zephyr9900
Plastic
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2006
- Location
- Rio Vista, CA
I bought a Feeler FSM-59 Hardinge clone today, and I think that I will want to repaint it. My machine tool experience consists of Sherline and Taig equipment, where the steel is bare and the aluminum anodized--no paint involved.
Do I do a "Pimp My Lathe" or an "Overhauling"? I.e. do I basically keep it assembled (headstock, bed, etc. intact) and mask off as necessary, or would sanding dust endanger the nice spindle bearings? Or do I strip it way down and sand, fill, primer and paint individual parts and then reassemble?
I guess my question is--where is the balance? I know that on bicycles it is gauche to paint the frame without removing the components, but I know how to strip down and properly reassemble bicycles. The good news is that the lathe is not in horrible condition--no rust, covered with gunked-on oxidized oil, just the way I'd like to find a vintage bicycle.
And if/when painting, do I sand the whole thing down to "bare metal" (I know that it would not truly be bare since the surface grain structure is still filled...) or just scuff the surface and spot-fill dings and scratches?
I've read several threads here where guys have refinished lathes, but all seem to assume some familiarity of how deep to strip down the beast...
Thanks,
Randy
Do I do a "Pimp My Lathe" or an "Overhauling"? I.e. do I basically keep it assembled (headstock, bed, etc. intact) and mask off as necessary, or would sanding dust endanger the nice spindle bearings? Or do I strip it way down and sand, fill, primer and paint individual parts and then reassemble?
I guess my question is--where is the balance? I know that on bicycles it is gauche to paint the frame without removing the components, but I know how to strip down and properly reassemble bicycles. The good news is that the lathe is not in horrible condition--no rust, covered with gunked-on oxidized oil, just the way I'd like to find a vintage bicycle.
And if/when painting, do I sand the whole thing down to "bare metal" (I know that it would not truly be bare since the surface grain structure is still filled...) or just scuff the surface and spot-fill dings and scratches?
I've read several threads here where guys have refinished lathes, but all seem to assume some familiarity of how deep to strip down the beast...
Thanks,
Randy