Day Two Continued:
Removing the dirt was easy - I just transferred all of it to my body! My wife tells me I'm a dirt magnet & I guess this is proof!
Shazam! The dirt just flew off! I sprayed degreaser on the frame, scrubbed it down with a scrubby, then I washed it all down with the garden hose. Then a thorough wash-down with brake cleaner then I let it dry. Now that's a clean frame!
Next came the Metal Ready treatment from POR-15. I sprayed it on liberally from a spray bottle and let is stand for about 20 minutes. Then I hosed it all off again and blew it dry. The white residue is zinc phosphate an excellent rust inhibitor and etching compound for the paint. This is what you want your metal to look like before you apply POR-15
I used a propane torch to heat up areas where water would be trapped. All water needs to be removed before the paint goes on.
because of it's self leveling characteristics, you need to apply thin coats. This is how much coverage I got out of a single dip of the brush. I pour the paint into a little custard dish so I won't contaminate the can.
There! Done for the day! The finish is so smooth it looks like it was powder coated. After I was done, I wet the shop floor down to speed up the curing time. POR-15 cures by pulling moisture out of the air, so the more humid conditions are, the quicker the drying time.