Painting my Build

[tieman]

Hi everyone, I have build several smokers over the past few years and have always had good luck with them. I have got allot of information her but this is my first post.

My build is from a 250 gallon propane tank and is a rf offset firebox. My problem is that the take has a lot of rust pitting all over the tank. I started a extreme ly hot fire and burnt the most of it off. I also sanded it until I was tierd of sanding. I went to Lowes and picked up some Rustoleum in the quart can which I have used before and had good luck with it.
The problem is that the rusted areas does not receive the painthe same as the smooth areas.

What needs to be do to make the paint look uniform? Right now it looks terible and I cannot live with it. Also has used JB Weld to smooth out the rusted areas?
Thanks

[k.a.m.]

Welcome to the ring tieman, looking forward to seeing some pics of your cooks. And your cooker build.
Here is my take on your situation, On the build I am currently building there was a lot of pits on one side of the tank. I positioned that side down . I am not going to try and fill them to make the tank look smooth, that is a waste of time and material. If I had wanted shiny new I would have looked longer for a tank with no pits. Your rust is not taking the paint well because rust is like a sponge and it reacts differently to paint than clean steel. My suggestion is sand blast the entire outside and prime with a good zinc primer and top coat. Then do not look back. To me the outside of the cooker is what it is, whether it be new slick steel or pitted old steel it makes no difference to me. It is how well it performs and the ideas implemented into that build is what matters most and that says a lot about the builder.
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Always remember slow and steady wins the race.

Hybrid Cooker

[tieman]

Thank for the reply k.a.m., When I built my smoker I turned my tank so that the valves on the propane tank were on the bottom so I did not have the option of positioning the tank where I wanted to, but it would not made very little difference as the tank was rust pitted most everywhere.

With all due respect I guess I am just selfish and want the best of both worlds....I want my smoker to preform well and I also want it to look good. I have allot of work in it to give in to a bad apperance.

There has to be some of the guys here that has run accros this problem. I have searched previous posts and very little is talked about preparing the smoker for paint. Someone give me alittle advice please.....thanks

[k.a.m.]

tieman, believe me I respect you wanting to have your cooker look its best. I take pride in every thing I do on one. All I am trying to say is sometimes a tank or piece of pipe is what it is. Example, if you patch all the pits in the tank and she looks pristine. Then you fire her up and and all your JB weld smooth overs start unfolding like a cheap lawn chair, that will not look so good. I would rather have built a great cooker from a not so pretty tank and be happy with the results.
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Always remember slow and steady wins the race.

Hybrid Cooker

[busman]

Well without seeing it, it probably needs media blasted first. Then you could weld up the remaining pit or cavities. Then you would have to grind and sand all welds smooth. Would be tedious and take time depending on how many pit there are. I don't think your JB weld will last to long and not a permanent solution. Either way I think you should media blast your tank. If you don't address the pits and end up just painting over you pits your paint will adhere better and last longer.

[daddywoofdawg]

Yes take it to a sandblaster and let them have at it.then if it's still a big deal to you go old school body work and lead putty I think it's called and do your bodywork on it.depending on your labor force you might find someone that can do that type of work for you cheap.
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[Wreckless]