Product Testing Update
MEGA TESTING UPDATE 1 December 2016
We see tests on products happening day in day out. Products are scored on a calibrated system, you get a set of numbers back, and you can compare one to the other.
We have ratings like DFT (Dry Film thickness-(how thick the coating is having been applied)0, and now in its fully cured state, with any solvents having flashed off. Salt spray test where a sample is put in a machine and a salt solution is sprayed at the sample until failure is evident. Other tests for abrasion, deformity, impact, flex, hardness....
All of these figures mean what? For the average weekend enthusiast very little. Akin to the MPG quoted on your new vehicle.
Did you prep to En ISO 8501-1:2007?
Did you thin the coating using the correct thinners, to the correct ratio, or did your measuring jug not arrive off eBay.... Did you even order a measuring jug or were you planning on pinching the family Pyrex jug, but now your better half is home, so "that much" is about right,
When you purchase a coating you as a customer are an unknown. You could be slap-dash, or methodical in your approach. Your vehicle could be perfectly prepped meeting "EN ISO 8501-1@2007".... or it could look clean but be completely contaminated... But it looks clean... And it is this aspect that NO rating on a sheet of paper, procured from a machine can account for.
So two years ago we came up with the grand idea of a very non scientific test. Just like ratings you will find on most products you can take these results as a matter of interest, because you will never repeat them again exactly how we have. That beg's the question why are we doing it?
Well... because outside of the marketing blurb, the claims, the need to sell more of your product... often at the cost of integrity.. a product will only do so well in a given scenario. Whether you prepped correctly; whilst a contributing factor, isn't the only determining factor.
I view a product as high quality when it accounts for as many of its potential uses as possible. Poor prep, rushed, or applied perfectly being in that mix.
Too often we see claims made in ideal circumstances... This one's a good one...
Anyone who can stop rust permanently is definitely on to something.... Something that breaks the known laws of chemistry and physics.... But a play on words will sell ALOT more of that product.
So. TESTING TIME.
RULES
- No reading of the instructions.. we are in a rush and its the weekend after all...
- No preparation, except to give each product as similar a starting point as possible (this may be a whip over with a wire brush to remove heavy rust on later entrants to the test)
- Two of the heaviest coats we can manage as quickly as possible with "touch dry" being used as the overcoating time (you know, end of day, when you have set the metal in, your exhausted, and starving).
Circumstances.
- The test beam is left exposed to the elements, and largely not interfered with. Cats will walk along it, it will rain, the sun will beat on it at random brief moments in our lovely British weather, and each sample will be SURROUNDED by rust.
- Even in the worst possible application it would be reasonable to assume full coverage. This drastically improves the longevity of the coating. Rust creep in our samples will be one of the biggest enemies. With corrosion having an edge to start on life expectancy will be reduced by an order of magnitude over even a poor application.
- The addition of being exposed to strong winds, direct rain, and UV mean coatings like cavity wax will never realise their full potential. These cave dwellers tend to favor dry, dark areas, set up shop, and hold up as long as they can. Dragging them out in to the open will definitely upset them, and provide some interesting results valid/ invalid as that may be.
