Tank paint chip repair - damaged new twinset :(

[Daniel M. Thomas]

Hi guys

So I got my new apeks twinset yesterday, tied it up in the back of the truck with another gas tank, it seems to have come loose from the bungee cords and they've smashed into each other, the red paint has come off onto the white paint of the new apexs and it's left a small paint chip in the middle of the tank. I'm hoping I haven't ruined them for good, can anybody advise a good way to go about cleaning them up and fixing the chipped bit of powder coating? What paint or other process should I use?

Pics added below.

Thanks for reading
Dan

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If the chip is down to the steel a sure way to seal it from salt water intrusion is to put a little JB weld into the chip. If you’re good you can tool it right to the edges of the chip and the contour will be flat and not mounded up. Brush touch it later after the JB Weld hardens with a paint that matches. A catalyzed single stage automotive paint is best for that. Epoxy coatings are the best way to seal raw steel. They completely seal it off and are 100% waterproof. I’ve refinished tanks with epoxy primers followed by a colored topcoat and IMO there is no better system for painting tanks than this.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Some of those marks look like they will buff off with a little rubbing compound.

 

[Daniel M. Thomas]

Thanks for the advice Eric, I have bought some JB Weld 8277 Water Weld Putty, i'm hoping it will stick better and be more mouldable than the normal 2 part epoxy JB weld, i will let it dry and sand it down then apply some similar automotive touch up paint on top

 

[jgttrey]

Clean them up however much you want. If it's just a few little nicks, a couple of coats of nail polish works fine. Useful when you get them hydro'd to protect the stamped area. No need to do anything dramatic.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

I appreciate it's frustrating when you've just got new cylinders but there's wrong with a few 'dueling scars', it adds character! It's nearly impossible to prevent the odd scratch and scrape, but it won't do them any real harm. They're tough old birds as long as you don't start dropping them off the back of a pickup.

 

[Scared Silly]

Just pee on them. It probably will not change anything but at least you will feel better .

 

[WarrenZ]

I wouldn't pass a tank with JB weld on it I would want to see the depth of the damage that is a VIP requirement.

What I use is either a dab of zinc paint or if you want a nice white tank again you can get a appliance touch up paint and use that think white nail polish just thicker.

You can probably use a green scrubbing pad to get the red paint off.

 

[rjack321]

+1
Do not put JB weld on a tank
Do not fill scuffs or dings with epoxy or anything but touchup paint

As a visual inspector, if I cant measure how deep the defect is, then I can't vouch that the tank meets standards.

 

[Superlyte27]

I wouldn't pass a tank either with JB Weld