What brand and type of paint is the best?

Oil based?
Primer already added?

thanks in advance!

If it is rusty, I'd give it a coat of OSPHO (follow directions on bottle) Then a coat of oil based oxide primer, then oil base paint. You may want to go into a Sherwin Williams and tell them to "sell you on" the best paint and why it is so good. You dont have to buy, but you will know what.

Want really long lasting, OSPHO, then use an epoxy primer, then an industrial acrylic enamel type paint.

BTW, I'd use OSPHO no matter what paint I used though, I have used it on pipe fence for along time and it works great.

...it works great on bbq pits too!

...OSPHO, primer, and paint...

Definitely OSPHO..That stuff is great..

Thanks guys!

bought a gallon of OSPHO today. Which is the easiest method of applying, brushing, spraying or sponging?

Had better luck with Mobile Paints than I did with Hammerite.
https://www.blpmobilepaint.com/products.html

A fence mitt is what I always used and a small brush for tight areas. Make sure you keep the drips off the bottom of the pipe, you don't want the build up there, so swipe it with the mitt as you move to the next section.

Sponge may work better for you though, some mitts leave little fibers you may not like IDK.

If the pipe gets a "White" residue, after it dries, wipe that off a little with sa rsag and give it another thin coat of OSPHO. In the end, the pipe will have a sheen to it and nice darker color. iirc, the white is residue from the OSPHO removing and reacting to heavier rust particles.

?????

OSPHO

Paint over a fine dust like substance and the paint isn't sticking. A paint job is all about the prep 9/10 times.

Here is the Complete quote from OSPHO

"RUSTED METALS - OSPHO is a rust-inhibiting coating - NOT A PAINT You do not have to remove tight rust. Merely remove loose paint and rust scale, dirt, oil, grease and other accumulations with a wire brush - apply a coat of OSPHO as it comes in the container - let dry overnight, then apply whatever paint system you desire. When applied to rusted surfaces, OSPHO causes iron oxide (rust) to chemically change to iron phosphate - an inert, hard substance that turns the metal black. Where rust is exceedingly heavy, two coats of OSPHO may be necessary to thoroughly penetrate and blacken the surface to be painted. A dry, powdery, grayish-white surface usually develops; this is normal - brush off any loose powder before paint application."

http://www.ospho.com/directions.htm

Ive had good luck painting rusty metal with a wire brush to knock of the big/loose chunks and painting right over it with rustoleum and a brush. It sticks better to rusted metal than clean.

Going through all of that you might ought to consider hiring a mobile sandblaster to blast the pipe. From there you can opt to paint it yourself or have them do it for you. I am in the professional sandblasting and special coatings industry and from my point of view if you indeed sandblasted the fence, two coats of an acrylic enamel would work best. Oil based coatings are wonderful but the right systems are very costly. Ask your paint rep about a direct to metal product in an acrylic product. Sandblasting is not something that has to be done and as long as you remove the lose rust and loose coatings that dtm will do wonders for years. just my two pennies, hope it helps

I've painted about 500 miles of fence in my life and we always used cheap exterior and a mitt. Put it on thick.
We use the cheap stuff because no matter what it will need repairing in 5 to 10 years.

What western said.