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best paint for machine restoration?

danielwilcox

Cast Iron
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Location
San Diego, CA
I'm looking for a good paint for my old rockford lathe restoration. I want it to hold up to oil, trim-sol coolant, ect...
I'm assuming a 2 part paint is best, right?
Any brand/models would be greatly appreciated. If i can get it through somewhere local, that'd be great.
Thanks in advance!
Dan
 
Here's My favorite, Ace Hardware Rust Stop Enamel on a gear shaper after 10 years of steel chips and chlorinated cutting oils. It's even better if you put a hardner in it, and they will custom mix colors for you.

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get thyself down to the local auto body paint supplier.he will mix the exact color that you want and also in any of several formulations (enamel,clear coat-base coat) and will also supply proper primers etc.also look for some of the two part paints...extremely tough. stay away from some of the exotics though,you may find them quite toxic.reat place for advice.ps this can be quite expensive but will last a long long time.I do all my old equipment like this now and stay away from tremclad type products.my .02 worth
 
Be careful, those auto ones can be very toxic.

I used Sherwin William's Alkyd Enamel Equipment paint. Holds up well against coolant and oil. Make sure you use a hardener though or it will take about 2 years to fully cure. (No joke, 2 years, really)
 
I used Sherwin William's Alkyd Enamel Equipment paint. Holds up well against coolant and oil. Make sure you use a hardener though or it will take about 2 years to fully cure. (No joke, 2 years, really)

He's right, I tried some and it took a month until I could handle it without leaving fingerprints in it.
 
If you want to go to the extra trouble a 2 part polyurethane over epoxy primer can't be beat IMHO. I used Endura on my 8520 and it came out great:

http://gallery.intlwaters.com/thumbnails.php?album=323

Here's their site:

http://www.endura.ca/

Once this stuff is hardened nothing (including battery acid) will touch it.

As suggested though the two parts are quite toxic and you should really have a proper place to spray it if you go that route. Pretty sure they have formulas that brush well too.
 
DuPont Imron is insanely tough. Normal application: Aircraft paint. It withstands several hundred hours immersion in heated Skydrol (aviation hydraulic fluid) with only a minor loss of surface gloss and hardness.

CJ
 
Imron is also insanely hazardous and isn't the paint to be used by a rookie without proper respiration equipment.

Vote for Duron Alkyd Enamel.

Steve.
 
DuPont Imron is insanely tough. Normal application: Aircraft paint. It withstands several hundred hours immersion in heated Skydrol (aviation hydraulic fluid) with only a minor loss of surface gloss and hardness.

CJ

Yup, the Endura I mentioned is similar to Imron, but about 1/2 the price. Don't think it's too much to worry about if it's brushed, ventilation is your friend of course...
 
I am just finishing up a paint job on my band saw. I used a "single stage" epoxy with hardener and I am not too happy with the way this paint works. I would have used acrylic enamel with hardener or Imron had I known the piss poor coverage. I bough this stuff because the maker claims it flows out using a brush or roller. After three trys with a brush and roller I color sanded it and shot a tack coat let it sit and sprayed a wet coat. It still needs more paint to cover some areas.

I wanted to avoid spraying the saw so I sought out a paint that was brushable, I don't know what the standards are for brushed finish but it was well below my standards. After using this I would hearly recomend skipping the "friendly" paints and go directly to an auto paint supply and buy something I know works.

Steve
 
Imron is also insanely hazardous and isn't the paint to be used by a rookie without proper respiration equipment.

Vote for Duron Alkyd Enamel.

Steve.
Any more hazardous than most auto paints?
I have all the neccesary painting equipment needed to spray, and i've sprayed a few cars in my past, but i'm still on the fence there. I think i might brush it on to get a thicker coat, and to be a little lighter on the mess. I guess it all depends on how good my body filler job comes out.
 
I just painted my 1964 Bridgeport with PPG Deltron base coat/clear coat. I power sanded most of the machine base as it was in great condition having been properly reconditioned in the early 1990's. The head was from an older machine and had been poorly painted about 6 times. I stripped the head with chemical stripper to bare metal and used the same heavy (catalyzed) primer I use on car restorations. Lots of sanding and then the final catalyzed auto paint on top. A pint of color was $57. I probably spent $100 with the clear and catalysis but it looks as good as my custom sports car! Catalyzed car paints are good with mild solvents and can be touched up if necessary. No, I didn't buff it out.
 

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I just painted my 1964 Bridgeport with PPG Deltron base coat/clear coat. I power sanded most of the machine base as it was in great condition having been properly reconditioned in the early 1990's. The head was from an older machine and had been poorly painted about 6 times. I stripped the head with chemical stripper to bare metal and used the same heavy (catalyzed) primer I use on car restorations. Lots of sanding and then the final catalyzed auto paint on top. A pint of color was $57. I probably spent $100 with the clear and catalysis but it looks as good as my custom sports car! Catalyzed car paints are good with mild solvents and can be touched up if necessary. No, I didn't buff it out.
Looks great! That's funny, my friend commented that i should paint it to match my mustang, which is the same deltron base and clear (but black) with a House of Kolors Red Apple Kandy from the body line up. I thought about just going to pick up a quart or 2 of basic single stage auto paint.
 








 
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