Ok,
Here goes, I am needing advice on the steps to use Interlux Bright one part. I have different areas that need different applications.
1- Some areas I have sanded to bare aluminum so what would be the type of etching primer needed?

2- Once etched and sanded to smooth do you prime the entire surface? If so what type of prime do I use?

I think I have read some much I am truly confused.
Please help!
Rob

My one part system came with etching primer designed for the topcoat. I'll bet brightside has one. There are a lot of etching primers out there that will bond to metal. The key is how the topcoat with bond to the primer. I took a conservative approach and left a lot of sound original paint and most of the original brown primer. Where I broke through to bright aluminum I used one of those pressure bottles and primed right away. Later after final sanding I did put down a coat of primer over most of the topsides. If I missed priming some bare metal earlier I sanded it bright again right before the primer coat. My paint system had some limiting factors. The biggest one was that it was not designed to be rolled, only brushed or sprayed. Also the primer was kind of thin. I really could have used a "hi-build" primer to better fill pinholes and cracks. I did use Evercoat Easy Sand filler which has a good etchant built in. I have another project boat and I will consider brightside as a topcoat. I could probably use it on my current project if I could find someone to tint it for me.

I use the high build epoxy primer for two reasons:

Epoxy sticks very well to almost any surface, and topcoats are a lot more fussy, especially the high-performance urethanes. This is important when working on old boats, and is a concern that the factory didn't have.

Sanding many metal primers such as zinc chromate primer, or the metal itself, is a huge waste of time. A sandable primer lets you cut to a smooth surface with little effort, that's what they are for. Don't try to sand something that is as hard as the sandpaper.

For the record, I once painted a mast with Brightside White using a brush. It takes a decent brush, not a disposable, but the finish was just excellent and looked like a $2000 spray job. I was just blown away. So was the owner, last I heard of him he was halfway around the world, in Phuket.

Doug / Yooper/ Jeff/ Jralbert

So I am thinking my method should go as follows.

1- Sand entire surface to get smooth

2- Where I go through to bare I will need to etch with a good etching primer like Petit Catalyzed as soon as possible not to let the metal oxidize. If it does oxidize I will need to lightly resand prior to coating.
"Question" I think I read somewhere that the surface will need to be wiped down with a solvent prior to coating?

3- Next apply a good sandable high-build epoxy primer over the entire surface. Sand back to smooth.
"Question"
Doug- I am going to assume that these different products will all work together? Petit and Primer

4- After a coat of good sandable primer I will sand until flat and smooth so as not to sand through the primer.
"Question"
Will this need to be wiped down with any type of solvent prior to going to next step?

Yooper- "I really could have used a "hi-build" primer to better fill pinholes and cracks."
"Question"
How much will this good high build primer cover up? I have some areas that I have sanded and think if this paint and primer is as good as all indications that a lot of this will cover? buy I really just don't know?

4- After a coat of good sandable primer I will sand until flat and smooth so as not to sand through the primer.
"Question"
Will this need to be wiped down with any type of solvent?

5- Apply first coat of top coat "Thin" roll and tip let dry for 24 hours go over lightly with 220 grit paper.

6- Apply second coat "Thin" roll and tip.
"Question"
Is two coats going to be enough? or will it all depend on how the finish looks?
I am also assuming after final coat you don't sand. Duh
Thanks in advance.

I am spraying my one part - 2-3 coats. I wish I could have rolled and tiped the decks - less taping and covering. I am going to lightly sand the cabin sides (600-800) and finish with a 3M polishing compound. If that doesn't work on the first panel I will stop and just polish and wax or just wax. The walk-on decks I will leave alone. As to cleaning solvent I got a gallon of some stuff at a autobody paint store that works OK. I didn't like the idea of adding more chemical to the mix so I used it sparingly and still have most of it left. I hooked a mini shop vac to my orbital sander so there wasn't much dust left on the work. I used a variety of hand sanders foam, paper etc. to do the curves. I used micro fiber cloth rags dry and wet. They tend to "grab" a rough surface so you know where to sand some more. I also tended to wash an area with compressed air before coating. I was outside.

