What Seam Sealer?

[dave205 19]

What seam sealer are people using when repairing bodywork, treating rust etc?

[SurGie 54]

I use Jotun 87 which is surface tolerant, its a tough 2k epoxy primer that was made for clean steel and is used for sea/fresh water boats. It has a high solid content to also help cover up rust pits etc.

 

Epoxy is as tough as old boots and seals the small amounts of rust that may still be present, so ive used epoxy over most of the chassis parts and chassis itself. The sealant i have used is Tiger seal before i started using jotun, it can cover panel edges due to the amount of solids in it, Tiger seal has a good rep though.

 

I try to avoid using rust converter where ever possible.

[luggy 13]

 

I try to avoid using rust converter where ever possible.

 

Just out of interest why's that George?

[SurGie 54]

On my project thread, i had used some a year before i redid a certain area. What i found was rust was still there eating it away under and inwards. Its quite tricky to get right, so i try to avoid it and remove all rust totally then paint on top.

 

Like with all rust, it needs air and water to keep rusting, converter cant convert or seal it totally unlike 2k jotun can. Total removal is the best long lasting way to treat it, if its worth doing its worth doing well.

 

 

[dave205 19]

Ah i see, so which would be better for sealing all the panel joints? I assume the jotun because isnt the tiger seal more like a rubbery silicone? Or does. It go hard so it can be sanded back and painted easily?

[SurGie 54]

Sealant is good but there is a chance of water getting behind it getting trapped, Jotun is flexible, very tough and firm. I guess you could apply some sealant on top of the edges where the well applied jotun but to me there isn't any point. Jotun can be sprayed with no air fed mask as it contains no iso's but imo would be safer to either roller on with a good mask or spray it with air a fed mask.

 

I found this primer quite versatile, its best to apply a thin first coat then two other medium coats using a small foam roller, brush etc but make sure you get good coverage. I thinned the first coat down with some quality 2k thinners. It comes in winter and summer standard grade hardeners. This means at this time of year outside, you can paint it using the winter hardener and it will cure. I found like with most paints techniques, is to paint on top of this Jotun sort of wet on wet, it can be sanded back but because its soo tough it an be quite hard to do that. However i make sure 24 hours has gone using the summer hardener before top coats, not used the winter grade yet. This primer can as said by the tech sheet be applied in any thickness too. As said, its surface tolerant, even the big cured drips on my garage floor which is dusty wont chip off the floor without a hammer.

 

Here is the tech sheet, give it a good read if you decide to get some of this primer http://www.jotun.com....21.12.2011.pdf

 

Paintsfortrade sell this primer over the internet for about £45 posted, you get almost 5 litres for that and it lasts. Ive used it on my project thread for you to see how it looks etc. Inbetween the panel edges where there is a slight lip opening, this primer goes into it and fills these slight gaps in when its not thinned down. I used one of those syringe measuring things when i need to use small amounts, 16.6ml hardener per 100ml of product using 3-1 ratio but again winter hardener may be different.

 

[rallysteve 22]

I have never had any problem with red-stripe seal sealer. Have used it on land rovers for years, its very tough and a can lasts for ages.

 

Steve

[dave205 19]

I'll have a read of that. Cheers surgie.

 

Steve i want something that will last forever

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

I have never had any problem with red-stripe seal sealer.

 

 

Red Stripe? Are you sure you are not confused with something else!

 

Now Grey Stripe is what I have used!

[matt.f 16]

^^^^^^Thats good stuff,so is wurth sealer

[M@tt 77]

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Adhesives+Sealants/General+Sealants/Polyurethane+PU40+Sealant+310ml+White/d180/sd2350/p67949

[rallysteve 22]

yeah, in a slightly Dyslexic moment I looked at the tin, saw it had red stripes on the lettering and then didnt bother reading the writing

 

Cheers Tom

[CosKev 16]

Tiger Seal gets my vote for sealing seams,but as Surgie says above I would use paint first on the bare/treated metal,then seal the seams once that has gone off properly:)

 

Tiger Seal does need to be properly cured before overpainting,which does take a while in the winter;)

[dave205 19]

Wheres the cheapest place to buy grey stripe then?