Excellent! And at the end there you say this wasn’t scientific, but as a PhD student, I’d say this was scientific. You had a blind hypothesis (not knowing what to expect). You had a method (all pieces were painted and cured at the same time, and run through the machine at the same time). You had steps in your method. You had a control piece, and an experiment group. You produced a set of results. You had a conclusion. That sir, is science. Excellent!

Thumbs up for no music, no filler bs.

Great video. No unnecessary elevator music, barking dogs or air compressor tools making noise. This was a well thought out test and comparison. Well done.

Thanks for doing this test! You have contributed to the DIY body of knowledge and we all owe you a big thanks for this!

Thank you for this video. I've done some similar comparisons of primers as part of a motorcycle restoration project, although I didn't use a tumbler. While not a rattle-can, I settled on Eastwood's Epoxy Primer. It's Isocyanate-free, lays down smooth, gets great adhesion, and is incredibly hard. Sanding out a run is a real chore. I use a small Iwata HVLP gun. The same primer can can be used as a primer-sealer when cut with more reducer (after body work or using a polyester sanding primer). Thank you again!

Nice job. I'm starting a project that requires painting some aluminum and you've helped me a lot in terms of selecting a paint, thanks!

Thank you!!! I must have watched this when deciding on primer for an aluminum threshold. The black top coat has held up amazingly but I didn't remember which of the numerous brands I have on hand that I used. I came across this obscure ACE Primer in my arsenal and thought I remembered it out shining many others. Checked and sure enough it was your amazing test that convinced me. Now I can prime and paint 2 more French Door thresholds with confidence.

All great info. no music, no bullshit. 10/10 mate.

Andy, thank you so much for making this video! I’ve had great luck with Ace Paint and glad to know the primer preformed they best.

Excellent video and well done with good presentation on the results. I thought an hour in the deburirng machine would have removed the primer on all of the samples and the test would have been inconclusive - boy, was I wrong. Based on your results, I'm going for the ACE Primer - Thanks again! Unfortunately, I have no value-able input on what causes the dark patina.

Thank you for posting this video sir. You just saved me quite a bit of time and money with this primer research and testing.!!

Thank you for making this video. Its simple to the point and your open to others input. These are the videos that I like to see.

Good thing we have ace hardware stores here in the Phils. Great comparison. Thanks so much! Gotta do diy paint job for our aluminum windows since they were just recycled/reused and fitted to our new house 😁

this video is freaking pricless.... seriously god bless this man

Andy, very helpful and informative and elegant in its simplicity. Thanks

Great job. Excellent analysis. Surprising outcome. Thanks for the helpful vid.

very nice work this is the kind of thing that is hard to do, your work is appreciated.

Thanks for your test as its the first in my education about the painting of aluminum. Impressive I'd say.

Thanks so much for taking 6the time for this test and posting the video. Exactly what I needed, thank you!

Dang, I wish there was a can of VHT's etching primer in this video lol. Priceless info, and no fluff. Awesome video man, I just can't believe how much better the Ace store brand did than the rest.

Learning to paint textured aluminum handles for a knife 🗡️ a small project but I appreciate you posting this. Now I know how to do this the right way

Thanks for a great video and a great test! Exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks for this nice, thorough comparison! I'm painting some extruded aluminum handles for my kitchen cabinets. I'm priming them with the Rustoleum self-etching primer, then with their appliance epoxy black paint. I don't expect them to see nearly the abuse that the vibratory cleaner inflicted on your test subjects, so hopefully they'll last for a long time.

I came here to learn. And I did. Thank you. Have been using the Rust Oleum self etching. And now I know for sure it is not worth carrying home.

Thanks for what you've done 5 years ago for us

Thanks, Great video, best true life test I have seen. I will be showing this to my class.

Nice experiment. Good Job! Thanks for this.

Love the video! I would love if you could expand on this idea with other primers and different tests. Primers such as the 2k Epoxy primers in a can, Zinc Chromate primer, Zinc phosphate primer, and the other hard-hitters. And then do corrosion tests, scratch tests. And to expand on the etching of aluminum process, like vinegar to BONDERITE. Just stuff I haven't seen in any other youtube video. Thanks!

Great video sir, thank you for your time & effort.

great video, I use the rustoleum for the self etching , and its a bit of high building as well

I love all of Ace spray paints, thanks for taking the time to make this video!

