No fears on me being disheartened. A bit peeved, definitely, (it just irks me when I'm constantly having to work around problems I'm not responsible for creating, and problems which in all honesty shouldn't occur), but that'll pass. On the plus side, I always look at the fact that things like this are just extra reasons to spend less time around the SSH, so it has definite plus points. I'm just hoping this enamel comes off without too much of a struggle. It'll be informative to see how well it holds up against the caustic solution too, as I've never really put this enamel through its paces with aggressive fluids and solvents upto just. Some old style Hammerite has given up the ghost after about a week or so in there, (I put a compressor pulley in there and forgot about it, truth be told ), so I know the solution is quite effective still. Well see how many days this lasts out for before it lets go.
As you say though, I definitely wouldn't be happy with it any other way. I've done several bits since I started the thread, some with two coats, some with three, some with a day between coats and some with just several hours between the first two coats, yet none of them have come out how I'd like. I know it could be classed as being a bit anal and overly picky when the paint is only there, at the end of the day, to provide protection against corrosion more than owt else, but it just doesn't look right.
Well, I think it's safe to say this paint doesn't like letting go too easily. A few days in, and the paint is mostly gone from some of the bits. Got the first coat of paint on one bit and another in the derusting vat in prep for painting tomorrow. Keep whipping the parts out daily and scraping & brushing the loosened paint off. It's getting there slowly.