Painting your tractor

[Dextrous]

I'm just about to embark on this soon so I thought I would share my thoughts on how I intend to do it in case there are hidden pit falls.

Firstly I'm going to remove all the old paint from the tinwork, I have some caustic soda gel left over from a stone cleaning job which should do that nicely, as long as I'm careful with it, it dissolves flesh as easily as paint.

Then I'm going to remove any rust with Bilt-Hamber Deox products and make any repairs necessary - no filler, welding and panel beating only.

After a thorough clean and degrease I'm going to prime all bare steel with Bilt-Hamber Electrox Zinc primer and all aluminium parts with Bilt-Hamber etchweld primer.

I'm going to use conventional single pack tractor paint and conventional spray equipment on panels, brush painting on most castings. One primer and two top coats.

Any comments?

Cheers
Andy

[Bensdexta]

Then I'm going to remove any rust with Bilt-Hamber Deox products and make any repairs necessary - no filler, welding and panel beating only.

After a thorough clean and degrease I'm going to prime all bare steel with Bilt-Hamber Electrox Zinc primer and all aluminium parts with Bilt-Hamber etchweld primer.

I'm going to use conventional single pack tractor paint and conventional spray equipment on panels, brush painting on most castings. One primer and two top coats.

Hi Andy,
I've been using Bilt-Hamber products. Small parts, like instrument panels etc, I usually derust electrolytically first, cheaper saves chemicals. This shifts the worst of the rust and leaves a blackish finish which can largely be scrubbed off. Then I've used DeoxC to shift any remaining black.

I've also been using Electrox, which has good reviews and meets BS:4652,part1 for zinc rich primers. MOD specifies this standard eg for use on military vehicles. I have found Electrox dries very fast, almost as you paint it, in summer daytime temps. I suggest you don't paint out of the tin, but pour some out and reseal the tin, which should be kept cool and dry. I've been using 2 coats. It dries to give a hard finish resistant to chipping.

Also you will need some thinners for the Electrox - xylene. You will need this both to clean brushes and for thinning. I couldn't get xylene from my local autopaint suppliers, but eventually found some on ebay for £3/Ltr - a chap selling it from his house about 5miles from me!

Peter Hamber also offered to get me some if I was stuck. BTW he is very helpful and invariably answers any Q's by email.

One other thought, I've just found a chap who will zinc plate small objects, panels, nuts & bolts etc, quite cheaply, so I'll be doing some of that. I will paint over the plating.

Ref paint, I'm using New Holland Q-Coat grey primer & Empire Blue, probably not the most durable paint in the world (eg 2pack), but easy to work with. I've been using 2 primer coats & 3 top coats. In higher temps eg over 20C I've been thinning the Blue with a bit of Owatrol Oil, a la Stefan - certainly makes the paint flow better especially when brushing. I'm going to seal the asbestos sheet on the bulkhead with straight Owatrol, then the Q-Coat

Oh yes, you'll need some degreaser, I've been using Upol quick drying panel wipe.

All my tinwork has been blasted by Cleaning Consultants - comes back zinc phosphated. I apply Electrox straight over that.

Let us know how you get on
Ben

[Dextrous]

I've been using Bilt-Hamber products. Small parts, like instrument panels etc, I usually derust electrolytically first, cheaper saves chemicals. This shifts the worst of the rust and leaves a blackish finish which can largely be scrubbed off. Then I've used DeoxC to shift any remaining black.

I've bought some washing soda so may give that a go as the DeoxC is going down a bit quick.

Also you will need some thinners for the Electrox - xylene. You will need this both to clean brushes and for thinning. I couldn't get xylene from my local autopaint suppliers, but eventually found some on ebay for £3/Ltr - a chap selling it from his house about 5miles from me!

I believe Hammerite thinners is Xylene, however it will be more that £3 a litre!

One other thought, I've just found a chap who will zinc plate small objects, panels, nuts & bolts etc, quite cheaply, so I'll be doing some of that. I will paint over the plating.

You will need an etch primer when you paint, not sure if the etchweld is good enough, however the acid etch primers are pretty lethal to use so you need a good mask, ventilation etc. There is a local plater very near me who I have yet to approach, I may do something similar.

Ref paint, I'm using New Holland Q-Coat grey primer & Empire Blue, probably not the most durable paint in the world (eg 2pack), but easy to work with.

