Hammerite any good?

[teriyakimonkey]

Is hammerite any good for rusty bits that need a spruce up? How does it look. I'm assuming you can get a smooth finish version of it. Where I live it'd be hard to spray anything as I'm on a top floor flat. Anyone used it? Any pics? How do I prepare stuff for painting and finally, is there any parts which it isn't suitable for (apart from things that get hot and aluminium)

Cheers folks.

[Recycler]

I've used smoothrite (spray-on) on a XT frame I stripped. I used a zinc primer and although the finish was very good the paint chipped easily so it looks like they weren't compatible.

I tried smoothrite (brush-on) on another XT frame without primer and it was solid.

[teriyakimonkey]

Their website says it can be painted striahgt onto rust? Will this stop it rusting from the inside out?

[Whealie]

I've tackled minor bits of rust on the frame with a bit of sandpaper and some hammerite smooth (possibly even the cheaper Wickes version) that I had lying around. Always thought I'd go back to it later but more than a year on it seems fine.

[JohnR]

I used Hammerite on some mudguard parts on another bike and it is fine. Best to rub out the rust first, apply directly (brush), and give it a second coat. The rules for that are a bit specific so follow their instructions on timing.

[icenian]

It's great for things like frames, fairing backets etc. I've heard people say it chips easily, and on really exposed things like fork sliders this seems to be a problem.

The smooth silver is a perfect match for an Africa twin frame, and I can barely see where I've touched it up. I've touched up the fairing brackets under the clocks, and that would be a great job had I bought 'stain' rather than gloss black

I once sprayed a Givi pannier frame with a Hammerite aerosol as a quick bodge. I didn't even rub it down properly, but it lasted for years!

I don't think the finish is good enough for bodywork.

[teriyakimonkey]

You mean the plastics?! Oh no. Wouldn't do that.

Thanks for your info chaps.

[mightdomaybe]

Not wanting to put a damper on anything, but there is always a lot of talk about Hammerite on the Old Brit sites, mainly because the quality/make up of the paint 'seems' to have changed, probably due to EEC / Govt changes in paint ingredients. It doesn't cover like it used to. Have a look at Frost Restoration's range of POR15 paints. They have a 'first hit' site if you Google them. If you paint it with POR, the POR will be there whan the panel has gone !

[Lumiya]

Hammerite and it's smooth version smoothrite are bloody good paints as long s the instructions are followed. Don;t use any primers apart from their own brand, brush out any rust first. Years ago we used to do radio case panels with the hammered version s you could just pour it on the panel, tilt it around to get a good thick coverage then just leave the flat panel to dry, excellent finish and lasted for years.

Kymmy

[Lumiya]

Not wanting to put a damper on anything, but there is always a lot of talk about Hammerite on the Old Brit sites, mainly because the quality/make up of the paint 'seems' to have changed, probably due to EEC / Govt changes in paint ingredients. It doesn't cover like it used to.

Does any paint these days? EEC, costs, cheaper alternatives all have an effect on production of just about any product. Gone are the days where products were made to a companies specification, here are the days where instead they're made as cheaply as possible to cover the minimum specifications possible.

Kymmy