Then have to call my Gravely specialist in WVA and find out the best way to buy Gravely red in bulk.
I really should get an air spray system, though the thought of spending 3/4 of my time cleaning up the equipment when done is not appealing.
And how do I get rid of the mess other than sending it to a landfill? At least with rattle cans they go to recycling.
But eleven dollars a piece for what amounts to fairly thin paint is equally unappealing. Takes two to three coats to get it even. Use up a lot of cans that way on a big mower deck and
all the other red parts. Am hoping to get a cross to another paint. Have read dozens of Gravely posts about paint numbers, like Kubota there is an orange tone to it, but much less than Kubota. Closer to IH Red with a dash of orange. Actually very close to Massey Red, which I think is getting close to a Ferrari red.
What I am restoring is pretty rare so I'd like to get the right paint on it. The folks in WVA or even Ariens customer service will know. Ariens greatly values the Gravely name, even if they don't build any of the same equipment on which Gravely made its reputation. They still market good quality zero turns though who makes what for conglomerates now is a question.
I haven't been very pleased with the durability and finish quality of any of the spray bomb paint I've used, and have been equally unimpressed with most of the less expensive automotive finishes as well. It might seem like a waste to spend $50/quart for paint, but the UV inhibitors in the good stuff prevent facing for a much longer time, and the primer systems that go with them do a much better job of helping the paint stick. When it comes to paint, you really do get what you pay for.
For color, take a piece in that has the old paint on it and a good paint shop should be able to match it almost exactly. Look for a bracket or other piece that has one side that has not been exposed to sunlight and you'll get a much better idea of how it looked when it came out of the factory.
As far as cleanup, I use cheap lacquer thinner, first wiping out the cup with paper towels to soak up most of what's in there, then about 4 oz of thinner shaken around inside and sprayed out the nozzle for a first clean until the gun is empty. Then more clean thinner in the cup, using some of it to wet another paper towel which is used to wipe down the outside of the gun. Then I drop the spray tip into the cup and swirl it around a bit, then brush it down with more thinner. Then I put the tip back on and shoot the thinner through the gun to finish cleaning. When I'm done, I unscrew the tip a half turn to keep it from sticking next time I go to spray.
All the waste goes in the garbage. The thinners and vehicles evaporate long before any of the stuff hits the landfill, and the paint leftovers harden so there's not much chance of groundwater pollution. If you're worried about it, throw the stuff in your burn pile and enjoy easier lighting next time you set one off!
I think I spent close to $400 for my last spray gun, but that was for the van and I needed all the help I could get to compensate for my poor eyes and rusty technique. If all I was shooting was tractors and implements, first place I'd look would be Harbor Freight for one of their very inexpensive guns. I'd make sure to read the reviews to weed out the duds though. If that didn't turn up anything, I'd look in the phone book for a Finishmaster or automotive paint dealer that sold DuPont products, then go have a talk with the man behind the counter. If he's actually worked in a body shop shooting paint, I'd pay attention to what he had to say. If he hasn't, I'd ask if there's someone there that has, or if all they have are clerks that learned everything by reading sales brochures, I'd find another shop.
$.02, and probably not worth that...
ullinghair: ). The best plans we've found so far seem to be from Sprint. They have unlimited talk, text, and data for $90/month for three phones for the first year, then goes up to $130/month after September 2018. That's still half what we're paying now. If we add home phone, that's another $25/month. She's already told the boy he'll need to find his own plan now that he's 18 (and he's actually been looking), so that'll drop $30/month back off. Sprint guy on the phone also told me about a "1-year-free" plan they offer if you use your own (compatible) phones. Not openly listed on their site, but comes up in a site search. Basically, they charge you $5/month plus taxes and fees, then credit the $5, and you get to "try" their service for one year to see if you like it. You also have to buy their sim cards for $3 each plus $10 shipping. We're probably going to do that. Seems almost too good to pass up a deal like that.