Spray Or Brush Paint A Machine?

hkv

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What is the expert recommendations when restoring an old mill or lathe. Some people say brush paint is the preferred choice whereas I see other spray.

Looking at my old machines, I find the coat of paint to be very thick. It is almost like an enamel and (based on my limited experience) would be hard to get with spray paint unless you spray it 20 times.

I would like to hear your thinking
 
I spray all my restorations with Rustoleum. They look nice and be quickly retouched with a rattle can.
I only use a brush on extremely rough surfaces. I just don't like everyone the look of a brush painted smooth surface.
Randy
 
As you noted brush on paint gives a muck heaver coat than spraying. It comes down to personnel preference; A good machine paint well flow out nice and you wont se any brush marks.
 
The best results come from proper surface preparation and spraying. That said, how much time do you want to spend on the job. If you just want it to look better than it is and have a couple of hours to spend you can do a quality brush paint job. You say you are restoring a machine, so I assume it all apart. That might be time to invest in a quality spray job.

Here is a picture of my lathe with a Saturday afternoon rustoleum brush paint job. I used 1 1/2" cut in brush and a small model brush for getting around tight areas. I did follow it up with another coat on Sunday

IMG_20151015_185005907_HDR.jpg
 
I use "equipment & implement enamel" made by "Auto Body Master". The ranchers and farmers out here use it on their combines and other machinery. It is suppose to resist gasoline and oil. Tough stuff. But, like any paint that you use, prep is the name of the game.
 
It is almost like an enamel and (based on my limited experience) would be hard to get with spray paint unless you spray it 20 times.
If you're talking rattle can spraying then yes, many coats would be necessary. However if you have a spray gun you could use a high performance coating like a catalyzed urethane, That would build fast and be very durable.
 
I use "equipment & implement enamel" made by "Auto Body Master". The ranchers and farmers out here use it on their combines and other machinery. It is suppose to resist gasoline and oil. Tough stuff. But, like any paint that you use, prep is the name of the game.

I've used similar stuff from Valspar.
http://www.farmandfleet.com/products/678390-valspar-aerosol-anti-rust-oil-based-enamel.html
http://www.farmandfleet.com/products/777146-valspar-tractor-and-implement-enamel-spray.html

for small projects I just buy it in spray cans, for larger projects I but a quart and thin it so I can spray it through my hvlp system. like you said, once it's fully cured it's pretty bullet proof.

I used it to paint these benches.
http://www.dans-hobbies.com/2009/06/02/finally-finished-kind-of/
 
I use brush on hammer finish from rustoleum. covers everything nicely. touches up easy
 
I have always used grey enamel porch and floor enamel, seriously. We had a ton of it kicking around where I worked and I used it on the machines I'd have to take apart and fix. Dries hard as a rock and as smooth as a baby's bottom, no brush marks what so ever.They were getting rid of 6 gallons and I gladly took it off their hands and use it on my home stuff.
 
As you noted brush on paint gives a muck heaver coat than spraying. It comes down to personnel preference; A good machine paint well flow out nice and you wont se any brush marks.

I will have to say, that is a superb brush job! Mine don't come out looking that way 8^)
Randy
 
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