The autobody guys did my side cowls and flybridge. I didn't have to worry about the trim stripes. They did a great job. They hated my paint. They painted in a booth like a car. 320 grit between coats. No way I can get those results.

Once you decide on your overall system and collect the components pick an area and try it out. Just dig in. It's science but not rocket science. I started by doing a crappy job spraying the cockpit sides. You don't even notice it.

Doug knows about epoxy but be careful and get the right stuff. Epoxy gives some folks an allergic rash. The epoxy watertite filler I used in spots shrank too much, dryed much harder than the sand paper and rejected my topcoat. I don't know anything about epoxy primer but you may need to carefully clean off the analine blush before top coating.

Yooper,
If the EPA didn't ban it, an auto paint store has PPG's DX-330 or they used to 10 yrs ago, we used that on cars, bare metal, primer, before painting its a de-greaser-de-waxer. It's sold by gallon or quart.

Rob:

"So I am thinking my method should go as follows.

1- Sand entire surface to get smooth"

There is no reason to sand the surface 'smooth'. You are sanding to expose a new, uncontaminated surface to give the primer a grip. It can have scratches, whatever. I use 36 grit, it leaves scratches, and the primer fills them. There is no point in sanding metal. You only need it clean so that it can be etched, and only in places where it has no tight cover already.

"2- Where I go through to bare I will need to etch with a good etching primer like Petit Catalyzed as soon as possible not to let the metal oxidize. If it does oxidize I will need to lightly resand prior to coating.
"Question" I think I read somewhere that the surface will need to be wiped down with a solvent prior to coating? "

Read the can. I do not believe that you should sand over etch. The primer goes directly on it.

"3- Next apply a good sandable high-build epoxy primer over the entire surface. Sand back to smooth."

That is what I would do. The primer sands easily - nothing else does.

"Doug- I am going to assume that these different products will all work together? Petit and Primer"

I often mix Petit and USPaint products and have had no problem. If you are buying fresh, you might want to get it all from the same supplier.

"4- After a coat of good sandable primer I will sand until flat and smooth so as not to sand through the primer.
Will this need to be wiped down with any type of solvent prior to going to next step? "

I would blow it off with clean air (oil trap in the line) and hit it with a tack rag - then first topcoat. The surface is clean, you just sanded it.

"How much will this good high build primer cover up?"

High build primer covers many sins. Any scratch or small hole or ding, just paint over a couple of times. An actual dent in the metal should be filled with epoxy filler, it takes too long to fill with primer.

"Is two coats going to be enough? or will it all depend on how the finish looks?
I am also assuming after final coat you don't sand. Duh"

Using Petit Easypoxy, roll on one coat very thin (nearly transparent) and then one fairly solid coat, but not thick. Step on it 10% with Petit thinner, and roll the last coat to a shine. I don't go for a shine, I use the mat finish additive. Between coats, use a scratch pad. Read the can and under no circumstances do something someone like me suggests if it conflicts with what it says on the can.

Others have wonderful results with Brightside, but my experience with it is limited to the one mast. Actually, I'd like to fly to Thailand and see how Rick is doing with that mast, see if it has stood up well to its trip across the Pacific. Maybe enjoy a maitai served by one of those beautiful little dark-haired girls....

Nice work Jeff!

dave

Sanding will not remove all wax and silicones. It will drive them in. Make sure your boat is scrubbed clean before you start then whatever between coat cleaning your paint system calls for should work well. I bought and used the MEK an Toluene recommended by one expert for initial cleaning. I don't like working with it. I'll probably do my next boat (yes I have two Marinettes) with a 3M pad and Barkeeper''s Friend or Comet and a pressure washer. The autobody cleaner solvent I got I used sparingly and to make tack rags. Some experts say to stay away from using mineral spirits as a cleaner. Thats what I used to use for tack rags.