I need your painting suggestions!

[Leviton]

Not sure how it is possible to have gotten to my age without having identified a satisfactory method of spray painting stuff? I have been spray painting forever (rattle can) but the paint never seems to be durable. When on a user tool, it seems to prone to chipping.

Typically I will clean, then wire brush or sand to roughen-up, then clean with acetone. Then apply a couple coats of primer (Like Rust-Oleum etching primer). Then add several coats of color (lately Rust-Oleum 2X Ultra Cover) and finish with a couple coats of clear. (I follow manufacturer instructions on drying times).

I'm ready for my next job: this Erie Tool Works 2S pipe cutter. It has had plenty of Evapo-rust soaking and then some brushing and cleaning to remove all the rust, grease and old black paint.
I'm looking for suggestions on what to try this time?

All I want is a durable satin or low-gloss black (shaft will remain unpainted).

 

[Shiftless]

Seems to me that with 6 coats of anything on a tool like that, it will chip. Are you looking for a show car quality paint job? Probably not.
Similiar tools of mine get stripped, brush on a layer of Rustoleum flat black, rub off the excess, let dry and then wipe on one or 2 thin layers of boiled linseed oil.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The method I use when I want to effect a vintage black enamel or japan with a rattle can, and without actually baking on in a utility oven, is to put three coats on, but take the first and second coats down with 0000 steel wool. You have to wait at least 24 hours, then rub it down. You are essentially thinning down and roughing up the first coat, so the second coat sticks better, then doing the same thing to the second coat so the third coat sticks better. If you didn't take the coats down with 0000 steel wool it would just be too thick and not as effective.

 

[Leviton]

Seems to me that with 6 coats of anything on a tool like that, it will chip. Are you looking for a show car quality paint job? Probably not.

No, not looking for show quality on this. It's just that over the years I have added more and more coats, and then clear coat, in the hopes that it would help.

 

[Leviton]

The method I use when I want to effect a vintage black enamel or japan with a rattle can, and without actually baking on in a utility oven, is to put three coats on, but take the first and second coats down with 0000 steel wool. You have to wait at least 24 hours, then rub it down. You are essentially thinning down and roughing up the first coat, so the second coat sticks better, then doing the same thing to the second coat so the third coat sticks better. If you didn't take the coats down with 0000 steel wool it would just be too thick and not as effective.

Lugz, after roughing with 0000 steel wool, do you then wipe down with something before the next coat?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Other than a tack cloth, no.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Allowing the paint to actually cure before putting on another coat, handling it etc makes a huge difference. I've had to learn a lot of patience over the years. Just because it feels dry doesn't mean it's dry. I wait at least 12 hrs between coats and usually work it out to 24 hrs between.

 

[Leviton]

I will try some steel wool between coats and longer drying times and see how we do.

Gentlemen, thank you all for your feedback.

 

[Zeeman]

In my experience, no spray can other than automotive paint in a spray can will be durable enough to actually use and expect it not to chip. The rattle cans just don't have the harder needed to make them scratch and chip resistant.

 

[coljar]

My vintage Greenfield was my grandfather's and there is no sign that there was ever any paint on it, but it's used enough to stay a little oily. Yours looks fine in bare metal if you would consider it.

 

[bmwrd0]

What Shiftless said, except red.

 

[Farmer J.]

I follow the advice of a professional paint spray guy I asked about this. His reply was:
"The thicker the paint is the worse it will chip."
I now mostly use Boiled Linseed Oil and if the tool needs a paint colour do same as Smoke and bmw.
Some of the paint in spray cans seems to have hardly any pigment in it (yes, I do shake the can!) so it needs these multiple coats to cover. the supplier of enamel paint I use on the steelwork of my barns laughed when I said it covered so well compared to hammerite and rustoleom, and told me the same.
I now usually use coach enamel paint from 'Paintman' https://paintman.co.uk/ for restoration jobs.
So in answer to the original OP question, use better quality paint and put it on less coats, or use BLO.

 

[Jim Pelosi]

Not sure how it is possible to have gotten to my age without having identified a satisfactory method of spray painting stuff? I have been spray painting forever (rattle can) but the paint never seems to be durable. When on a user tool, it seems to prone to chipping.



Typically I will clean, then wire brush or sand to roughen-up, then clean with acetone. Then apply a couple coats of primer (Like Rust-Oleum etching primer). Then add several coats of color (lately Rust-Oleum 2X Ultra Cover) and finish with a couple coats of clear. (I follow manufacturer instructions on drying times).



I'm ready for my next job: this Erie Tool Works 2S pipe cutter. It has had plenty of Evapo-rust soaking and then some brushing and cleaning to remove all the rust, grease and old black paint.

I'm looking for suggestions on what to try this time?



All I want is a durable satin or low-gloss black (shaft will remain unpainted).

Don't prime the bare metal. If you etch the surface properly the paint will adhere better to the bare metal. Notice that any tool you restore has not been primed at the factory unless a lot of filler was used on a casting. I've done industrial painting professionally in my youth and primer was barely used except to seal rust.

Sent from my moto e6 using Tapatalk

 

[Leviton]

Don't prime the bare metal. If you etch the surface properly the paint will adhere better to the bare metal. Notice that any tool you restore has not been primed at the factory unless a lot of filler was used on a casting. I've done industrial painting professionally in my youth and primer was barely used except to seal rust.

Learn something new every day. I though it was especially important to apply primer to bare metal. Thanks.

My vintage Greenfield was my grandfather's and there is no sign that there was ever any paint on it, but it's used enough to stay a little oily. Yours looks fine in bare metal if you would consider it.

I did consider leaving it bare, however, it was originally black before de-rusting. I think I will re-do it in that original color.

 

[davewo]

I've used the 2-part spray paint from Eastwood. Use it just like a regular rattle can. Eastwood 2K paint

For a less expensive option, I'd go with a quart can of oil based paint and add a hardener (and a little thinner). It seems as if a lot of people don't have a local source for hardener, so they buy the Valspar hardener sold through Amazon. You don't need to use the entire quart at ounce - just mix what you need for that job. We have a variety of farm stores that carry oil based paints and hardeners. I've mixed and matched a few different brands. They all work fine. I prefer to spray intricate parts, but you can brush it on and the brush marks will lay down smooth.

 

[Burn1]

What about birchwood gun bluing(in a bottle). After its dry, apply BLO or Penetrol oil as a sealer coat.