G'day Everyone

I am currently rebuilding a tractor slasher for my Dad. It is actually more of a new item as I have rebuilt the gearbox with new bearings and seals and the actual slasher deck I have completely fabricated with new steel.

All of the steel I have used has been either soaked in hydrochloric acid or vinegar to remove the mill scale to improve the welding process and for better paint adherence when i paint it. Post mill scale removal I dried it all down and wiped with turps which has kept flash rust at bay. In the couple of areas where I have faying surfaces i have coated both items of steel with cold gal to help minimise rust if water was able to find its way in.

I am nearly up to the painting stage and I would like to ensure a good quality finish without spending a fortune on paint as well as realising that it is a slasher and it will get beaten up a bit, particularly the underside.

I am going to do a hammertone on the top and sides with probably just chassis black on the lower surface with the understanding that the chassis black will mostly be gone after the first use. Where I am stuck is the preparation/undercoat.

As much as I have tried to ensure there is no rust inevitably there is a small amount visible (fingerprint areas etc). I am thinking of either sanding it back with emery in a sander and then clean and apply etch primer, then top coat. The alternative is to leave it but coat with a combined rust converter/primer (probably a hitech product or similar seeing as they are no longer in existence) and then either paint en etch primer then top coat of just do a top coat straight over the rust converter product. The benefit of this way is that I don't need to be 100% sure of removing every speck of rust.

I have two questions:

1) What is the best way to prepare/undercoat etc prior to top coat

2) What is a recommended hammertone paint to use? I am currently considering a Septone product seeing as Rustoleum is no longer in existence for industrial products.

Thank you for any assistance that can be provided.

Cheers

Yozza


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