I'm using paint from Witham's, http://www.withamgroup.co.uk/ similar formulation I believe.

All my tinwork has been blasted by Cleaning Consultants - comes back zinc phosphated. I apply Electrox straight over that.

Electrox over zinc phospate is definely belt and bracers! I've looked at their web site, looks good.

Many thanks for the info Ben

Regards
Andy[/url]

[Bensdexta]

Andy,

I believe Hammerite thinners is Xylene, however it will be more that £3 a litre!

I read that too, tried some but it didn't work. Epoxy Mastic 121 thinners does contain xylene and have used some of that, but my ebay man is cheaper!

I'm using paint from Witham's, http://www.withamgroup.co.uk/ similar formulation I believe.

I guess you are matching Super D blue which is slightly different from Empire.

Ref tin work, my nose cone needed panel beating. My beater asked me to get it blasted first, so he could 'see what he had got', make it easier to see the (mis) shape. It has straightened out pretty well ready for trial fit, but I supect we'll need a bit of filler here and there.

Battery Tray. I'm going to paint my battery tray with KBS RustSeal, Satin Black. I'm told this is resistant to acid and black will show the dirt less
There are some great flick on U-tube on how to use the KBS stuff, which is said by quite a few to be better and alot cheaper than POR15 for stopping rust. You can hit it with a hammer and it doesn't chip off. They do a good tank sealer too, which I'll use if my tank leaks.

Look forward to seeing some pics of your work in due course,
Ben

[Dextrous]

Hi Ben

I guess you are matching Super D blue which is slightly different from Empire.

I've given up and decided to use Empire, there is so much difference between manufacturers of empire blue and probably between batches that I've chosen one thats close enough. Nobody sells NP blue so the only other way would be to get it matched and mixed. I don't think the colour difference warrants it and some argue there was no difference.

In the following picture I've cut back an area of original paint under the bonnet near the battery - so reasonably cool and away from UV.



The picture isn't that good at representing the colour match but the Tractol in this batch looked a bit green, the Sparex was the best match however Stefan mentions it chips easily. So I've got some Witham's empire blue paint that is a close match and seems to have a good reputation. It's not shown on this photo.

I have a conventional air sprayer/compressor, however I've been considering getting an airless sprayer for a while. Not the cheap ones with the paint, motor and nozzle in one but one with seperate pump and sprayer that is resistant to Xylene. I've got other uses for it such as spraying the steelwork in the barn and you can use it for emulsioning walls etc. Not sure how effective they are with auto paint though but promises to be less overspray. I might be able spray in the workshop without getting everything covered. This is not HVLP but airless, if anybody has experience of these with spraying tractors or cars then let me know.

Look forward to seeing some pics of your work in due course,
Ben

I'll update the web site soon.

Regards
Andy

[Dextrous]

I've found a supplier of Owatrol oil and Xylene - and lots of other paints etc.

http://www.nwepaints.co.uk/acatalog/RustTreatments.html

http://www.nwepaints.co.uk/acatalog/PaintAdditives.html

Ben, how did you use Owatrol oil? Quantity per litre of paint, mixing, application etc.

Is it definitely Owatrol oil as they also sell paint additives?

Cheers
Andy

[Bensdexta]

I've found a supplier of Owatrol oil and Xylene - and lots of other paints etc.
http://www.nwepaints.co.uk/acatalog/RustTreatments.html
http://www.nwepaints.co.uk/acatalog/PaintAdditives.html
Ben, how did you use Owatrol oil? Quantity per litre of paint, mixing, application etc.
Is it definitely Owatrol oil as they also sell paint additives?

Andy,
The cheapest place I found for Owatrol Oil was: http://www.wilsonspaints.co.uk/ Prompt service too.

"Owatrol Oil" is what I used - same as Stefan, see the picture of the tin on his website. Here is the TDS: http://www.owatrol.com/products/OwatrolOil_ds.pdf
It can be used by itself as a rust treatment, or as a paint additive to give easier application, maintaining wet edge longer, which is what we're using it for. I only use a bit 5%-10% depending on temperature. Below say 15C probably not needed at all. I also add a dash of thinners too, say 5%.
I've only been using Owatrol for the blue top coats, not primer. I've been applying by brush, so you would need to experiment to see what works best with a sprayer.
All the best,
Ben