Oil based blue gray paint

[Allimax]

Starting to clean up an old 48 Wards 10” bench that’s been in my family since about 1970. Having trouble figuring out what To do for matching the correct color. Looks like the Dem-Kote isn’t around anymore and Benjamin Moore is only available in water based, at least around me. Something tells me an oil based would hold up better.

 

[Shiseiji]

Yes "but" most have reported the latex hold up well. Your other option is a custom mix automotive paint, they can probably match the Sherwin Williams "Baby Seal Black" or they can match a paint chip. IIRC PPG is the paint most often mentioned. You can search here or you can check out the Grant Gunderson thread on the Garage Journal forum or Practical Machinist Monarch forum for his very detailed restoration.

 

[woodchucker]

rustoleum or suffer.
I used Sherwin Williams on my lathe. It is not holding up well.
I used Rustoleum on every other rebuild and it holds up very well.

 

[rabler]

I used Sherwin Williams on my lathe. It is not holding up well.

Latex or one of the industrial paints? I've done Ok with Sherwin Williams Industrial paints (which are oil based), but you have to find a commercial/industrial store not the house paint stores.

 

[pontiac428]

Oil paint is good for machinery, but there are different types. Oil-alkyd is tough, it is sold as farm implement paint in cans at the Hillbilly Supply stores. I used Sherwin-Williams for their ability to color match an alkyd-spec paint. The color was a little off, but the paint is good. Sherwin sells several types of paint, so no need to swear off the brand. Auto paint is okay, but I find it chips off of anything that isn't perfectly prepped. It also doesn't cover well, as it's meant to be thin. I've really settled on the oil base and a paint brush after doing it all before.

For important paint jobs, I use an adhesion promoter additive like Bulldog from Kleen-strip. I also use a little squirt of hardener (isocyanate, promotes polymerization) and a tiny bit of VM&P naphtha to smooth out the brush lines.

For color matching, you can either try to match it yourself by mixing colors, you can match a Pantone or RAL color code, or you can bring a sample in to a paint store for digital matching. Depends on what you're in it for.

 

[woodchucker]

Latex or one of the industrial paints? I've done Ok with Sherwin Williams Industrial paints (which are oil based), but you have to find a commercial/industrial store not the house paint stores.

Not latex... who uses latex on a metal machine? Industrial paint. The price is outrageous and the longevity has not been great. All other machines are doing much better with Rustoleum and much cheaper.

 

[Nesse1]

I used POR-15 primer and Glidden Farm Implement paint with Krylon hardner. Machinery Gray. You could add a dash of blue as desired to tint the gray. Amazon sells this paint.

 

[rabler]

The price is outrageous and the longevity has not been great.

I set up an account, even though I only buy a gallon or two per year. $200 gallon of paint is suddenly $75 ...
They do have a huge collection of paint types, different combinations of alkyd enamel urethane whatchyamacallits.

 

[woodchucker]

I set up an account, even though I only buy a gallon or two per year. $200 gallon of paint is suddenly $75 ...
They do have a huge collection of paint types, different combinations of alkyd enamel urethane whatchyamacallits.

wow, that was wierd, I hit reply and it quoted and saved.
I have an account as well. Still expensive compared to Rustoleum.

I miss having an auto paint shop near me. I used to have one and I would get some bullet proof stuff, although dangerous stuff like IMRON. But I have a respirator with a pump and scott air mask. I haven't used it in 25 years.

 

[SLK001]

I set up an account, even though I only buy a gallon or two per year. $200 gallon of paint is suddenly $75 ...
They do have a huge collection of paint types, different combinations of alkyd enamel urethane whatchyamacallits.

I know. That's some weird customer service. With an account and with their monthly email discount coupons, a gallon of SW is just about the same as a gallon of Rustoleum. I like the fact that they can mix up most colors in their oils.