PRODUCTS
Hycote Grey Primer (Aerosol)
Application Date 08/08/2015
Product Type Primer
Failure Date 24/08/2015
Status Today. See last picture
Duration Prior to failure 16 DAYS
08/08/2015
23/08/2015 
05/12/2015
Dulux Gloss (Brush Applied)
Application Date 08/08/2015
Product Type Domestic gloss top coat
Failure Date 30/01/2016
Status Today. See last picture
Duration Prior to failure
08/08/2016
30/01/2016
12/12/2016
-
Screwfix Red Oxide (brush Applied)
Application Date 08/08/2015
Product Type Domestic Primer
Failure Date 16 months and counting
Status Today. See last picture
Duration Prior to failure NOT FAILED
08/08/2015
23/08/2015
05/12/2015
30/01/2016
12/12/2016
Buzzweld RCP/ CIO (Brush Applied, two coats of each)
Application Date 08/08/2015
Product Type Full Solution
Failure Date 16 months and counting
Status Today. See last picture
Duration Prior to failure NOT FAILED
08/08/2015
23/08/2015
05/12/2015
-
30/01/2016
12/12/2016
Buzzweld RCP (Brush Applied)
Application Date 08/08/2015
Product Type Primer
Failure Date 16 months and counting
Status Today. See last picture
Duration Prior to failure NOT FAILED
08/08/2015
23/08/2015
05/12/2015
-
30/01/2016
12/12/2016
Hycote Grey primer/ Hycote Black (aerosol, two coats of each)
Application Date 08/08/2015
Product Type Full Solution
Failure Date 23/08/2015
Status Today. See last picture
Duration Prior to failure 16 days
08/08/2016
23/08/2015
05/12/2015
-
30/01/2016
12/12/2016
Hycote Grey primer/ Tetrosyl Silver (aerosol, two coats of each)
Application Date 08/08/2015
Product Type Full Solution
Failure Date 05/12/2015
Status Today. See last picture
Duration Prior to failure < 4 months
08/08/2015
23/08/2015
05/12/2015
-
30/01/2016
12/12/2016
Penetration oil (with corrosion inhibitors) brushed
Application Date 08/08/2015
Product Type oil
Failure Date 23/08/2016
Status Today. Removed from Test 05/01/2015. No Product remained.
Duration Prior to failure 16 DAYS
NO START PICTURE>>>>>
23/08/2015
05/12/2015
Engine Oil (Brushed)
Application Date 08/08/2015
Product Type oil
Failure Date 05/12/2015
Status Today. Removed from Test 05/12/2015. No Product remained
Duration Prior to failure <4 months
08/08/2015
09/08/2015 Additional Picture as oil started sweating within 24 hours
23/08/2015
05/12/2015
PU18 Seam Sealer (Brush applied)
Application Date 08/08/2015
Product Type Polyurethane Adhesive/ Seam sealer
Failure Date Unknown. Suspect protection has failed, but due to type of product, cannot determine substrate status
Status Today. see last picture
Duration Prior to failure UNKNOWN
08/08/2015
23/08/2015
05/12/2015
-
30/01/2016
12/12/2016
Baufix "lidl" metal primer (Aerosol)
Application Date 23/08/2015
Product Type All In One
Failure Date 12/12/2016
Status Today. see last picture
Duration Prior to failure >15 months
23/08/2015
05/12/2015
30/01/2016
-
12/12/2016
Pennine EP grease (brush applied)
Application Date 16/08/2015
Product Type All In One
Failure Date 23/08/2016
Status Today. 30/01/2016 Removed from test offering no protection
Duration Prior to failure 7 days
08/08/2016
23/08/2016
05/12/2015
-
30/1/2016
Buzzweld CIO (brushed)
Application Date 08/08/2016
Product Type All In One
Failure Date 16 months and counting
Status Today. see last picture
Duration Prior to failure NOT FAILED
23/08/2016
05/12/2015
30/01/2016
-
12/12/2016
Zero Prep Cavity Wax (Brushed, one coat)
Application Date 08/08/2016
Product Type Cavity Wax
Failure Date 16 months and counting
Status Today. see last picture
Duration Prior to failure NOT FAILED
08/08/2015
23/08/2016
05/12/2015
-
30/01/2016
12/12/2016
TO COME IN UPDATE 2....
Several more products, some suprising failures, some new additions, and more waffling about rust.
Hope you enjoyed or found this useful, All the best.
craig@buzzweld.com
Very interesting read, its good to see the results like this.
Enjoyed reading the Blog, very interesting and informative seeing all the test results. I have been fighting the rust on many Land Rovers over the years and ,at last, a product that works. One very happy customer .
Thanks Ray.
More to do yet, and we need to keep this going.