1. Home
  2. ⏣ General Metalworking
  3. refinishing old machine? what kinds of paints?

refinishing old machine? what kinds of paints?

Hi,

I have the opportunity to claim a free surface grinder, yay! My college roomate is *really* going to kill me now....

It looks like it was bought by a lab, never really used, now dumped in the hallway. The ways are unworn, the gears unworn; but the paint is flaking like seriously sunburnt skin.

After a good scraping and maybe a little sanding, I imagine that I can get it down to mildly rusted cast iron. But on the machinery I've used, they don't just paint it with latex housepaint. I imagine that might simply peel right off again....

What sort of paint do I use?

thanks!

-Bernard

Reply to
Bernard Arnest
Loading thread data ...

use a suitable two part urethane if you can afford it, next choice catalyzed enamel -

Reply to
William Noble

I prefer 'RustOleum' silver gray. Multiple coats.

Reply to
Buy_Sell

Budget? Rustoleum is popular at the low end. Farm implement paint has also been mentioned as a good choice - if you have a tractor, you can have matching machine tools. At the more expensive end, various types of epoxy paints come up, or take it down to the auto body shop and get it a tangerine metallic flake paintjob with flames and 12 coats of clear coat in catalyzed lacquer. Don't play with catalyzed lacquer at home, it's nasty stuff.

Reply to
Ecnerwal

go down to your local hardware and ask for a tin of machinery grey enamel. alkyd enamels are good. single pack epoxies are good. essentially you want a solvent/oil based paint not a water based paint.

a wood chisel can be used to lift off old paint then wire brush, scotchbrite, steel wool and kerosene followed by a wash down with mineral turps will give a good painting surface (or it has on the lathe I'm restoring)

two pack paints are ok but the single packs are easier to touch up.

Stealth Pilot

Reply to
Stealth Pilot

I agree with the Rustoleum. Any time I get a scratch, the fix just requires a cleaning and a quick spray with the proper color.

Jay Cups

Buy_Sell wrote:

Reply to
JayCups

There is also a plastic wheel with plastic fingers sticking up perpendicular to the pad that does a superb job on paint- the only downside is that it wears out really quickly. But if you've got an extra $50 and a die grinder, it's a slick way to go- just don't use it on the ways or other components where precision is an issue.

My vote is for the tractor enamel mentioned. That's what I'm using on the turret lathe I'm restoring, and it holds up well. The alkyd enamel, if it's the stuff I'm thinking of that cleans up with ammonia, won't hold up very well to direct exposure to water or coolant, in my limited experience with the stuff.

Reply to
Prometheus

I looked at those nylon wheels and thought they wouldnt last long. when the steel wool didnt last long either I broke out the wood chisels. it is mainly what I use them for.

The paint I'm using is White Knite single pack epoxy rust preventative paint. It is made by taubmans. It is probably a compatible paint to the rustoleum mentioned before.

Stealth Pilot

Reply to
Stealth Pilot

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.