ready for a lot of blocking and re-spraying to make the fiberglass surface
look smooth.
Phenolic metal primer
Another primer that has a lot of value in automotive applications is
phenolic metal primer. It has the added advantage of being a red oxide
that mimics primers used around the period of World War II and after.
Phenolic metal primer is a direct-to-metal primer that doesn’t use an
activator, but is still durable. It normally thins with Xylene, but
urethane-grade reducer works better, because it gives some temperature
control. Phenolic primer can even be brushed on, which is great for the
inside of a differential or transfer case. When applying the phenolic red
oxide with a paint gun, it is best to go with a light coat initially
(sometimes called a tack coat) and then come back with a heavier
second coat. Don’t thin the phenolic any more than necessary to get it
through the gun. It’s not as versatile when it comes to multiple coats as
high-build primer. Once the phenolic is sprayed on a panel, it requires
one to two hours of dry time before top coating. Since it is a red oxide, it
will be much harder to cover with color than gray or green primers, but
in many cases, it is the original material used.
When spraying the primer — or any paint product — the only thing
more important than a quality job is a safe one. This painter is