Fast Etch Dried.....Now What?

hazmatty3614

New Member
I applied Eastwood's Fast Etch to my bare metal panels and a lot of it dried. I cleaned some areas after with acetone to apply body filler. I want to epoxy primer the panels. I need some advice on what to do before applying the primer. Eastwood says I can wipe it down with Pre or acetone and that will remove the coating, then apply the epoxy primer. Not sure I like that answer. I'm also concerned that my filler won't stay on the panels over time. I'm a first-timer here, so I apologize for my lack of knowledge.
 
There are some epoxy primers that can be applied over etch. SPI epoxy is NOT one of those products . SPI epoxy is not formulated to be applied over etching products. Best thing is to remove the etch and apply epoxy before any filler.
 
I applied Eastwood's Fast Etch to my bare metal panels and a lot of it dried. I cleaned some areas after with acetone to apply body filler. I want to epoxy primer the panels. I need some advice on what to do before applying the primer. Eastwood says I can wipe it down with Pre or acetone and that will remove the coating, then apply the epoxy primer. Not sure I like that answer. I'm also concerned that my filler won't stay on the panels over time. I'm a first-timer here, so I apologize for my lack of knowledge.
I am curious what you were trying to achieve using that Fast Etch product.
 
I had the car stripped by the Dustless Blasting which made a massive mess, basically a car full of sand. After vacuuming a lot of it, I pressure washed it. It then sat for a few months in the garage and surface rusted. I applied the Fast Etch which removed the rust and it hasn't come back, but the panels have a coating I can feel with my fingers. It doesn't need much body work and I would do that over primer anyway. My concern is that I shouldn't epoxy primer over the dried Fast Etch so I need a strategy. I understand removing the Fast Etch before epoxy but how? Re-wet it with more product, wipe down, then rinse with acetone? Would sanding the panels and wiping down suffice? I'm ready to get this car in primer I just need this part figured out.
 
just a note as i'm sure the fast etch is an acid base product. you CANNOT apply filler over even a mild acid. it neutralizes the BPO hardener where it contacts the metal so the filler will harden except the micro fine layer touching the car. it will basically fall right off.
 
I am somewhat familiar with Eastwoods Fast Etch and used it myself a few years ago. On their website the Q & A's for that product do suggest re-applying more fast etch to reactivate. I would then be inclined to follow the instructions from SPI for neutralizing OSPHO (pasted below), which will require a water rinse. I would also go another step and use the waterborne wax/grease remover which apparently is the best for bare metal.

From SPI Tech Manual:
Neutralizing Skyco Ospho:Ospho is the only rust treatment we recommend IF needed under epoxy primer.Apply Ospho as needed and leave it on as long as you like.When you are ready to neutralize the dry Ospho, apply one more coat of Ospho over the area tobe neutralized and let it set for 5 minutes. 14Using a clean towel and water, wash off the wet Ospho like you are washing a car then dry witha clean towel.A dry acid film cannot be neutralized or sanded off.
 
"Fast etch" is their brand of etching primer.
This is interesting Chris...I have always thought this was essentially a phosphoric acid of sorts. Here is what my label shows. I am intrigued as I am intending to change over from the Nason epoxy I used last summer to SPI and want to prep appropriately, so this helpful.
 

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I agree. Eastwood does have some good stuff but in general it's all way over priced and I would not use any of their paint products. Especially with the price and performance of SPI product line. Check it and see for yourself. I have found a sale or two that was very good so I do look at them.

Griots Garage is another one where I think they are for the "well heeled" auto enthusiast!
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I agree. Eastwood does have some good stuff but in general it's all way over priced and I would not use any of their paint products. Especially with the price and performance of SPI product line. Check it and see for yourself. I have found a sale or two that was very good so I do look at them.

Griots Garage is another one where I think they are for the "well heeled" auto enthusiast!
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im not professional, i started out with the eastwood starting line gun set. a cute 3 pc gun set. and some of their paint products. if i known then what i know now. i wouldnt have bought them. just trying to save the guy money and time. didnt mean to come off as rude. lol
 
i dont really use acid treatments but just some things i have noted over the years.......if you want to neutralize then zep purple degreaser is on the opposite side of the ph scale and has a detergent in it. still needs to be rinsed off with water though. all of the phos acid rust treatments i have used, not primers, have always had zinc in it which is what is left on the surface to keep the metal from rusting and causes most of the adhesion issue. its like coating the bare metal with wax. you cant see it but paint isnt going to bond to the metal as it insulates it. to make adhesion matters worse, of all the epoxies i have used, both primers and just epoxy resins in general, except one, have all been super chemical resistant once cured but have been sensitive to acids. its the only thing that softens them. i have an epoxy poured wood countertop in my bathroom and the cleaner i use for the copper sinks is just a very mild acid. it will instantly water spot the countertop. it goes back to normal after some hours but i dont let it sit there for more than 30 sec. it shows how sensitive epoxies are to acids. only one that isnt that i know of is novolac epoxy which i dont think is used in epoxy primers. im not familiar with the product posted at all.
 
my problem with eastwood is that most of their products are rebranded and they dont give much info on it. also they jack the price up.
so, if im going to buy a kirker product, why not just buy it from them for less and get more info on it. know what your buying and pay for what it is. i have learned some brand name parts are the same. so if im gonna buy a china made part, theres no need to pay for a brand name box.
east wood does have some specialty tool deals some times.
on the acids.......i have tried a couple different kinds and so far im not impressed. i have yet to try real oxpho, maybe it would do better?
if i have to keep scrubbing and sanding, i see little use in the hassle of also using acid. having said that, i am on the look out for a more radical way of removing surface rust short of blasting.
 
Thank you Don for pointing out what the product actually was. I edited this thread of my posts to reflect that. Sorry for getting that wrong.

So to the OP's questions, yes it would need to be neutralized as per the TDS it states it leaves a zinc phosphate coating. So you need to re-wet with the product, let it stay wet for 10-15 minutes, scrubbing the panels with an old scotchbrite or wire brush is a good idea while it's wet. Then rinse with water. If you don't have any more of the Eastwood product you can use any phosphoric acid based treatment to wet the panels. Just be sure to wet the panels, and keep them wet for 10 minutes or so. Then rinse. You may see some flash rust after rinsing but that is OK.
It's a good idea to then go over everything with 80 grit on the DA or by hand and then epoxy.
 
I haven't played around with acid etch products for many years, but my suspicion is that the Ospho neutralization process detailed in the epoxy section of the Tech Manual would work to remove the residue of the Eastwood product, and since the Ospho procedure has been tested and shown to work, it might be the better route. But, in case I wasn't clear, I have not done this personally.
 
I find if I use acid i sand da metal 220 to 320 so you don't have peaks and valleys treat metal and neutralize the da with 80 grit
 
I find if I use acid i sand da metal 220 to 320 so you don't have peaks and valleys treat metal and neutralize the da with 80 grit
That may be true, it may not. Everything I've ever heard is that you can't remove an acid film by sanding. You may get most of it but not all of it and it will fail in those areas.

SPI in the Tech Manual specifically mentions that you can't sand an acid film off.

Seems like you are setting yourself up for failure going against what's advised. Especially when it's not hard or time consuming to neutralize.
 
That may be true, it may not. Everything I've ever heard is that you can't remove an acid film by sanding. You may get most of it but not all of it and it will fail in those areas.

SPI in the Tech Manual specifically mentions that you can't sand an acid film off.

Seems like you are setting yourself up for failure going against what's advised. Especially when it's not hard or time consuming to neutralize.
I think maybe you misread. I read it as he treats, then neutralizes, then DA with 80.
 
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