Wrap (sp?) or clear plastic food wrap works great for keeping the lid from sticking and helps to seal out any moisture from the can. I to learned the same lesson of cleaning the lid, but luckily I was able to pry mine off.

And it will STAIN your hands FOR AT LEAST A WEEK ... kinda like having a messed up looking Henna Tattoo on your hands. I had some on my fingernail once for about 5 weeks before it came off ...

[Z train]

Storage after opening: put it in a tupperware bowl,label it and keep it in the fridge.

[EScanlon]

Wear a paint mask respirator AND ensure lots of ventilation.

This simply cannot be overstated, repeated enough or over emphasized.

Buy the POR in Quart cans. Yes it is more expensive, but unless you are going to paint the WHOLE interior / underside in ONE sitting....you'll be money ahead in the long run. But this is strictly an advisory. It may be that with the other precautions below you'll be $ ahead buying in bulk.

Use a DOUBLE layer of Saran Wrap or similar to reclose the can. Forget to do this ONCE and you'll find out how strong a grip POR has.

If you're working a small area, pull out what an amount from the can and re-close the can with the double layer of plastic. This keeps it from being "activated".

DO NOT return material that you poured out onto a smaller container back to the original container. That keeps the rest of the can from being "activated"

Use Lacquer Thinner to clean off your skin if you get any on it. Otherwise, as has been stated, you will have to WEAR the POR until your skin sheds it.

Follow the Marine Clean and Metal Prep instructions faithfully. Some members have complained that the product didn't work properly after taking assumed short cuts/ substituting products. Those that have followed the instructions are happy and recommend the product. You decide what you want.

Use disposeable brushes. Don't bother with the foam ones as they will just start to rip and tear in a few minutes as the POR starts to set within them. Buy "los cheap-os" from Harbor Freight or the like...like a case of 25 for $5 or so, then simply throw the brush away when finished painting. It's much easier to pick out the one or two bristles that fall off than to pick out the bits and pieces of foam. Using an expensive brush won't make enough difference to offset the cost of the brush and the amount of thinner required to clean it up well enough that it can be reused.

Wear Latex or Neoprene gloves. Again, available cheaply from Harbor Freight and will make it so much easier to clean yourself up afterward.

Did I mention: "Wear a paint mask respirator AND ensure lots of ventilation!"??

If you're planning on top-coating the POR with another type of paint, you can do it while the POR is final setting. Wait till it has set to the "finger-drag" stage then you can just paint right on top of it. This will eliminate having to use their Tie-Coat primer. If you let the POR set completely, then you will have to use the Tie-Coat primer as it's the only way to get other paints to stick to the POR.

It is far better to get an even coat than a thick coat. In fact, a thick coat may react with the atmospheric humidity and not work as well.

There are more, but these are the most important, IMO.

E

P.S.: Did I mention:

Wear a paint mask respirator AND ensure lots of ventilation.

[EScanlon]

Storage after opening: put it in a tupperware bowl,label it and keep it in the fridge.

OH???

From what I've seen with POR, this would result in your contaminating everything in your fridge and rendering it unedible and possibly poisonous.

Additionally, you'd never be able to use the Tupperware bowl for anything else, it would become a POR hockey-puck. Lastly, due to the moisture in the fridge, it would probably set the POR off in no time at all. While the temp would reduce it's reaction time, the moisture would accelerate it.

Sorry, but I don't buy this nor would I recommend it.

E

[ktm]

"Use disposeable brushes."

I use both disposable brushes and high density foam rollers. The high density foam rollers are the ONLY way to go for flat areas. The rollers hold up very, very well and I've never had an issue with them being chewed up.

"If you let the POR set completely, then you will have to use the Tie-Coat primer as it's the only way to get other paints to stick to the POR."

They have another primer that does not have the same requirements as the tie-coat primer - it's their self-etching primer. I used that when painting my engine bay with POR15 and then top coating it with another paint.

If you are painting your chassis, etc. (outside), I highly recommend their chassis coat product which is a topcoat to the POR15. I used this when painting the inside of my tranny tunnel and it comes out amazing.

