Rust treatment/killer and primer

The best rust treatment I've come across (and I've tried many over the years) is a product called VACTAN made by Performance Chemicals Ltd, Fishers Way, Belvedere, DA17 6BS. It's an emulsion like paint which goes on white and where it has touched metal and/or killed rust, dries clear. Non-metal dries white. You do not have to wash it off and you can paint straight over it as it acts as a metal primer too. It is first class.

I first used it over 12 years ago on the cutting deck of my garden tractor. These decks are notorious for rotting away as wet grass is a metal killer. I simply scraped off all the grass and lose paint and coated up with VACTAN. A final coat of Hammerite smooth and job done. I repeat this process every third year and there is very little/no evidence of fresh rust. My present mower is 10 years old and the deck is almost like new.

Naturally I've used it on my Porter and expect the same high class results; I can recommend it to you. The last litre I bought cost around £15 including postage and will last a long time. I've also recently discovered a better alternative to smooth Hammerite and that is a paint + rust treatment by Ronseal. It's easier to use than Hammerite (cheaper too) and doesn't need special thinner (ordinary thinner will do). It's a jelly paint and goes on very nicely, although with half a tin gone it does need a drop of thinner and a good stir. It dries a hell of a lot quicker than Hammerite and you can re-coat as soon as it's touch dry. Both VACTAN and the new Ronseal+ paint when used on our under-bodies will make our little Jets/Porters last a lot longer. Keep on top of the tin worm :-)

John (biofos)