Thread: Penetrol to protect drilled holes?

Hi everyone. My question has two parts really.

The first part is that I need a better way to protect freshly-drilled grommet holes in painted bodywork. I've always just grabbed a spray paint can and given it a squirt, but usually I don't have the time or patience to let it dry properly so I just make a mess installing the grommet and probably end up with little or no real protection to the exposed metal.

The second part is that I still don't fully understand what Penetrol is, although it is available everywhere so presumably has plenty of users. I have found it leaves a nice thin durable coating on things like battery terminals - the end result seems something like a plasticky varnish?

I'm guessing that it would make a better protectant for drilled holes, and that its penetrant qualities should make it forgiving of grommet installation while still wet (as theoretically it should find its way back onto every surface after I'm done monkeying around, then toughen up to provide long term protection).

Do you agree? Any lovers or haters of Penetrol care to share their experience with it? Any better ways to treat drilled holes?

IM

You can find more information from the Flood company:

Penetrol® Oil-Based Paint Additive (flood.com)

However, In short it has several uses.

It can be used neat to make paint stick to difficult surfaces. (can be used for oil or water based top coat.)
It can be used as an additive to oil based paints to assisting free flowing of the paint (can't add it to water based paint.)
It can be used neat on metal surfaces to prevent rusting or to prevent further rusting on already rusted surfaces.

I don't think it is compatible with automotive paints, but you can check that from the website.

The Flood company is very helpful if you contact them for advise. One thing they told me was that if painting over a penetroled surface with an aerosol can of paint it is necessary to use extremely light (think mist) coats until the surface is completely covered with paint as the propellant reacts with the Penetrol and results in blistering.

Regards
Paul