FWIW. My understanding is that bare untreated aluminium needs to have an etch primer applied lightly before applying a top coat of epoxy and allowing the epoxy to cure for 7 days. The etch primer has an acid in it that causes the aluminium to have a micro-rough surface which allows the expoxy to grip the surface.

Thanks. I found two cans in my garage and was curious if they would work on rust spots on a truck. Good information.

My understanding on paint is that any enamel that contains ammonia creates a chemical reaction between the paint and the aluminum substrate that prevents proper adhesion. I've had very good luck with aluminum prepped with a 80-100 grit sandblaster and etching primer.

Wow, that was a great video. You’ve just helped me to chose primer.

Thank you for doing this comparison!

Great video, I came across a product called POR 15 and I got it as a kit that came with a degreaser and acid for etching and the metal first then you washer it off and use the POR 15 which turns into a ceramic like coating. Its the best I've ever use.

I believe it is pronounced PATINA with a P, and it comes from the oxidization of aluminum due to the cavitation of the water on the surface of the aluminum. Same thing happens to aluminum trailers, boats etc. Excellent video, thank you!

Big thumbs up for this! I am curious if the results would be the same if each piece was put in separately for only about 20-30 mins at a time. I’m thinking the only difference might be in the products that lost 50% or less in this test. The other products would probably be about equal results. Either way, thanks a ton for sharing your experiments!

Very helpful , keep them coming , thanks from Mike miami

Thanks for this video. It's very helpful. I have used a different primer on other metals like black iron pipe with great results. I have yet to try it on aluminum. I wonder how it would hold up. It's the Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Universal Bonding Primer, White.

Incredibly valuable. Thanks for this research.

Thanks this great heads up info. Keep it up and take care mate! I am so finding a solution for aluminium

Thanks for this video! If you ever decide to do a second round, please consider including: Moeller ‘Zinc Primer’ which is specifically designated for Aluminum. Also, Rustoleum apparently has an Aluminum primer now.

Thank you so much this was exactly what I was looking for

I worked in automotive making aluminum crash management parts, some of those were coated or plated, for certain they have to "key" the surface so that the plating sticks. I am curious if this translates to paints as well, like the "patina" version here has some characteristics of "keying" to help the paint stick to the surface.

Dude! you are a love! thanx now i know what to buy.

Great information. I need to paint my out door aluminum window frames. I think they were factory painted white. Not sure what method was used.

Thank you so much for your experiment.

Excellent work, thank you for sharing 👏

Thanks for the well done test. Headed to Ace tomorrow.

I'm killing myself trying to get paint to stick to some aluminum frame channels. I tried sanding, SE primers, different paints and there is always a spot somewhere peeling off. I'm heading down to Ace tomorrow morning. Thanks.

Thank you! Very informative video.

You are a dying breed my friend thank you so much!

This is very helpful. Thank you.

Well it looks like the pores the media release “gunk” plus the tank walls are causing the issue. As you continue to tumble the part is creates a ruff surface that allowed the paint to adhere better. A light acidic solution could remove the “patina”.The only other solution would be to Anodizing -it protects them for saline corrosion agents as well as abrasion. Additionally, they can be tinted in many different colours to suit your application.

Thanks for the comparison. I need to paint some aluminum motorcycle parts tomorrow so may just go with the ACE primer.

The reason the parts turn black is explained in two ways. To understand that, one needs to remember that aluminum "rusts" like iron, just not continuously. The Oxygen layer that forms creates a hard, clear, protective barrier. That Aluminum Oxide barrier prevents paint from sticking (hence etching). The 2 things that cause color in aluminum (especially black) are this: acids, detergents, etc., causing pores changes and thickness of the oxidizing layer (which can become greater in surface area due to pitting or scratching). Aluminim forms a hexagonal cell-like layer with a pore in the middle. Pore distance affects refraction. Here's a tech article portion on the process: "Different colors can be explained by different degrees of reflection and absortption of sunlight components by oxide films and the aluminum surface. White light has different components which can create a spectrum of colors either naturally (rainbow) or in a laboratory with the help of diffraction or dispersion. If the oxide film does not absorb any component of light and all components are evenly reflected by the aluminum surface then the film looks colorless (white). If oxide film absorbs all components of light without discrimination then the film looks black. If a specific component of light is absorbed better than others, then the combination of reflected components without the absorbed one will create a non-white color."

