Painting machinery!

[REFLEXX]

OK experts, here we go...


I want to paint several pieces of machinery for my Garage Mahal project. Got a "good" HVLP gravity gun from Harbor Freight. Went to an auto paint store and had a heart attack!

They wanted hundreds of dollars for "automotive" paint, primer, etc, etc...


I'm painting a lathe, a bandsaw, some jackstands, and other machinery. I want a good quality, durable paint. I am NOT going to color sand it or buff it or polish it. It just has to look decient. any suggestions? I'm looking for light grey, dark grey and bright orange for details.

Spray cans are an option, but not prefered. I love the look of hammerite on a roll cage, but not on flat surfaces. What about the Rustoleum "Rust Stop" for outdoor metals? It comes in gallons.

thanks in advance,


REFLEXX

 

[Satatic]

Most of the things I paint and post here are painted with paint from Farm & Fleet. Usually 7.99 a quart+hardener(forgot the price but it comes in pints). 8:1 mixture ratio, but I just estimate because my mixing cups only go 5:1. Lots of paint stores have these kinds of paints. I think they are mainly marketed as farm & implament enamel or tractor and implament enamel. Dry times are a pain though, they say 4-6 hours but its more like 8 hours. I don't even use primer on that kind of stuff. I have used the rustoleum stuff and it works well, I also mix it with hardener.

 

[Cebby]

I used engine block paint (rattle cans) on my hydro bender. It seems to be OK, but I put alot of coats in it. If I had it to do over, I probably would have used something else.

 

[rdnkjeeper]

I have used the "rust stop" stuff a lot. It holds up really good, but I don't know how it will spray, I have always just brushed it on. Good luck

 

[MXtras]

I will frequently take bomb can paint and empty it into my pint size (detail) spray gun - it's cheaper than buying a quart and the spray quality is better through the gun then the can. I would love to tell you guys how I get the paint out of the can but I do not want to be liable (it involves the use of a sharp object and a rag).

I have found that the fast dry paints are not as durable. I use Rustoleum industrial or the regular Rustoleum. Believe it or not, the "Color Place" paint from Wal-Mart is very good paint, but it's fast dry and therefore not as durable.

For small jobs I will use it from the can, otherwise I will empty it into the gun.

Scott

 

[kartracer55]

You can buy rustoleum Paint in cants, pints, and quarts, and there are directions for spraying it.. usually you just dilute it a little with a special solvent they sell.

Jim

 

[Tim240Z]

Have you considered Hammerite "Hammer Finish" paint. It can be thinned for spraying and has the 'correct' hammer type finish that looks good on industrial stuff....

 

[krooser]

Check out www.smartshoppersinc.com ...They sell quality Kirker paint (made in NY)...good stuff...some nice colors (in stock only)..and GREAT prices...

 

[REFLEXX]

Thanks Krooser,

that's a great idea for those of us without a paint shop in the garage.

I just bought a video on how to "paint a tractor" I'll give a review asap. I figure that a tractor sees some heavy duty. So whatever the technique is, it must be good.

REFLEXX

 

[krooser]

I'm pl;anning on painting my '56 F-100 in the future...and I'll probably use House of Color...candy or metalflake...really expensive but high quality...BUT for a daily driver OR average hot rod, this Kirker paint works real well...

 

[slyone1000]

I would Check out POR-15 or
http://www.eastwoodco.com/
Both paints can be painted on with a paint brush....They are both self leveling paints

 

[TOMWELDS]

For machinery and such, i sometimes use 'Mack' or 'Caterpillar' paints. reasonably priced by the gallon. With auto paints, remember that they get reduced and have catalyst added so you end up with 2-3 times more. Buy a quart and you'll have over a half gallon.

 

[Bender]

I’ve literally painted tons of machinery. The standard oil based Rustoleum paints will stain over a short period of time. A gray paint will turn yellowish from oil and look disgusting. Been there, done that.

I’ve painted several pieces of equipment with the “hammered” finish paints with great success. The spray can stuff is ok at best, and the brush on stuff is pretty difficult to apply. I’ve never sprayed it, and not sure if you could.

