Thread: Painting

Anyone looking at the photos of my lathe's pedestal bases will notice that they are badly in need of some refurbishment. I can try to sandblast the things or have them blasted by others. The purpose of this thread is to raise the question of matting agent and it's useability.

The paint I have used previously on the small accessories for the lathe and mill has been spraying enamel. This paint has been gloss. Hercus used paint that was nearly matt on the later model 9 inch lathes and my early mill. I would like to repaint the pedestals and swarf tray with a paint that is durable and at the least, satin in finish. It also has to match the original green.

I had been given some matting agent a few years ago when I had been spraying green and had been relying on oversray as a means of reducing the gloss. When I mixed the agent in with the paint and sprayed the paint, the result looked like I had thrown sand into the mix. The mixing instructions given at the time were vague, along the lines of trial and error.

Does anyone have experience with matting agent and have any recommendations regarding its use? Or even better, suggest a suitable matt or satin sprayable paint that does not require any fooling around?

BT

Bob I rang a mate who runs a paint shop, he suggested that because the matting agent is a "jell type substance" that you have to stir it in extremely well with a paint stirrer in a drill, then you have to filter it through a paint filter, or he reckons that most painters just use a stocking, from what I've seen you could be a pretty good stirrer so you shouldn't have any problems

john

Hi BT

With enamel , the flattening agent can be a fine silica or even talc powder . I have an article somewhere in a magazine , a guy used fine silica powder, the stuff hobby potters use . You mix it into the gloss enamel , a tiny bit at a time.

I have painted a few old army vehicles in matt finish enamel . The matt paint is somewhat porous and isn't a effective barrier . I would apply a solid barrier as a base , then the matt on top.

BTW in the desert in WW2 , they used to brush sump oil on the vehicles and throw sand over it ... MIKE

One of the problems with using an additive type matting agent is getting it properly dispersed, as you have found. The other problem is that finishes like this mark very easily which is something you don't want in a workshop environment..

One of your options would be to use an automotive single pack NC lacquer which will give you a semi-matt finish off the gun. These are then normally buffed to give a good gloss on the vehicle.

The other advantage of using an automotive lacquer is that it should be relatively easy for the paint supplier to match your colour.

Just make sure that you are using a suitable primer for the automotive NC lacquer, but the paint supplier can advice you on that.

Hi Bob,
We used to spray lots of furniture and kitchen parts for other cabinetmakers as we had a full sized spray booth. We used to use icsam? 2 pack car paint, often with horrible polyester sealer underneath (horrible to mix and for your health but really high build and sandable). We used to use a dupont flatening base, and we never had to strain the paint any more than usual, the only paint we put through a silk filter was high gloss (yes, black included i'll never do that again!) The flatening base looked the same as the base that you get in matt or satin clear if you leave it for a while and it settles to the bottom.

If you already have the paint the correct colour, you could just put a coat of matt clear over the top, this will give you a slight "depth" to the paint job though.

Personally i HATE spraying anything but 2 pack, dry overspray is easy to clean off stuff, but wet overspray, like you get from single pack products is horrible.

What exactly is the paint you are spraying, and what brand product is the flatening base/matting agent? Most of my cans have either a product name written on or just a name, generally these type of products you need the data sheet to know what to do.

Boys,

The paint I initially used on the Hercus mill and a few of the lathe parts was Spies Hecker enamel that was mixed with a hardener. Shiny and brittle. And that was before I realised that straining the paint was a prerequisite. To my dismay, spots of unmixed yellow tint peppered my nicely painted saddle when I decided to apply one additional coat.

I moved onto an enamel purchased from a local automotive paint seller*. At first I thought it was a Dupont product but then I found out that it was of Malaysian origin. Turned out the the labels were interchangable. My Waldown drill is painted with the Malaysian paint and it has proven satisfactory even if it is a touch too shiny. A drill doesn't have to cope with impact and hot sharp swarf the way a lathe does.....

I just rang the Automotive Paint Centre* to enquire about paint suitable for machinery. They no longer sell spraying enamel. I was informed that acrylic would be too soft and that 2 pack would be the way to go. The latter can be purchased with matting agent mixed in. With hardener, 200 bucks for 2 litres. Sounds stiffish but I wouldn't know.

How does this sound to you blokes? The enamel cost maybe 70 bucks for 2 litres.

BT

ps. I just had a look at Ray's Waldown 8SN rebuild thread. He used an acrylic - http://www.salcomix.com/en_UK/produc...32_TPC-ACR.xml

Bob
I have some nice Beige here the same as the Hercus Mill
regards
Bruce

You could always get flat paint by jumping on it.
As for enamel paint flattering I have no idea, but I know you can get it for car paint.

Dave

Originally Posted by Abratool

Bob
I have some nice Beige here the same as the Hercus Mill
regards
Bruce

And I reckon you painted over that nice Vista Green with some Dulux Wash and Wear Quarry Biege to match your favourite pair of walk shorts.

BT

Originally Posted by Dave J

As for enamel paint flattering I have no idea

Dave

You can always tell it that it looks very nice in that colour

I like that Fred.

I will have to have a talk to that spell checker, it keeps changing my words, well thats my excuse, LOL

Dave

I've used Wattyl kilrust on machines and it has good oil resistance, doesn't chip easily. I think it would be less than $200 for 2 litres though. (Maybe half that?)

http://www.wattyl.com.au/Killrust/Do...p_FINAL_LR.pdf

If you can get an off the shelf colour you would be laughing, but it could probably be tinted. The natural finish is gloss, but there are some satin spray cans. The gloss doesn't stay high for long though and the wattyl guys might have a matting agent for it to dull it down too.

Michael

I'm having an affair with White Knight Machinery Grey. I've sprayed it over sandblasted galvanised steel on top of an etch primer and it turned out satin. I think 'gloss off the gun' can be controlled somewhat with varying the thinning ratio. Slightly more thinner than usual will produce a more satin finish... but watch the runs. Increase the number of thin coats.

Many automotive (ie acrylic) paints are a 'clear over base' system, especially metallics. You can have an acrylic tinted to nearly any colour you want, and for a matt finish leave the clear off completely, or build up shine with mist coats of clear until you achieve the 'satin level' you desire. Many modern auto acrylic paints are very hard wearing and very easy to apply.

I know nothing about paint other then how to applie it but I just bought 2 liters of spray enamel tinted to my exact colour for $35 a liter plus $ 40 for hardener.