Wow! Great video!

Thank you for the video, it is very helpful

An ok test for a home shop. I've got to wonder though how much of these get vibrated to the bottom because they are heavier than the media and thus would not get as much abrasion on one side which could / would skew the final results. PS..love the SawCyl.. I have that bandsaw and use it a lot so Id like to get one soon.

Thanks for a educational experience... 👍

Thank you for answering what I needed to know. God bless

If you are painting bare aluminum use 120 grit or higher for good adhesion and use self etching primer if you are going to prime first.

Bingo! Perfect! Exactly what I needed to know.

Very informative! Thank you!

Thanks been looking for this

Well done Thanks for Sharing👍👍

To the point. Thanks for taking the time to create the video and sharing it. May The Almighty continue Blessing your human touch.

Great video. I was searching for how to paint an aluminum awning. Do much info here! Thank you

Awesome. I've got my answer on painting my aluminum rims.

From my days of machining aluminium, it gives off back kind of dusty color, especially when wet. I think that in the tumbler it is alu oxide that is being produced.

Thank you for the awesome video!

Great content ! For Rustoleum, their specific Aluminum Primer might’ve been of more interest than the Rustoleum 2x Ultra Cover tested. Big Surprise on the Ace Rust Stop. Thanks for the Test !

Thanks for the video.. I'm painting some aluminum parts off my ATV

Thanks for this!

Cool man!! Love it. I’m getting ready to paint aluminum.

You did a great job! Nice video!

Reasonable test, surprising results, just the kind of thing I like to see.

Thanks for the great video!

thank you for comparison. helpful

Great video, informative and scientific enough! I subscribed just based on this video.

Awesome video man.

Aluminum is very hard to paint I have a project that I'm working on and I tried to paint it and the paint you could just doesn't take much to scrape it off with your finger nail so I stripped it off and I picked up some vinegar about a gallon and I put it in a pail and I let it sit the aluminum sit in the pail and I hooked a battery charger up to to one one part of the aluminum and I had another piece of aluminum in the pail and I let it sit there for about a couple hours and I it formed a fuzzy coating on the little part that I wanted to paint I use some DuraCoat self-etching primer and some dura coat regular paint it seems that I can't scratch it off I'll have to see how it stands up

Thanks for your great video!!! What about painting a commercial aluminum railing that already has a coat of shiny paint on it? treated as if a bare metal?

Thanks, I wish I saw this before today. Just used Dynaseal to coat the inside of my aluminum hitch toolbox to keep my tools from getting aluminum all over them. I already had the dynaseal, so sanded with 220 and laid it on. If it doesn't stay ill try the ACE. 👍

Zinc chromate primer. This has been well known for almost 100 years. It's sold by most boat dealers or marine supply stores and on Amazon.

I appreciate your time and experiment. I am planning a DIY project and your results helped me make a informed decision..

Great video! I will get the Ace Primer for my aluminum shutters.

Thanks for making this sir.

Very cool comparisons! I wish VHT primer would have been tested.

Thanx! Aluminum has always been a bear to get a nice finish on on small significant parts.

As a heads-up to anyone using Dupli-Color self etching primer, our local auto body supply shop informs me that it must be covered with a "blocker', another coat of ordinary primer, or it will attack and bubble the topcoat in about a years time. And he was so right because I had already painted something without the blocker and it got screwed up and rough after awhile.

Great test.. thanks for sharing excellent

Nice. Thank you!

Good review, thanks.

Thank you so much for sharing this . Now I have question I have small bar of aluminum and I want to dip it in solution ( polymer) it has green color. What should I do for the aluminum bar to make the polymer color stick on it ? is there any rep steps ? should I use the primers code too ?

Very nice presentation, thanks very much

Request same experiment on various spray paints.. great experiment. What paint would work best on triple track storms. Where the sash slides against the frame. Which paint will work when the sash slides against the frame channel?

I was brought up priming alum with zinc oxide or chromide. The other day i was told never to use those on aluminum as it is acidic and will corrode the metal. Ive done airplane parts with it for decades. Ive got the same cardboard work bench cover. Ill be interested to see the follow up video in a couple of years to see which primers and paints hold