Can anyone divulge what the working time for POR-15 is? I seem to recall somewhere reading that once the tin is opened you have to pretty much use it all there and than, as the top sets and you can't get to the rest. Is this true, or is it not as bad as it sounds

Basically can I buy a tin and use it in a few sessions, or do I need to do everything I want in 1 go?

Cheers, Sy

you need to decant a small amount which you can use in about 20 mins. you then need to resel the tine using a peice of clingfilm under the lid so it seperates again...

And do NOT get it on your skin - I really doesn't come off!!

Another method is to decant what you need, replace the lid FIRMLY (re-use those spring clips, if you've still got them) and store the tin upside-down. The surface of the paint that's in contact with air ends up at the bottom of the tin the next time you open it.

One warning: I ended up with a ring of paint on my shelf doing this trick, when I failed to replace the lid as tight as I should have!

^^^ What he said (especially the bit about getting it on your hands/face - wear vinyl gloves!)

I had a big can which I decanted from and it lasted about 6mo before going off suddenly, guess I hadn't quite sealed it. Use glass jars to decant into, plastic cups melt

Frost sell packs with 6 small cans which while a little more expensive makes life a little easier.

Finally don't shake the can (easy to do with the little cans) it puts bubbles in the paint which become a pain.
The idiots guide (on the POR15 website) claims a single drop of sweat will ruin a whole can which at the price is worth knowing.

tip i wastold it to turn the can upside own so the paint coats the lid to form a seal.

quote:

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Originally posted by 02GF74
tip i wastold it to turn the can upside own so the paint coats the lid to form a seal.

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Thanks all, hopefully should stop me wasting a whole tin

Yep - as above.

it reacts with air.

I found that when sprayed on my chassis which was treated with their zinc stuff, if was a very shiny top notch finish and was better than powdercoat - very hard to scratch off with a screwdriver.

But I never got the same joy both in finish and durability when painting by hand.

Pat...

Do you have to thin it to spray it? If so, what with and how much?

quote:

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Originally posted by smart51
Do you have to thin it to spray it? If so, what with and how much?

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I can't remember - it was as per the tin and website.

Finish was like a mirror:

http://locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=42831

Was an arse to clean the gun though - needed lots of the thinners.

The toughness was like nothing I have ever seen - I was just never able to replicate it by painting by hand.

When I do anything else, I'll pay someone to spray it with por-15 as you need a booth as it makes a right mess.

Pat...

[Edited on 13/1/08 by Avoneer]

I threw one of my old tins of POR in the freezer after sealing it with clingwrap. A year or two later, it was still good. I'm not sure if the freezer had anything to do with it or if I just sealed it well, but it's got a good long shelf life after opening if you keep it out of fresh air.

Where is the 'locost' place to buy POR-15?

Thanks

The price doesn't really vary.

How much POR 15 do I need to cover a chassis? (painted by hand and no floor fitted)? Its pricey stuff and I don't want to buy too much.