# painting a chain



## jacob33 (Jun 2, 2009)

Does anyone have a method of painting chains that will ensure coverage and be quick. I have several metal chains to paint. They are connected to metal parts and trailers so it can not be dipped. I dont even know if that possible anywise. The problem I have is if I just spray it it doesnt get covered well and it rusts in the rain. Honestly even with brushing they still might rust in the rain. The metal rusts almost instantly from moisture. I suggested using metal that wont rust for the chains but currently thats not an option.


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

How good does it have to look? If it's trailer chains, just wear and tear parts, how about a staining mitt.


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## jacob33 (Jun 2, 2009)

Problem is it needs to look good. I think I will try to rattle can them and than spray with the airless the top coats. Last time I sprayed with just the airless and they looked good but once it rained they started to rust where it was not coated well. I think it might also be that paint gets knocked off the chains as it moves but its difficult to tell.


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## I paint paint (May 4, 2014)

Is this the fraking missile?

Somehow alert the serious industrial crew here.

Maybe "Painting a chain" is not an exotic enough title to get the views your question deserves.


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## jacob33 (Jun 2, 2009)

Its not a very exotic title at all. Yes it is on the fracking missiles we are painting another one and we noticed that some of the chain on the first one started to rust after it was in the rain and hauled down the road. Its not bad but I dont like it if there is a solution to it. There may not be. The chain just holds various caps on the trailer that get screwed onto the pipes ends. There are 40 chains about 2-3 feet in length. The problem is coating the whole surface of the chain links since they interlock obviously and make it tough to cover it all. Plus as this thing goes down the road they swing and knock so I dont know that it did not get chipped that way than rain hit it.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

If the color doesn't matter, I would just paint it with red oxide primer. Kem Kromick maybe. 
It dries so fast you could roll on a few coats with the chain in different positions. Pull it tight, roll it on all sides. Let it slack, roll it again. The red oxide wouldn't stick the links together too bad. 

I've painted chains on utility trailers like that.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

I would think chain needs a special coating. With the amount of "interaction" between the links, how can any "normal" surface coating be expected to NOT get chipped off?

Chains are NOT stationary objects. They are put under lots of load with sever impact and abrasion between each link.

Will powder coating stand up to the wear and tear a chain goes trough?


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

I paint paint said:


> Is this the fraking missile?
> 
> Somehow alert the serious industrial crew here.
> 
> Maybe "Painting a chain" is not an exotic enough title to get the views your question deserves.


I checked in to see if it was about a Burger King, Auto Zone, or Super Cuts. :blink:


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## jacob33 (Jun 2, 2009)

daArch said:


> I would think chain needs a special coating. With the amount of "interaction" between the links, how can any "normal" surface coating be expected to NOT get chipped off?
> 
> Chains are NOT stationary objects. They are put under lots of load with sever impact and abrasion between each link.
> 
> Will powder coating stand up to the wear and tear a chain goes trough?




You are correct it did have a special coating from where ever the chain was made and would not rust but the sand blaster in all his brilliance blasted them which was not supposed to happen. I did some digging today and that was the problem.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

Other than a chain that was stationary or decorative, I don't recall ever hearing about painting chains. To my way of thinking, a chain that's used in the everyday way we think of, there's no coating in the world that'll stand up to that. Tons of grinding pressure on a paint film? :no:

Chains are used until they wear out from abrasion, then they're replaced. :yes:

JMHO


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## jacob33 (Jun 2, 2009)

Yeah its a minor Issue I just dont like that it looks all rusted. If it had not been sand blasted it would have been coated and than even if the paint chipped it wouldnt have rusted. I just did not like seeing the rust. There is no solution now but in the future the chains will not be sand blasted.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

slinger58 said:


> Other than a chain that was stationary or decorative, I don't recall ever hearing about painting chains. To my way of thinking, a chain that's used in the everyday way we think of, there's no coating in the world that'll stand up to that. Tons of grinding pressure on a paint film? :no:
> 
> Chains are used until they wear out from abrasion, then they're replaced. :yes:
> 
> JMHO


Yup, Ever seen a prisoner in eco-green chains :whistling2:

I once had a bicycle chain that was rubber coated. It just looked ODD. Didn't last long - the rubber coating.

We have to remember that exterior paint was not initially purposed as DECORATIVE,but as PROTECTIVE.

