Primer Help?

[WSBuilder]

I don't think anybody visits the paint/primer section very often so I'm reposting here. Sorry:
OK, I'm definitely not a painter. I bought a gallon of the dark green zinc chromate for my spar components and when I opened the can to split it into four new quart cans I found an inch of chromate(?) cake in the bottom that was too stubborn to mix. I took it to Lowe's and had them shake the **** out of it, but it improved little. I poured 90% into the quart cans and tried cutting the cake with progressively hotter solvents, ultimately MEK. Improved, but no joy.
Is this just bad primer?

[yakdriver]

Pretty normal for zinc chromate. Make sure you use a resperator any time you even open the can as zinc chromate can and will kill you as it has a cumulative effect on the body. Don