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No worries about the thread, i'm getting nothing done this week due to work travels.

If you're blasting the tank then get something straight back on it to stabilise the steel, else in damp / cold it's be corroding within hours?

Reckon I'll be following the same route as you (in a few weeks at the earliest) so very interested to see what you use etc.

Richard.

I'm going to pick up a primer tomorrow and spray the tank soon after it's done. Not sure yet what brand. But I had sand blasted parts at home and they stayed rust free as is for days. On the other hand, the inside of the gas tank rinsed after rust removal left the surface so vulnerable that I witnessed it covering with flash rust literally in front of my eyes withing minutes. I think keeping parts at home (dry and warm environment) is safe for days, and any flash rust would be very superficial and easy to quickly correct with wire brush. Off to sand blasting tomorrow!

i am not a professional painter, but was taught by one and have sprayed everything from plastic/Alloy and steel, either bare or already painted
due to the probability yo do not have any of the paint brands we down under have ill not mention brands
if its bare Alloy it will need to be sanded to remove or acid washed to create a good surface bond for Etch primer
bare steel should be etched immediately for best results and or to prevent surface rusting
bare plastic new you should use a ISO cleaner with a scotch brite cleaner then a plasti primer
most Etch primers arent meant to be sanded and should be put on very sparingly
so then you will need a primer either 1K or 2K (1K single pack IE no Hardener) (2K 2 pack hardener required) most 2k brands will offer 2 hardeners one will be a fast curing good for colder climates.
you can buy etch primer as either 1K or 2K 2k is probably the best but VERY toxic to work with, 1K is not as bad and any left over can be poured back into tin to use another day (incidentally 2K can be sealed in a jar put in fridge and to my experience reused up to a week later) but no guarantees on that!!
Primer also comes as 1k or 2K
plasti primer i have only seen as 1K
base coat clear! or clear over base base being the colour clear being the covering lacquer primer/colour(1K) clear lacquer over top is normally 2K
or you can prime and go to a solid this contains colour and clear in one
i normally etch then prime with either standard primer or Primer filler! (primer filler is designed for rather rough surfaces sometimes called High Build)
i use 1k etch 1k primers but always 2K if i use high build
i like 2K products for finish so dont in gauge in clear over base, however i have on many occasions put a 2K clear directly over 2K colour finish as it gives extra polish build on metallics.
i have found with ABS plastics simply a sand and etch prime will hold with no problem
you should always refer to manufacturers specs as ome paints will cope outside of whats normal and others will not
with reference to Stan in NZ you can get any 1K product put into a spray tin at paint shop, normally for auto use you would use acrylic laquer you can spray a 1K clear Lacquer over that
i sand blast steel/allo/plastic if its really bad BUT would never let any one else do, as sand blasting is very destructive and creates heat so can distort even tanks
Soda blasting is better
my last KZ tank i used paint stripper, wrapped in Glad wrap to seal left came back 30 mins latter then scrubbed all old paint off with wire brush, did this twice , last coat i used scotch brite everthing came off great and its cheap.
filled tank with bottles of Cock acoloa left several days turning and it cleaned up inside
i have just got another tank and i will get that immersion dipped ! this will remove any and everything back to a bright steel they etch prime immediately after drying
its actually not that difficult to spray yourself if you take care and time, HVLP guns are cheap over their to buy and a small 40/50LTR compressor 3HP is all you need for spraying
hope this is of some help
dion

Thank you Dion. I think I will change my gas tank stripping plans to using an aircraft paint stripper instead of sand blasting, as you suggested. It sounds safer. The rest - I will have to digest it a bit and make a bullet point list, and as Kawboy suggested in my thread, choose the system.