Paint recommendations

[IRTParticipant @irt]

Which type of paint for machinery?

[IRTParticipant @irt]

I am coming to the end of a powered hacksaw build. My first real project.

So far so good, but it has come to the bit I dread – painting.

I have no painting skills. As soon as I pick up a brush thing go wrong.

In the past I have tried brushing on Hammerite. Always ended up full of runs. It also chips easily. I have also used Rustoleum spray, but found this chips too.

I see previous posts recommend enamel for machinery.

What enamel would people recommend in spray cans, and what primers and undercoats are needed? I will be painting steel.

Thanks.

[Pete.Participant @pete-2]

2k acrylic, I sprayed this J&S arbor press with activated 2k acrylic out a rattle can, it leaves a really tough finish and looks like a gloss powder coat.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

I think one of the main problems of paint chipping on machinery is because it has not had a good bonding undercoat applied. If you look at a lot of paint chips they are down to the metal. Meaning they have not been prepared or had the undercoat keyed properly. Someone will be along shortly to give you a list of the best paints to use.

Steve.

[PlasmaParticipant @plasma]

I used Teal and Mackrill (Teamac) machinery enamel on my lathes and it's really good paint with a great range of colours. It will brush paint and thin fir spraying.

I'm just trying Tractol enamel though and it looks to be very easy to use. Bought it off the bay at 19.99 a litre.

[Mike CrossfieldParticipant @mikecrossfield92481]

+1 for Tractol. High pigment content so covers well, and tough as old boots. Good for brushing because it dries slowly, which means there is no problem keeping a wet edge, and brush marks tend to flow out leaving a very good finish. Need to be careful to avoid dust though. When fully cured it can be cut back and polished to a very high gloss. Smith and Allen keep a wide range of colours, and I think they also supply it in spray cans.

[IRTParticipant @irt]

I have not heard of Tractol before.

I will give this a try. Thanks.

[Evan LewisParticipant @evanlewis60038]

I painted my old Boxford lathe with one-pot epoxy ultra blue. It is Australian Wattyl Rustkill. Nowhere near the original color but I'm happy.

Someone else said that I had chosen the idea type of paint. as good as two pot. I left town for a year and when I came back it was hard asa rock.

[Author]

Posts