The paint I like best is the oil base epoxy, but that is also very difficult to apply and extremely wicked stuff. You need to wear a good respirator and rubber gloves to put the stuff on, but it will last for years and years and won’t stain. Expect it to cost about 100 bucks per gallon, but it goes a long way. A good source in finding it is www.mcmaster.com

If you have any questions on this subject, I’m always at www.domesticmisfits.com in the pits

 

[Stuart in MN]

If you have a Tractor Supply, Fleet Farm, ect. store in your area, those kinds of places sell enamel tractor paint for a reasonable price. It's pretty tough stuff (after all, it's designed for painting tractors) and comes in a number of colors.

Another possibility is to check local auto body paint supply stores; they often have a bargain rack for paint that was returned, mixed the wrong color, etc.

 

[l_bilyk]

^What he said. Use enamel machinery paint. Durobond comes to mind. I dont know where you are, but napa canada carries a similar product labelled metalpro.. or something like that. They're all pretty much the same. Good heat and chemical resistance. Hard to chip if you prep well.

 

[MXtras]

Here is literally over a ton of equipment I painted using that crappy old 'Rot'oleum oil based **** that turns yellow and stuff.

This was painted almost exactly one year ago. This area is directly under the saddle so it stays puked out with Vactra #2 way lube permanently - I wiped it down a bit for the photo - you can still see the haze. Looks kinda blue to me....looking hard for streaks....don't see much wrong here! But - it's only been one year.

The Rustoleum stuff is fine for machines and it is very, very convenient. Just stay away from the stuff that dries fast - it is not durable at all.

If you are looking to make your equipment a show piece then use a urethane. Urethanes are flexible and will not chip as readily as epoxy - like when the maid hits the base accidentally when she is waxing the floor.

Epoxies are generally more chemical resistant than urethanes though, so there is a trade off. Enamels sit right in the happy middle for most paint objectives - protection, gloss, smoothness, porosity, color hold out and chemical resistance (normal chemicals and lubricants, not the aggressive stuff).

I used epoxy for the shock springs on my bikes (MX) one time and will never again. Now it's urethane. I use urethane or enamel for my frames. Now I don't have time to re-paint the frames but the next frame shoot will be a powder coat, for sure. The urethanes would outlast the epoxies for the frame - lots of abuse there. The epoxy did not last for long on the shock spring - one race and it was coming off in sheets on both bikes.

Scott

 

[SteveL]

I will frequently take bomb can paint and empty it into my pint size (detail) spray gun - it's cheaper than buying a quart and the spray quality is better through the gun then the can. I would love to tell you guys how I get the paint out of the can but I do not want to be liable (it involves the use of a sharp object and a rag).


Scott

Is the sharp object applied to the side or bottom of the cylindrical object? And I assume that the rag is used to avoid clothing, floor, wall, ceiling and skin contamination? Not sure if I feel safe doing this myself, but maybe I can convince the annoying neighbor kid to do it for me. No big loss should something go wrong.

 

[Satatic]

Is the sharp object applied to the side or bottom of the cylindrical object? And I assume that the rag is used to avoid clothing, floor, wall, ceiling and skin contamination? Not sure if I feel safe doing this myself, but maybe I can convince the annoying neighbor kid to do it for me. No big loss should something go wrong.

You hold a nail in your teeth and jab the can into it serveral times.

 

[MXtras]

I shake the **** out of the can first, of course. Then I lay the can down, let it sit for a few then just barely pierce the side of the can near the bottom, covering the area with a rag. I don't actually stab it - I just push on the scribe until it penetrates the side - then as you slowly back the scribe out, the propellant will escape and you can make the hole larger and you got it.

I am guessing there is maybe 200 PSI in the can judging from the sound and force of the escaping propellant. It's not really all that difficult. Just wear safety glasses, gloves and don't try it for the first time in the living room next to the big screen....just a little advice.

The scribe is bent 90 at the end - it's more of a pick than a scribe, actually - like the circled ones:

Scott

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

For machinery and such, i sometimes use 'Mack' or 'Caterpillar' paints. reasonably priced by the gallon. With auto paints, remember that they get reduced and have catalyst added so you end up with 2-3 times more. Buy a quart and you'll have over a half gallon.

FYI, the "Mack" paint is made by Kirkler. I painted my Jeep in it this summer.. Nice paint. About $80 a gallon ready to spray with hardner & reducer. VERY easy paint to spray. Give it a light tack coat to make the surface sticky before you put on a reall coat or you can run it pretty easily.

 

[MXtras]

Nice job!

That looks really nice!

Scott

 

[Kapt]

Just be sure to use a good quality mask/respirator if you use any hardeners. Isocyanate is nasty stuff.