Best finish for steel tray

[beebee]

Does anyone have any thoughts on the best finish to apply to a steel tray?

I've got a rusty tray that I'm going to clean up. I don't really want to spend more than say $500 on the whole process. My plan was sandblast and 2 pac it (which I can do myself for cheap) but now I'm thinking powdercoat might be better. However, in my experience, powdercoat doesn't stand up well externally unless a rust treatment (ie galvanising) is applied prior to the finish coat.

What do most body builders do to their trays? Looking for good looks and longevity. Not interested in the cost (and look) of galvanising.

Cheers,
BB

[crunk81us]

spray it with kill rust first?

[just cruizin']

Unfortunately there is nothing that's durable and as hard wearing as gal. Powercoat is fine however corrosion will grow under it and it can't be touched up. Paint it

[shortyq]

500 will cover blast,paint,oxide floor
thats what i charge!

[Rhett]

blast it and speed line it. You saw the stuff in my suzi the other weekend. Heaps tougher that rhino linner

[beebee]

Thanks Rhett but I think that would be over capitalising on this tray! The speed liner looked like great stuff though.

[mud4b]

as shortyq said.

red oxide paint is the shizzle for anything that needs protecting first, you can paint over it.

cheers mark.

[ISUZUROVER]

If it was me I would sandblast, gal, then etch prime and 2-pac over the gal if I wanted a non-gal look.

Might be overcapitalising, but would last for ever.

Powdercoaters have told me that 2-pac is more durable than powdercoating.

[shortyq]

as shortyq said.

red oxide paint is the shizzle for anything that needs protecting first, you can paint over it.

cheers mark.

nah mate i 2k prime the whole thing,wet on wet.
only oxide the floor!

[beebee]

FYI - I ended up getting it sandblasted and etch primed for $300 at a truck refinisher. I would have preferred a zinc rich primer but as these guys are doing truck bodies and industrial coatings all day and don't worry about zinc rich primers, I tend to have faith in their system.

I'll throw a few coats of 2K on it tomorrow and it should be good.

BTW IMHO is heaps more durable than powdercoating.

Thanks for the advice!