What really is POR 15 ?

Ok....I know the guys selling it at the car shows say it will fix anything , and probably cure baldness too /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

But what is it ?

is it just epoxy paint ?

I know it hardens up to be tough as nails if you are trying to sand it off something...

Anyway can someone please explain the mystery "additive" that does this ,

or is it all just clever marketing of a standard industrial product ?

thanks

Beaulieu

I dunno, but it really is hard as nails.

Por 15 is a group of products.

There is the black stuff, which is a rust converter.

There is hi-temp paints for exhaust systems.

There are alternatives ( other companies products) that do the same or similar. Por 15 is geared mostly to the auto restorer rather than , say , auto body repairers

The material data sheets say the Por-15 Sterling Silver is a modified Urethane Resin mixture.

https://www.por15canada.com/msds/stirlingsilver.htm

I also read that it uses polymeric isocyanate derivatives so if you want to brush up on your chemistry, here's a link ..

https://www.answers.com/topic/isocyanate-2

I've tried Por-15 rust products but didn't like the multi-step preparation and had some adhesion problems. Rust bullet and Zero rust are easier to work with in my opinion.

Sand blasting is even easier and more effective! Follow that up with Metal Ready or another acid etch product, then coat with POR15. You could use 20 pounds of TNT on the finished part. The part would be gone but the POR15 would still be there in the shape of it.

I'm interested in the silver POR15. When you say it's "hard as nails", can I apply a thin coat of Bondo and a single stage polyurethane enamel over it once it has cured? Also, has anybody tried to lay down a layer of fiberglass cloth using the POR15 as a substitute for fiberglass resin? All replies would be appreciated. Thank you. Nancy

I'm pretty sure you can skim over the POR15 with filler with no problem. I would want to be sure it was fully cured, but you'd want that no matter what the top coat was.

As for a substitute for fiberglass resin- never heard of it being used that way.

Nancy,

The Por-15 site has application instructions that cover this. For Bondo, they say to coat both sides of the rusty part and then apply bondo once the Por-15 has dryed (I'm guessing if it cures completely to rock hard you need to sand/grind it for better adhesion).

Fiberglass should work with Por-15. They sell some 'special' fiberglass on their website but as long as you wet it out completely it should work.

Por-15 used to have a tech forum for asking all these types of questions but it's no longer around. I'm sure you can email or phone the company with any specific questions.

Cheers,
John

I know some will disagree, but my personal experiences with POR15 have been anything but good. I have brake calipers, which I never installed, which have rusted through the POR 15 sitting on the shelf. I was never able to avoid the product from bubbling (like little pimples in the finish, not fisheye), and every piece I coated had inconsistencies in the coverage. On my most recent attempt to use the product, I re-tried several times, using a sandblaster, then soap and water, then the metal prep and marine clean. The worst of all this was that I asked POR15 for help by telephone and via email, and got ZERO response. (and I'm a restoration shop!!!!)

Just my experience. If someone else is able to make the stuff work, more power to 'em.

I tried POR-15 too, but never again, even after spending hours reading the instructions, preparing the parts for the 'treatment', etching the metal, this, that, not worth wasting my time, and then the coating started to peel off in less than a year, which may have been my fault not being an expert at POR-15 application, but regardless, too much trouble and too little results for my effort. not worth it...

if you want a permanent protective coating that you don't have to do yourself, send the part(s) to Jet-Hot Coatings, they sandblast the part, then they apply their Sterling coating which looks like chrome but not quite, it is a ceramic powder mixed with silver, (really!). They also have it in Black, and other colors. The price is very reasonable and they warrant their work. I had muffler pipes and other parts like clamps and panels (including the one where I wasted a POR-15 Kit), done in Sterling, not a single complaint after 3 years. These Jet-Hot coatings are used by the aircraft industry, hot rodders, and me.

Boy, after reading the last responses, now I'm scared to put it on at all. Has anybody else applied POR-15 with great success? If so, I sure would like to hear from you regarding your succesful technique. I'm very close to having to make a decision. Thank you, Nancy.

Nancy, last year we pulled the engine out of my Volvo 1800 to swap the automatic transmission out for a manual.

While it was out, I decided to paint the engine using POR-15's rust preventive paint and then their engine enamel.

