# Substitute for DTM?



## andrillasprocoat (Aug 17, 2018)

Hi friends,
some of you might know me as that annoying guy trying to just get his post numbers up so that he can sell stuff in the for sale thread. 
If you don't know me, I am indeed that guy!

I realized I have an actual question however, and I'm hoping to hear some input

Got a gig coming up where I will be painting an aluminum utility body for a mechanics truck. You know those big boxy rear ends that a standard truck bed can be replaced with? they've got little doors and compartments built in, pretty normal for a fleet pickup.

This one is bare aluminum, so i know it needs to be etched, and clean of course ill hit it with LT, but when speaking with my rep at the paint store he suggested I used DTM wash primer, followed by waterborne Pro Industrial DTM. Ive used the waterborne dtm by SW plenty of times, its great i think its a good product, but really?? there isn't something a little tougher than waterborne PI? I find that hard to believe.

This is for a work truck, its going to have tools and heavy metal objects being loaded in and out. I don't think SW PI DTM is going to hold up very well. If you agree with me, I'd like to know what product you think would work better.

These beds are typically powder-coated i think, but I can't turn my booth into an oven so that's out the running.


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

Ummmm...if you have not figured it out yet...this is a site for house/commercial painters not automotive. SW has auto stores, not sure why they are recommending products like this to you. _Napoleon Dynamite "Idiots"_


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## andrillasprocoat (Aug 17, 2018)

MikeCalifornia said:


> Ummmm...if you have not figured it out yet...this is a site for house/commercial painters not automotive. SW has auto stores, not sure why they are recommending products like this to you. _Napoleon Dynamite "Idiots"_


its ok to not be knowledgeable of a superior product mike! this post was intended for someone who does (if that person exists?)

Thanks for info about separate automotive stores:thumbsup:
but if i was an automotive painter, don't you think I would have known about those?

I feel sorry for you, the coatings world is so huge (hence this sub-section of painttalk 'Specialty Coatings'), I'm not sure why you would limit your abilities to such a small sector. 

If you understood a few basic principles of applying protective coatings then your possibilities would be endless, and work might be more interesting and exciting

But if you find browsing the internet and calling people idiots a productive use of your time that's fine too. someones gotta be the best at that also


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

mastic epoxy + aliphatic urethane


Ideally surface prep more than just etching..


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Ya, I would definitely move to an automotive type catalyzed urathane. 

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