Van Sickle paint opinions?

[moresmoke]

Bought an older horse trailer for the Daughter’s show goat project next summer. She is talking about giving it a coat of paint.

Local Fleet Farm has changed to Van Sickle brand implement paint. Anybody have experience to share? Particularly how does the red hold up in the sun?

 

[kenbob]

I would say it will fade very quickly....my case orange did. If you want Red my brother who paints a lot of tractors says the IH red from the dealer is pretty good paint for the price.

 

[farmersamm]

IMHO all bright colors fade fairly fast, unless you clear coat them.

I use Van Sickle for just about everything.....it's been a good paint for me.

I couldn't wait to shoot the paint on the trailer when I finished building it.........................nice!!!! (Van Sickle properly thinned for spraying)

Then, like me.............many years later it started to fade..........................

The important thing, and the reason I swear by Van Sickle...............NO RUST.

I use their red oxide primer, followed by a mist coat, and at least 4 properly thinned coats of color.

Thin your primer........reasonably.......not water thin.

Your paint needs to be thinned to the consistency of milk. VERY THIN. I use mineral spirits because I paint outside, and I need a "slow" thinner to increase my flash time, and make for nice spray pattern consistency with no overspray (banding). I allow it to flash to a tacky surface, then do another coat. Gun set at 40psi, all patterns overlapped by half. This stuff will give you close to an automotive finish............which can be preserved if you care to spend the time, and money, to add hardener, and clearcoat it.

My carryall turned out nicely too. I love this stuff. But, it will fade if you don't clear coat it.

 

[NDIHC]

Even if you don't clear coat, adding hardener will make the shine last a lot longer.

 

[farmersamm]

From this.......................................

Edit: All of the above pics of the rebuild were taken with a 35mm film camera, later scanned to digital format. Some were damaged by being in a photo album, which caused some of the smearing odd rendition in the pics.

To this........................

The trailer is probably 10-12yrs out from the rebuild at the time of this pic, maybe longer.

We always powerwash it when we get home from the sale barn.

You might note that the floor is 3/4" thick wood. The strength comes from the expanded metal underlay.

 

[showcrop]

Don't shop by brand. Shop by formula. Alkyd enamel is cheap and will deteriorate. You want Acrylic enamel or 2K urethane. You don't need automotive paint, but if you are doing any amount of prep work you want it to last awhile.

 

[moresmoke]

Don't shop by brand. Shop by formula. Alkyd enamel is cheap and will deteriorate. You want Acrylic enamel or 2K urethane. You don't need automotive paint, but if you are doing any amount of prep work you want it to last awhile.

The reason I am asking is I had really good results from the previous brand of paint this store sold, but I need to find something else.

If daughter wants to do the work, I don’t mind spending a couple hundred on paint. But I don’t see the point in spending $1000 to paint a $2000 trailer. Especially when we will probably only keep it a couple years.

 

[Oregon Tractor Jack]

If you do use VanSickle use either their gloss enhancer/hardener or a urethane hardener. The additives will help keep the gloss on the paint. As stated bright colors will fade faster.

OTJ

 

[showcrop]

The reason I am asking is I had really good results from the previous brand of paint this store sold, but I need to find something else.

If daughter wants to do the work, I don’t mind spending a couple hundred on paint. But I don’t see the point in spending $1000 to paint a $2000 trailer. Especially when we will probably only keep it a couple years.

There is a whole lot of good paint available for under $250 for everything.

 

[moresmoke]

There is a whole lot of good paint available for under $250 for everything.

I’m open to suggestions. It will probably take most of 2 gallons to cover the exterior.

 

[showcrop]

I’m open to suggestions. It will probably take most of 2 gallons to cover the exterior.

Eastwoods has a lot of paint products, tools, supplies, at good prices, and videos on how to do it. Being older you want to first "kill" the rust with a twisted knot wire wheel, and phosphoric acid. You should also prime with epoxy primer.