Try my hand at spraying some enamel for a drill press rebuild

I painted this little Millrite mill when I rebuilt it last year. I stripped it down to bare metal which entailed peeling off a ton of filler used to smooth the castings.
millrite a.jpg
I used oil based enamel paint, thinned 10% with mineral spirits as several writers have recommended, sprayed it using a Binks HVLP gun with 35 psi on the gun and 5 psi on the paint pot. It does need a pressure pot in my opinion.
I've used several paints. I like Rustoleum. I think it atomizes best and self levels to the smoothest finish. I haven't used a primer or a hardener. It did take much longer to dry on the aluminum pieces compared to cast iron. The cured paint seems nice and hard to me.

millrite b.jpg
Mostly I spray mineral spirits based polyurethane on wood. I find it harder to get paint through the gun and that paint hangs better on vertical surfaces without sagging.
 
Just recently painted a Harig Super 6x12 surface grinder. As with any paint job, prep is the critical part. I sanded and wire wheeled all the parts.
Then primed with quality primer in rattle cans. Used Sherwin Williams oil based enamel thinned about 10% to 15%, I have been painting for 40 years so I add thinner until I feel I have the right viscosity for the type of spraying I am doing (HVLP or conventional). Used Mineral Spirits but would have preferred Naptha as it flashes off faster. One coat over the primer using my older than dirt HVLP sprayer. I believe you would have to thin the paint too much if you use an air brush and it would take forever to paint. It should dry to handle over night and be completly dry in couple days.
 
Just recently painted a Harig Super 6x12 surface grinder. As with any paint job, prep is the critical part. I sanded and wire wheeled all the parts.
Then primed with quality primer in rattle cans. Used Sherwin Williams oil based enamel thinned about 10% to 15%, I have been painting for 40 years so I add thinner until I feel I have the right viscosity for the type of spraying I am doing (HVLP or conventional). Used Mineral Spirits but would have preferred Naptha as it flashes off faster. One coat over the primer using my older than dirt HVLP sprayer. I believe you would have to thin the paint too much if you use an air brush and it would take forever to paint. It should dry to handle over night and be completly dry in couple days.
yeah it's more likely not to work with the airbrush, but I'm gonna see how it goes. I appreciate the reply... all of them!
If not, it will get brushed. :/
 
been a slow week re: progress, as the respirator elements shipment has been delayed until Friday.

on another semi-related item, the drill press has a column that was pretty rusty, as you could see from the pics above. I've got it de-rusted, but I was thinking about polishing it back to shiny (see attached pic for current state).

<edit: oops, pics of rusty column were in another thread. here is one, for the "before" state>

from what I can glean, it's a sanding process, starting with maybe 300 grit, going to 400, to maybe higher, and then polishing with something like grey steel polishing compound (that whole color of polish thing is new to me, too).


what do you all think about that? too much work? if Im careful, I don't see it affecting the drill operation in any way...am I wrong?20200113_111512.jpg20200104_171513.jpg
 
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When I noticed my drill press column was getting some spot rust I cleaned it with some scotch-bright type pads.
That worked well.

After I cleaned up my drill press column, I decided I should protect it too. I used Bostick Glide-Cote (https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...0952-glidecote-table-and-tool-surface-sealant) since it did such a great job on my table saw table in my (not so well sealed) two car garage shop.

One thing I have noticed is that it is now difficult to get the drill press table clamped tight.
Using the same force on the clamp knob the table will spin around the column if you lean against or bump it.
The Glide-Cote provides great protection, but is a little too slippery.......

Not sure what other product would better suit the application.
I want something that does not collect dust or cuttings and does not drip or stain wood work.....

-brino
 
metal polish helps, but I don't think it's meant to seal against oils and cutting fluids. on that note, a dry shop, and coating with a way oil every couple months should do the trick, no?

Im just curious about getting the column back to a polished state.

anyone ever done this? is it worth the effort? did I describe the process correctly above? (14 January, 2020 post)
 
I am late to the party here, and perhaps stirring the pot, but with an old drill press like that I would brush some 242255 Rustoleum Smoke Gray oil based enamel on it. That is the paint and color I use on all my vintage machines. The brush finish, done properly, is smooth and with only light hints of brush marks. The finish is glossy but not gaudy reflective. It looks totally appropriate for the age of the machines. There is a learning curve to brushing paint. Use high quality brushes meant for the job, keep your brush wet, start at one corner and keep painting away from it, making a nice smooth layer as you go, thick enough that it can flow out smooth, but not so thick that it sags or runs. The important thing is never going back where you have already been, finish as you go. Prepped and done correctly, it can be done in one coat, no primer needed except on bare metal (optional.) When the whole piece is covered, you are done, let it dry without dust, dirt, and grit getting to it, and it will have a beautiful, vintage finish that will last. The machine will look like it has been reborn. No masking and little or no taping, no over spray in your shop if you do it inside, no drifting paint from a breeze if you do it outside. Practice on some things smaller and less important before doing a machine this way.
 
I am late to the party here, and perhaps stirring the pot, but with an old drill press like that I would brush some 242255 Rustoleum Smoke Gray oil based enamel on it. That is the paint and color I use on all my vintage machines. The brush finish, done properly, is smooth and with only light hints of brush marks. The finish is glossy but not gaudy reflective. It looks totally appropriate for the age of the machines. There is a learning curve to brushing paint. Use high quality brushes meant for the job, keep your brush wet, start at one corner and keep painting away from it, making a nice smooth layer as you go, thick enough that it can flow out smooth, but not so thick that it sags or runs. The important thing is never going back where you have already been, finish as you go. Prepped and done correctly, it can be done in one coat, no primer needed except on bare metal (optional.) When the whole piece is covered, you are done, let it dry without dust, dirt, and grit getting to it, and it will have a beautiful, vintage finish that will last. The machine will look like it has been reborn. No masking and little or no taping, no over spray in your shop if you do it inside, no drifting paint from a breeze if you do it outside. Practice on some things smaller and less important before doing a machine this way.
Great info Bob really appreciate your input.

I wanted to get some Rustoleum. I read a bunch of material in the VintageMachinery pages, and somebody posted a near match in the dark grey in a <EDIT: Krylon> rattle can for the Craftmans from the 40's. Problem is, that is a Krylon industrial machine paint, not many folks sell it, and it's hard to find in single cans. Amazon lists it, but it's out of stock. didn't want to wait, and don't feel like buying a case of it.

I went with a local sherwin-williams, as those guys have done paint/stain matching for me before, with success. There is a enough raw metal that I wanted to go with a primer/paint effort. I haven't see the paint on anything yet, but the match came out very nice, I think.

Im probably going to have to brush it on, but I wanted to try and spray it. Just to try my hand at it, I guess.

your post matches other threads I've read (probably even your posts, I'd bet!).

the respirator is late, so it will have to wait. Oh well, I guess I have to run up to Pennsylvania to go to the Cabin Fever Expo for a day ;)
 
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