Zero Rust Prep Step™ Powder
PREP STEP ® -- Product Data Sheet
ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE RUST REMOVAL &
STEEL SURFACE STABILIZER PRODUCT
DESCRIPTION : "PREP-STEP" is a totally user safe rusty metal cleaning aid for enhancing adhesion and rust prevention of primers and finishes. It is a combination of complex phosphate salts, esters and wetting agents and is available as a powder. The primary function of this product is to aid rust removal and surface stabilization during hand tool or blast cleaning procedures."Scale rust" or "mil scale" must be sandblasted, waterblasted with sand injection, hammered or removed with needle guns before "PREP STEP ®" application.
"PREP STEP ® " Function Highlights:
1. Penetrates through rust to solid substrate.
2. Softens and disbonds rust particles for easier removal.
3. "Phosphatizes" surface below rust and adjusts surface to a PH of 6 for optimum paint adhesion. "Holds" treated surfaces for application the next few days…very important.
4. Reduces dusting during hand tool cleaning when surface is kept wet with Prep Step® solution.
PRODUCT USAGE DIRECTIONS
1. PREP STEP® Gel Concentrate: Apply over rust with brush, roll or spray. Use enough to thoroughly wet surface and maintain wetness on areas being subjected to hand cleaning. Let the cleaning residue, produced during mechanical cleaning, dry on the surface for a minimum of 4 hrs. or overnight. Remove dry surface residue with minimum 2500 p.s.i. waterblaster. Let surface dry thoroughly before painting. Remove any remaining loose rust with same procedure. (NOTE: PREP STEP Gel is currently unavailable…so order the Powder as of 11/21/14)
2. PREP STEP® 100% Active Powder: Dissolve 1/2 to 1 lbs./gal. into warm to hot water (maximum 150°F.). The solution is very thin and more usable over light to moderate rust using the gel concentrate cleaning procedure. A ¾-1 lb/gal "PREP STEP®" water solution is ideal for high pressure chemical injection water or steam jenny blasting equipment, where the primary water feed can be maintained at 125 to 150°F. Siphon feed or line injection of the "PREP STEP" solution should be at 1:5 to 1:8 ratios. At these temps, rust removal and surface conditioning occurs immediately. Rinse the surface with water after cleaning and dry thoroughly before painting.
The proper use of "PREP STEP®" provides improved results in salt spray tests and enhanced scribe creep resistance. The results show Salt Spray results equal or better than one would expect for a "White Metal Blast" for RUSTOP® or ZERO RUST® Primer Family (incredible ASTM B-117 Salt Spray 1500 to 3888 hr with <1/32" scribe creep)…but the foregoing statement does not apply to current industrial or mil-spec epoxies which are non-functional without 2-3 mil profile and true White Metal Blast. RUSTOP® and Zero-Rust® primed systems with Prep Step® treatment show better results than current mil spec & industrial epoxy primers…quite a statement on "PREP STEP®" performance our associated primers. After Sandblasting: PREP STEP® should be used after sandblasting to promote adhesion, "hold" the surface to prevent rust formation and improve primer performance