It retarded rot, rust, and decay.

Chains are made from HIGH quality steel, like plows, bridges, BIG industrial earth movers, they last a long time in the open elements.

It's actually cheaper to replace after 10 years than to keep looking pretty every two years. (exaggerations knowingly employed for educational effects)


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## radio11 (Aug 14, 2015)

I would be more inclined to oil or grease a chain. Painting a chain seems akin to pushing a rope--only works for a short period of time. The red oxide mentioned may be a viable option. Of course Breakthrough seems to get a lot of love here on PT...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

http://www.rustoleum.com/product-ca...rmance/spray-paint/v2100-system-rust-reformer

futtyos


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

Dip them.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Jmayspaint said:


> If the color doesn't matter, I would just paint it with red oxide primer. Kem Kromick maybe.
> It dries so fast you could roll on a few coats with the chain in different positions. Pull it tight, roll it on all sides. Let it slack, roll it again. The red oxide wouldn't stick the links together too bad.
> 
> I've painted chains on utility trailers like that.


This is what I was thinking.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

Hot Dip seems like the best solution to me. 

Or some sort of electrostatic spray. I know copper is chemically coated to prevent rest outside, just not sure how it holds up to mechanical abrasion like a chain.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

woodcoyote said:


> Hot Dip seems like the best solution to me.
> 
> Or some sort of electrostatic spray. I know copper is chemically coated to prevent rest outside, just not sure how it holds up to mechanical abrasion like a chain.


Copper rusts ?? Copper is an element, as is iron. Iron rusts.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Just wet it with a rattle can, or conventional, until they're replaced.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

daArch said:


> Copper rusts ?? Copper is an element, as is iron. Iron rusts.


My early entry for PTWOTD: verdigris.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Gough said:


> My early entry for PTWOTD: verdigris.


Thank you Mr Roget. Took the word right out on my mouth. :thumbsup:


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

sorry, dumb thumb post


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I only knew the term patina for copper oxidation. Learned something new!


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## Oden (Feb 8, 2012)

Really they just need to use galvanized chains. This won't rust. Non galvanized right away they start to rust.









But really? You getting a extra for it? I mean it is wear and tear maintenance. Not from substandard work. Not ur fault in other words. And hey they could use also use powder coated chains, them chains dipped in rubber they have options, they are all by linear ft of chain price $$$ more money, and it adds up. I don't know exactly but a galvanized chain may be 4 times as much by linear foot maybe more. Not sure but it is more money. So? If they chose to, spend their budget on maintaining them non coated chains rather than spending that money at manufacture, good for you. Why volounteer a solution that costs you work?


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## jacob33 (Jun 2, 2009)

It was galvanized chain their sand blaster blasted it with the rest of the trailer instead of protecting it. Thats why it rusted. The issue has been resolved for future projects I was just trying to find a way to remedy the last one but its probably not possible not a big deal. Thanks for all the advice.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

daArch said:


> Copper rusts ?? Copper is an element, as is iron. Iron rusts.


Yeah. But they have ways of stopping the rust from occurring with specialty coatings.

Eitherway the op should hot dip. Problem solved.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

woodcoyote said:


> Yeah. But they have ways of stopping the rust from occurring with specialty coatings.
> 
> Eitherway the op should hot dip. Problem solved.


I have to disagree, copper does NOT rust. It's a non-ferrous metal.



> from Wikipedia:
> Rust is an iron oxide, usually red oxide formed by the redox reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture. Several forms of rust are distinguishable both visually and by spectroscopy, and form under different circumstances.[1] Rust consists of hydrated iron(III) oxides Fe2O3·nH2O and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH), Fe(OH)3).
> 
> Given sufficient time, oxygen, and water, any iron mass will eventually convert entirely to rust and disintegrate. Surface rust is flaky and friable, and it provides no protection to the underlying iron, unlike the formation of patina on copper surfaces. Rusting is the common term for corrosion of iron and its alloys, such as steel. Many other metals undergo equivalent corrosion, but the resulting oxides are not commonly called rust.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

Yeah my bad on the wording. Oxidation. Turns a patina green. I.e. statue of liberty.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

woodcoyote said:


> Yeah my bad on the wording. Oxidation. Turns a patina green. I.e. statue of liberty.


If you'd only used quotation marks. Arch might have let it slide if you'd talked about copper "rust".

But probably not.:jester:


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