One of the guys that bought my Galvanized buckets is having trouble getting the paint to adhere correctly. When I painted mine with a base paint for galvanized steel then with a semi-gloss paint I have had no problems.

Has anyone else had the problem?

Try etching them with vinegar. Zinc forms an oxide that must be removed before paint will stick very well. Primers that state they are for galvanized will also work.
In the sheet metal business (gutters) we used to use this method to get a good coating on the inside of them. Just wipe it on with a cloth and paint as soon as it's dry.

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'85GT Indy clone 4.9 4T60E
'78 Toyota longbed, parts runner
'89 Bonneville daily driver
'87 30' Kit Classic TT, living in it.

For galvanized and aluminum parts, I first spray on a lite coat of Zinc-Chromate sealer, then normal primer. Its usually yellow or olive green colored...its what you see the inside structure covered with in airplane. Its about the same cost as primer and goes a long way.

Is he definitely using a Cold Galvanized primer and not just regular primer?

He said he was....

Thanks guys for the help and suggestions. I appreciate it.