I second the use of Marine Clean, though you do not need to use Metal Ready AS LONG AS YOU **DO** USE SOMETHING TO ETCH THE METAL. Metal Ready is simply phosphoric acid, which you can buy easily at Home Depot. I have used phophoric acid with great success on all my surfaces I painted with POR15. Marine Clean is a water based degreaser and does not leave a film. I am a convert with Marine Clean. I was using a regular degreaser, but spent a lot of time getting rid of the film after using it.

[nwcubsman]

Graham,

You know there are alternatives to POR15. I have used POR and it is a good product. But you had better plan on buying Metal Ready and Marine Clean as well. It is a time consuming and expensive proposition. Not to mention that you had better buy the smallest container you can, because there is a likely chance that you'll never open the container again. Even if you put plastic wrap under the container. You cannot use it in an area where sunlight will be in contact, as the UV rays will alter its color/finish. Or else you had better put another product over it. And investigate the process to do that, cause it doesn't seem other finishes would stick to it. Now, I'm not trying to downgrade POR cause, like I said it seems to have done a good job in my automotive application. I just couldn't get it off my garage floor.

I have also used Zero Rust. It comes in a spray can and it is much simpler to use. It has a matte finish, but there is a clear you can also use. The thing I like is that you can put a topcoat over it without any problem. It also has done a great job on my suspension components. I am planning on using it behind my bumper to seal the bracketing and cover it with a silver Krylon. When I had my rear bumper rechromed, the chromer told me my bumper was the best condition he'd seen from a Z. Still, when he was grinding, it would spark out when he was over the bracket. Water had gotten in behind the bracket and done its thing. The bumper turned out great, and I plan to protect it in case I ever go through this again. Anyway, I think Zero Rust is easier to use, it adheres well, and when I researched it on the web, I saw evidence that in a marine environment, it worked as well or better than the POR15.

I picked mine up at Industrial Finishes, but I believe that Salem Auto Parts stocks it. Not sure what colors. There is someone in Portland that stocks every color, but the name slips my mind. I could find it for you if decide you need it.

I just thought I'd put in my 4 bits worth, since everyone seems to be a big fan of going to the extra work of using POR.

Good Luck!

[nwcubsman]

You know Escanlon is an enthusiast I respect alot. He knows his finishes. Pay attention to what he says about POR15 being poisonous. It can be nasty stuff.

[EScanlon]

Bryan makes a good point.

Zero-Rust may be just as good or even better. I haven't used it and as such I cannot vouch for it's ease of use, nor it's long-term benefit.

Unfortunately, in order to truly measure the long term benefit, we need to wait another 14 years in order for me to be able to report on the 20 year end result of using POR 15 on metal. I've used several other products, and though the preparation AND precautions behind POR are somewhat cumbersome, in MY experience, I've not come another product that functions in the same manner, nor encapsulates and shields the metal as this stuff does. I've been both professionally and hobby working on cars since 1982.

What convinced me about POR was that a pair of fuel tank straps that I had coated, needed to be bent to fit the application, then when it was determined that these were the wrong length for my car, UN-bent....and the POR did NOT crack, peel, chip, or otherwise show the bend and unbend effects that commonly ruin other coatings.

Additionally, I also have the stain marks on my concrete driveway that have been pressure blasted at least twice a year since 2001 and STILL do not show signs of being blown away.

Is it the best? Well, check back in 14 years. Is there another product that works as well or does the job easier? Maybe. Again, apply it and we'll compare notes in twenty years or so.

The "accelerated" time tests are nothing more than forced extremes. If you wish, you can read volumes of various opinions on what does and doesn't constitute an acceptable "accelerated" conditions test.

Lastly, Metal Prep is NOT just Phosphoric Acid. It also has Zinc Phosphate in it's solution. Whether part of the chemical make up of the Phosphoric acid or in solution and to what molar or molal concentration and to what percentage....well that is what they call a solution formula. That is what separates Metal Prep from the plain old Phosphoric Acid available at Home Depot and no doubt what presumably allows them to patent it.

But, the bottom line is this, when you use the three part process that POR recommends in their instructions....the system adheres properly, seems impervious to attack, and, time will tell, does the job you want. I repeat, it is when people have taken "short-cuts" and substituted other products that are "just as good" or "the same as" that they've reported problems. It takes a simple search on this web-site to prove this statement.

The UV hazing effect isn't hidden, it's openly discussed and that's why they recommend top-coating it and not using it in an application where it's exposed to the sun if that is an undesireable effect.

FWIW

E