Painting aluminium cheap(er)

[numenius]

Having stripped and rebuilt my outdrive, I've now removed the several layers of flaking paint put on by previous owners, passing through various colours and even a layer of what appears to be bitumen before reaching the remains of the original Volvo Grey. My question is what to repaint with? I know that there are "outdrive paints" out there, but I really cannot believe that it NEEDS to cost £40 to paint somehing as small as an outdrive. I've spoken to the folks who make Hammerite who stated "none of our products are suitable for immersion" (which came as a surprise as several years ago they also advised me that it was OK to paint the inside of a drinking water trough with Hammerite). BTW, I do not intend to put antifoul on top - I didn't last year, and all I had to remove this year was a cluster of about 6 small barnacles, which came off no problem (I'm moored in the tidal section of a river - fresh water for half the tide, sea water the next, which may be why I don't have much of a fouling problem?) Any suggestions as to a cheaper option? I'm sure outdrives where painted before the advent of two-pack etc. - but what with?

http://members.lycos.co.uk/boaty1965/index.htm

 

[Buck]

The important thing about painting alluminium is to use a self etching primer first, if not then the paint will keep flaking off, if you use the correct primer then have a look at Plasti-kote paint available from B&Q, I have had some really good results with this although I've never tried it on an outdrive, it worked well on the hull of my old Rib and stood up to beaching etc..

Buck

The thing about men and fish is one is always trying to eat the other.

 

[steve_cronin]

Zinc Chromate is the ...

accepted primer for bare aluminium.

I re-painted a 50hp Evinrude back in the 80's but I got the motor back to bright aluminium, coated it in International ZC etch primer and then used two part paint mixed for me by an automotive paint supplier. It was matched exactly to Evinrude blue from a sample which i took in to the paint people. It cost a fraction of the cost of genuine OMC paint and lasted for years - well up until I sold the boat. Like all paint jobs it's the preparation that is 9/10ths of the job.

Steve Cronin