Restoring 1943 Delta bench grinder

[JohnnyNitrous]

I picked up this awesome looking 77 year old grinder the other day. I'm tearing it down to clean up and put new bearings in and then paint. I would like opinions on paint color. Should I stick with the original dark gray machine color or go with black like I want?

 

[JHuston]

Ultimately, it's your machine, but I think any color that seems period will look good, if applied well. My Delta 7" pedestal grinder is the original blue-gray Delta used on metal working machines during WW2, both because that fact is a neat piece of history, and because of the sentimental value of the grinder ( my wife found it for me at an industrial surplus house for 90.00, and was grinning ear to ear at her luck). a satin black would look "right", if you polish the hardware and do a neat job; remember, a lot of machine colors back then were kind of muddy to our modern eye, so anything that is a bit subdued will make visual sense. Just don't paint it a neon color, and you can't go far wrong.

Excellent find, by the way.
-James Huston

 

[wrenchguy]

Nice.

 

[jabberwoki]

I did one like that and went with stock color came out terrific. My vote, stock.

 

[The Cobbler]

I'm all for original colour kind of guy, but it's your grinder, your project so do it in the colour you like best

 

[JohnnyNitrous]

Also came with this Sioux grinder, a bit more heavy duty. I will restore it next.

 

[JHuston]

I redid a sioux grinder for a friend a few years ago; I found Rustoleum appliance epoxy in stainless steel was a good match for the original finish. I agree it's a stouter machine. Be careful when disassembling; the centrifugal switch will break if you try to press the bearing through it. Unscrew the bakelite switch base as soon as you can get to the screws, the bearing doesn't fit through it.

-James Huston

 

[JohnnyNitrous]

I redid a sioux grinder for a friend a few years ago; I found Rustoleum appliance epoxy in stainless steel was a good match for the original finish. I agree it's a stouter machine. Be careful when disassembling; the centrifugal switch will break if you try to press the bearing through it. Unscrew the bakelite switch base as soon as you can get to the screws, the bearing doesn't fit through it.

-James Huston

Thanks for the heads up. That one will likely get a factory look, I like the color.

 

[thehorse13]

Stock is the way to roll here. Nothing looks worse than an out of place modern color on a vintage machine.

 

[JohnnyNitrous]

The more I think about it, the more it feels wrong to throw black on it. I think I will go with the original dark machine gray. It actually looks nice under the old nameplate.

 

[JohnnyNitrous]

Now to try out rust removal on the nameplate, any pointers? I was going to try a vinegar bath.

 

[jabberwoki]

Hopefully this will spur you on.

 

[JohnnyNitrous]

Hopefully this will spur you on.

Nice. I gotta find a stand like that.

 

[JohnnyNitrous]

Coming along

 

[Stuart in MN]

I'm actually kind of fond of that green color in the original post. There must have been a zillion gallons of that stuff sold in the 1950s, and most of it went to high school shops where the teacher had the kids paint every machine in the place with it. I have a Delta wood lathe that came out of a school shop, and it's painted that exact same color.

 

[JohnnyNitrous]

I'm actually kind of fond of that green color in the original post. There must have been a zillion gallons of that stuff sold in the 1950s, and most of it went to high school shops where the teacher had the kids paint every machine in the place with it. I have a Delta wood lathe that came out of a school shop, and it's painted that exact same color.

Ya I hated it. I also didn't end up liking the original grey color so I went with semi-gloss black. I'm happy with how it turned out.

 

[The Cobbler]

^^^ after WW2 there was all kinds of green paint available apparently

 

[JohnnyNitrous]

^^^ after WW2 there was all kinds of green paint available apparently

I had a 53 chevy that was the same color

 

[American Iron]

I'm always a fan of stock colors. Though hammered finishes are cool as well.

 

[JohnnyNitrous]

Almost done

 

[lafester]

That is pretty sharp.
I think I would have to make room for it if I ever found one.

 

[RanWhenParked]

Looks fantastic. While I'm usually an original color fan, black always just works as a fallback for nearly any such purpose.

 

[American Iron]

Didn't think black would be good but seeing it now changed my mind. Looks great