"dadiOH" wrote in message
...
Steve B wrote:

I was merely asking if the liquids in enamel would be bad for an
airless sprayer. I have since read up, and have changed to an
alkalyd paint, as it is gentler on the sprayer, and has a good
outdoor performance rating.

What liquids are there in "enamel" that there aren't in alkyd paint?
Actually, how does alkyd paint differ from "enamel"? AFAIK, enamel
(paint) is just glossy oil paint. Or maybe you mean a water born alkyd?

--

dadiOH

Herein lies my confusion.

I used to use enamel way back before California outlawed it, and then the
ornamental metal business had to readjust big time. At that time, in the
80's, I used what was called "enamel". It used solvents to clean up. It
was an oil based paint, and water would not clean it up very well from tools
or sprayer.

I tend to think that what I am thinking about is VOCs. The stuff in the
paint that keeps it wet while contained, and help it dry when exposed to
air. And the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) would be what eats on the
soft plastic parts of the sprayer.

Enter: alkyd. Described as a synthetic oil vehicle that cleans up with
mineral spirits. Not sure what the VOCs, or comparable component, does to
plastic parts, but the fact that it would clean up with common thinner makes
me think the VOCs are not as strong or corrosive as other solvents used to
clean up paint.

I am asking what to use, as I obviously don't know. I am going to paint the
exterior of two ocean-going containers, along with some corrugated metal I
put on them. It is going to be exterior, exposed to a harsh environment. I
would like to go with something that it doesn't take plastic eating
components. I have used alkyd before, and it performs to what I want. The
clean up seemed easier than "real" enamel.

So, I would appreciate any suggestions on what to use.

Steve