enamel paint in canvas filler recipes

Jim_in_No.MN

paddler and restorer
I've read through the knowledge base and other postings on traditional canvas fillers and I'm going to try mixing up my own filler using a recipe that calls for oil based enamel paint.

Any advice on a paint brand to use? Will Rust-Oleum oil enamel flat paint do it? Should I avoid gloss paint?
 
I recently used Benjamin Moore Porch & Floor alkyd enamel, and it worked fine. Other posters to these forums have used other brands, which have worked. One bit of advice, if you are following a recipe like #1 in the knowledgebase, measure and thoroughly mix all components except for the mineral spirits. Then add just enough mineral spirit to get the thickness and viscosity of filler that you want. There's nothing magical about having 21 ounces of mineral spirits in there. Don't know anything about rustoleum. Doubt flat or gloss makes much difference. Tom McCloud
 
Thanks Tom. I have a few more stores to check out for a source for paint. Sounds like following the recipe closely is the best path to success.
 
The thing that made Rust-Oleum special was fish oil - this was the ingredient that provided the protection against rust. With all the changes to paint chemistry over the last years, it may or may not still have it. If it does, I would not use it. Rust-Oleum's newer marine paint should be fine.

One thing you can try is to check the "Oops" rack for mis-mixed alkyd enamel. The stores will heavily discount the oopsies, and you don't really care what color you through in your filler.
 
Thanks Dan. The Rust-Oleum had all the right words on the can: oil based; enamel. So, it seemed like it might fit the bill. Nothing about fish oil on the can, but I had heard that too.

I'll make the rounds of home stores and see what's on the oops rack.
 
I've used Sherwin Williams' Industrial Enamel several times with good success. And I substituted the paint for the varnish and linseed oil components in the recipe, with no problems. It's not clear to me there's any meaningful advantage to using three different, but rather similar, oil-based ingredients in the filler (paint, varnish, linseed oil). Then again, I'm not a chemist.

Say Hi to Paul and Babe for me in Bemidji!

Jerry Fruetel
 
Thanks Jerry. Is this enamel paint meant for metal or more multi-purposed than that?

I wondered about the recipe as well, but I haven't been doing this long enough to improvise too much.

I picked up a couple of gallons of enamel at the recycling center today for free and will give this a look.

Here is a link where you can check on Paul and Babe from time to time: http://www.bemidji.org/pages/ChamberWebcams
 
It's an interior/exterior all-purpose alkyd enamel for wood, metal and other substrates. Here's Sherwin Williams' description:

RECOMMENDED USAGE

For use over prepared substrates in industrial environments:
Exterior/interior all-purpose maintenance enamel
Safety and pipe marking enamel
Economical machinery and equipment finish
Interior wall and ceiling enamel
A utility enamel for multiple uses, including equipment, fixtures, conveyors, fire escapes, window frames, pumps, safety markings, wood floors, railings, steel support structures, blowers, pipe racks, pipe identification, channels and bracing
Conforms to AWWA D102-03, OCS #1
Acceptable for use in high performance architectural applications.
Suitable for use in USDA inspected facilities
 
I have used just about all the cheaper oil based paints in my filler reciepe with no problems. To save a few more dollars more I bought a gallon of Tractor Supply enamel for my last canoe - bad idea..... the stuff was so thick that I used 2 or 3 times more spirits just to keep it from turning the whole mess to paste. Once I got it under control and applied, it did cure just fine - in about the average time. I'm going back to Rust-Oleum or Ace Hardware's stuff.
 
I have used what ever I had enough left over from something else! Including Rust-Oleum. No problems....

I have gone as far as mixing partial cans of Kirby ($$!) but wonderful stufff..... just to get the required amount for the filler. I do like to use a similar color to the final paint. That way if you do get a bad scratch it is not as noticable as it could be.
 
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