Tiller What's the deal with the paint on the PTO tiller from TSC?

[strantor]

I stopped by Tractor Supply the other day for some fittings & misc., had some spare time so I went and looked at the tillers. Check out the paint on this tiller. What's up with that? This TSC location was built less than a year ago. This tiller looks like it's sat outside for a decade. I doubt it's a customer return because it's not even assembled. Has the box of bolts still strapped to it.

Is this a common complaint? Does the paint fall off these things as soon as you get them home? Or is this just a bad apple? What about the functionality of the tiller? Is it an itherwise good tiller? Because if it is, I'm thinking about having a talk with the manager and see if he'll sell it to me at a deep discount. Really he ought to pay me to dispose of it, considering the damage it's got to be doing to his sales. Who is going to buy a shiny new tiller when the one next to it is shedding like a fat snake?

If the paint is the only issue I'll needle gun that sucker and paint it to match my tractor.

 

[ruffdog]

It looks like it went through a salt bath test.

 

[strantor]

It looks like it went through a salt bath test.

Yeah, before painting. And then they sprayed the saltwater off with motor oil and immediately painted. You can's see it as well in the picture as in real life, but that paint is just lifting right off in great big sheets on every surface of it. Even the misc bolt-on bars/plates. No abrasions, no damage, just paint flaking off like really bad gross dandruff.

I'm thinking (in order for it to be considered in "new" condition) it would have to needle gunned, blasted, stripped, washed with acetone & rust killer, primed, and painted. All those consumables and man hours (depending on the man in question) might easily add up to 50% the price tag of the tiller. I'm curious if the TSC branch manager would agree. I might just buy it for that price

I just don't want to go buy this resto project brand new off the lot if the quality of paint is a reflection of the overall quality. I'd like to know if anyone in here has one of these and if they're happy with it. (and I'm also curious if all the paint fell off of it within a season of use)

 

[Shaneard]

Chinese powdercoat. If not powdercoated there, the paint came from there.

 

[tjkubota93]

Yeah, before painting. And then they sprayed the saltwater off with motor oil and immediately painted. You can's see it as well in the picture as in real life, but that paint is just lifting right off in great big sheets on every surface of it. Even the misc bolt-on bars/plates. No abrasions, no damage, just paint flaking off like really bad gross dandruff.

I'm thinking (in order for it to be considered in "new" condition) it would have to needle gunned, blasted, stripped, washed with acetone & rust killer, primed, and painted. All those consumables and man hours (depending on the man in question) might easily add up to 50% the price tag of the tiller. I'm curious if the TSC branch manager would agree. I might just buy it for that price

I just don't want to go buy this resto project brand new off the lot if the quality of paint is a reflection of the overall quality. I'd like to know if anyone in here has one of these and if they're happy with it. (and I'm also curious if all the paint fell off of it within a season of use)

Theres a few things at the tsc here that look like that. For all I know they could be 10 years old. I thought about making a similar offer. I dont need it and I kinda figured the guy ain't that smart. Probably thinks he would be doing you a favor at 10% off. Goodluck with your reasonable offer that will probably be viewed as low ball.

 

[searcyfarms]

I have a Chinese tiller - mines orange - mine was losing paint on the thin metal pieces the first 6 mos, the rest faded badly but it still on there and not a ton of rust - the back door/leveler has been bent up so that didn't help with the pain issues - I don't have room in my barn to store it so it sits outside, I would rather keep my tractors inside - I suspect many of the Chinese implements that ride over on a month trip get some salt spray and its not good for them - that is why so much stuff is in containers on those ships however some doesn't get that treatment or sits waiting to be put in containers before loaded as well.

 

[zzvyb6]

Better not complain. They will stop buying the bonds we give them to eliminate our middle class workforce. Make sure you tell your children you sold them out to save a few bucks.

 

[searcyfarms]

no complaints here - if we could get our kids to work id be happy to buy from them, maybe they will learn through these types of examples that you have to work to make money - I provided my kids opportunity after opportunity and they never take me up on it - oh and its a sweet deal - I have several friends with businesses as well and they cant find many Gen Y or Gen Z that will work - heck most don't even show up other than when they want to - our kids are pissing away their future if you ask me - they don't care about $$$ its all about the experience, research some of the most successful business models these days and how they are doing it, it will astound you.

our kids have their work cut out for them but in ways so much different that we can barely scratch the surface let alone wrap our heads around it - we are left shaking our heads rather than shaking hands -

 

[Gary Fowler]

I think that is typical of prep for painting now for most steel. Abrasive blasting is too hard to do because of permitting issues and dust control so mostly they just solvent clean (if that ) and spray some paint over whatever is there. They just hope it looks good long enough to get the item sold.
You would need to abrasive blast that tiller to get all the rust off, then prime and recoat making sure to use compatible primer and top coat. I have seen paint peel off in a sheet separating between the primer and the top coat due to incompatible coats and/or not adhering to the paint manufacturers time limits between coats.

I doubt that any equipment mfg. has a coating engineer on staff so they get some yahoo with a dust mask to spray whatever paint they can get cheap. Powder coat paint wont stay either if not cleaned properly but it is extremely hard so it may last a bit longer before flaking off.

 

[fried1765]

I think that is typical of prep for painting now for most steel. Abrasive blasting is too hard to do because of permitting issues and dust control so mostly they just solvent clean (if that ) and spray some paint over whatever is there. They just hope it looks good long enough to get the item sold.
You would need to abrasive blast that tiller to get all the rust off, then prime and recoat making sure to use compatible primer and top coat. I have seen paint peel off in a sheet separating between the primer and the top coat due to incompatible coats and/or not adhering to the paint manufacturers time limits between coats.

I doubt that any equipment mfg. has a coating engineer on staff so they get some yahoo with a dust mask to spray whatever paint they can get cheap. Powder coat paint wont stay either if not cleaned properly but it is extremely hard so it may last a bit longer before flaking off.

I believe that Caterpillar would take issue with your "doubt that any equipment mfg. has a coating engineer" comment.
Cat factory paint holds up VERY well!