I have seen engines that have a lacquer type coating that brings out the original fading paintwork without a high gloss finish. ISTR that some sort of natural nut oil was in the mix. Thought I might give it a try. Any ideas?
Regards, Dave Carter.
We have used Linseed oil in the past for doing this, and found it to provide decent finish.
Mike M
miley snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com
Most of the paints used on engines pre 1930 were linseed oil based & I have seen good results with boiled linseed oil (that's a description, you buy it that way as distinct from raw linseed oil) mixed with a little *real* turpentine and heated lightly. The mixture is flammable, so go steady with that there gas torch!
Clean the surface thoroughly and repeatedly, finishing off with a wipe over with Methalated Spirit (wood alcohol for our left pond readers) until the cloth comes away clean. WARNING!! Some lining paints were alcohol based, so you might want to check somewhere inconspicuous before finding out the hard way .
Using a fluff free cloth (muslin would be good if washed several times) folded into a tight pad, wipe on layers of the linseed/turpentine mixture. Running the engine will help to dry the linseed mix & help the old paint absorb it. Give it a fortnight to dry in warm weather, longer at this time of year.
Finish with any good furniture polish.
One thing, boiled linseed oil on a rag will spontaneously combust if put aside. Wring it out and either wash it thoroughly or put it in a tin and throw it away. Raw linseed oil doesn't do this - dunno why.
Regards,
J. Kim Siddorn,
Dave, Another good temporary option is to fill a pump-spray bottle with a 50-50 mix of kero (parrifin for the cross-the-pond lot) and non- detergent oil. The spray bottle is way kinder on your knuckles when you're trying to get into the twiddly-bits and its way faster than hand-wiping. The spray bottle also works well for the boiled linseed oil application. The only down side I've found to the oil & kero mix is that if you're on a really dusty rally field or down wind from a thrasher or a flour mill, you engine will get coated and need a good kero wash. BTW DO NOT use HD oil. First light rain and your coating turns yukky white.
See ya, Arnie
Arnie Fero Pittsburgh, PA USA fero snipped-for-privacy@city-net.com
Mike, Kim, and Arnie, Thanks for your recipies, advice, and warnings! I'll get some ingedients together and try the different options as there is plenty of area on the base plate on which to experiment. Although that won't be until after I get a control board built up and then some time off at Chr..... Chris.... a few weeks time!
Regards, Dave Carter.
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