I began by scraping years of gunk off the engine and transmission with a putty knife. This removed caked on greasy dirt and some loose paint. Next, I used a toothbrush and Marine Clean (diluted 50%) and scrubbed away at both pieces to removed the rest of the oil and grease. I really took my time with this step because I wanted to make sure everything was CLEAN. Once done, I carefully rinsed the Marine Clean off with water.

Next up, I applied Metal Ready. I kept everything wet for 15 minutes as the instructions required. I used a spray bottle and just kept misting the pieces when they appeared to be drying out. After 15 minutes, I gave everything a very good rinse with more water in another spray bottle, then dried everything with some paper towels and let both pieces sit overnight to really dry out.

Next day I applied a coat of the rust preventive paint. I had no trouble with bubbling as one of the previous posts mentioned. In fact, I brushed it on and was pleasantly surprised at how well it leveled itself to a nice finish.

The day after that I applied my first coat of engine enamel. It took a couple coats of the enamel to cover the black POR-15 I had used as a base coat, but the results were absolutely wonderful and the engine still looks fantastic today. No signs of bubbling, cracking, peeling, etc.

In fact, right now I'm in the process of doing the same thing with the new transmission and differential for my Spitfire. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/yesnod.gif

I don't know why others have had problems with the product but I, for one, am a very satisfied customer!!!

Here are some pictures from last year's project:

Before:


After Marine Clean and Metal Ready:


After POR-15:


The final result after engine enamel:

Hi Jerseygirl,

Thank you very much for the 'good news" story and the super pics!

I will need to apply one fiberglass piece (approx. 12" X 12"). After I do the prescribed prep work, I plan on putting down a very thin coat of silver POR-15, applying the piece of fiberglass cloth, while ensuring the cloth is completely wetted. Once dried, I'll rough-up the surface and apply a thin coat of Bondo, sand, and prime and paint with a single part polyurethane of fire red. I hope this will work out. Thanks again, Nancy.

Nancy,

I have very little experience with Por-15 but you might also want to contact Doug Lawson aka 'dklawson' here at BCF as I believe he has experimented with it quite a bit. Doug is usually hanging out over in the Minis forum so you can quickly find him and send a PM.

Anyway, just a thought to get more opinions.

I've only used it twice but plan to use it plenty more. Even applied with a cheap, coarse brush it self-levels wonderfully. There are no brush strokes left. It also goes on very thin so a small can goes a very long way!

The first time was on a rear axle for my MGB GT. I had the axle tube sand blasted, then used metal ready, rinsed and let it dry completely. Three coats of gloss black left it with a beautiful finish. There are a few tiny "pimple" bubbles but I wasn't being careful at all about avoiding them.

The second time was recently on a fuel tank. I also had it sand blasted, and prepped the same way as the axle. I used Semi-gloss black and it went on beautifully. I don't remember why but I decided to do a fourth coat. This was after a couple days of using the paint. On that coat, things went wrong.

Suddenly it was leaving a mottled, streaky finish. I let it cure completely, sanded things down and applied another coat. Same thing. Cured, sanded and applied another coat and same results again. Last try was to put a really heavy coat on. Better but still no right and now there are seven coats on the tank!

I think what happened is that I stirred the can with an old screwdriver. The directions clearly state that any contaminant in the can will spoil it. I also didn't keep it refrigerated over the week or so I was painting from that can. So I plan to sand it down yet again, and put a coat or two from a fresh can on it. I'm betting that will solve the problem.

It's great stuff, but take every instruction literally and seriously!

"POR-15: Refrigerate After Opening" ? I would not put that stuff in my refrigerator, with the chemical fumes and all. Talk about contamination!...

With the can sealed, fumes aren't a problem...

I had a can in my fridge for several months with absolutely no problems.

I too had a 1973 1800-ES and a 1971 1800-E, (at the same time), the E was a very fast and stable car, expecially on overdrive, (5th), considering it was just a B-20 4 cylinder. The ES was as slow as a turtle with its 3-speed automatic, my MG-B would beat it...both B-20 engines kept blowing the water pump gasket, it was a monthly ritual with those engines. Those were the dayz...Now I have two Jaguar.

Yep. We ditched the ES's original automatic last year (211,000 miles) and replaced it with a 4-speed with overdrive. Much nicer now.

POR means: "Paint Over Rust", then the instructions say that Rust MUST be REMOVED by etching the metal!!!!???? Doesn't take a lot of IQ to realize you've been taken!