good source for tractor paint?

[flusher]

I need to paint a small dozer, and when I went to teh john deere store, they wanted a arm and a leg for yellow industrial paint in a gallon can.

tractor supply didn't have industrial yellow.

Can you guys recommend a good supply for paint?

I'm refurbishing a 1966 MF-135 diesel that I bought last July. I bought the paint from Valu-Bilt

Valu-Bilt

MF Red Enamel (A952002, 105012)--$24.59/gal
MF Metallic Flint Grey Enamel (A952003, 105013)--$37.29/gal

Both paints are alkyd oil enamels distributed by Herschel-Adams

Herschel Corporate Website | Herschel Corporate Website

The paint is manufactured by Van Sickle

Tractor, Equipment and Industrial Enamel for Van Sickle

Van Sickle makes two grades of that paint--Good Quality and Best Quality. My guess is that I have the good quality grade.

The recommended thinner (reducer) for spraying is V&MP naptha (8 parts paint to 1 part thinner by volume).

You can get a hardener to improve glossiness, get faster through cure and improved hardness. But alkyd oil enamels dry without reducer to about 80% of maximum hardness. So I think I'll skip the reducer since the pot life with reducer is typically only about 3 hours. Also using the reducer is just another variable that allows me increased chance of screwing up the job.

Alkyd oil enamels are supposed to have superior weather- and fade- resistance. These qualities may be important if you're putting in a lot of time on a tractor restoration and don't want the paint to degrade too quickly. I plan to use my 135 to work 7 acres of hay farm so I'm not too concerned about paint fade. And I keep the 135 in the garage most of the time anyway.

Hope this info helps.

 

[flusher]

Oops!!

Had attack of brain latchup. The paragraph on hardeners should have read:

"You can get a hardener to improve glossiness, get faster through cure and improved hardness. But alkyd oil enamels dry without hardener to about 80% of maximum hardness. So I think I'll skip the hardener since the pot life with reducer is typically only about 3 hours. Also using the hardener is just another variable that allows me increased chance of screwing up the job."

 

[slowrev]

Rustoleum now makes tractor paint.
I am painting my old IH with rustoleum and coating it with rustoleum crystal clear enamel. The parts I painted 6 months ago still look shiny wet
About $25/gal.
Ben

 

[Sully2]

... I switched to a HVLP gravity spray gun. With more experience, I'm finding it takes me 35 or 40% less paint to more than adaquately cover a tractor. The massey took one quart of Flint grey metallic, and a single quart of red. I used the same reducer to clean parts and the gun when finished. Just shy of a gallon of that. I've painted several 135's over the years, using my old Binks #7 siphon gun. Usually used about double that amount of material. I painted in 4 stages, requiring 4 seperate mixings. That actually required MORE paint. (leftover already mixed with hardener) In one mix, I MIGHT have used even less.

You use that same HF gun that I bought to do my disks..dont you? Ive picked up all 3 sizes of their gravity fed guns over the last few months when they had them on sale. I got their "touch up" gun ( gravity fed model) for $9.95 on sale.. I'll use it "someday"...on "something"...lol

 

[Farmwithjunk]

You use that same HF gun that I bought to do my disks..dont you? Ive picked up all 3 sizes of their gravity fed guns over the last few months when they had them on sale. I got their "touch up" gun ( gravity fed model) for $9.95 on sale.. I'll use it "someday"...on "something"...lol

No HF paint guns here..... "Finish gun" is a Sharpe "Platinum", and primer gun is a Huskee brand from Home Depot. Both HVLP gravity feed. Cheap gun has painted a few tractors all over. It did an amasing job for a "cheap-o" model. Sharpe Platinum is a tad bit more expensive. Bought mine on Ebay.

 

[Sully2]

No HF paint guns here..... "Finish gun" is a Sharpe "Platinum", and primer gun is a Huskee brand from Home Depot. Both HVLP gravity feed. Cheap gun has painted a few tractors all over. It did an amasing job for a "cheap-o" model. Sharpe Platinum is a tad bit more expensive. Bought mine on Ebay.

Whoops! Sorry about that..I didnt mean to offend you!! All I remember is that someone here on the BB that paints tractor said he used the same HF guns that I had purchased.

Again..sorry about that!
EDIT: I did a search and found who it was...it was Soundguy.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Whoops! Sorry about that..I didnt mean to offend you!! All I remember is that someone here on the BB that paints tractor said he used the same HF guns that I had purchased.

Again..sorry about that!
EDIT: I did a search and found who it was...it was Soundguy.

No offense taken. I'm not sure, but I do believe I recall hearing Soundguy saying he uses siphon feed guns. I prefer the lower air pressure of the HVLP gravity feeds. Less overspray with its mess and wasted paint. Also using lower pressure reduces the size compressor needed. (Or lessens the load on your compressor) HVLP guns work at most odd angles. At least as much as a siphon gun will. (Can't turn them upside-down either) Most of all, I've found HVLP gravity style guns to be easier to master for us amatures.

In the end, neither style is "instant success". It takes practice. Either style can produce top quality paint jobs in the hands of a good painter.

Where the more expensive paint guns have it over the cheaper ones is their precision with different types of paint.

 

[mark777]

Just wanted to throw this out there....

Painting is a passion and my occupation for nearly 40 years, and even though retired from owning and operating many custom shops, I now do it leisurely and with great dedication to produce as absolutely flawless as humanly possible.

I know when good painters hear: "Prep is everything" they probably nod in agreement but it's not true with chemistry that is inferior (inexpensive) when compared to the higher line automotive finishes. Color hold out does not stand up over time. The BPS paints from TSC...and as much as I liked their (Valspar) products, FADE. And do so relatively quickly when compared to other high line finishes (PPG, Sikkens, DuPont etc..). I have painted several tractors, and the first four were with Valspars BPS, kept three tractors outside, and all painted at different intervals and one inside the shop. One- three years ago, two- years ago and the last one, last year. They all look like the base coat of a BC/CC system with no shine or reflectivity, and will come back with assorted abrasives, compounds and machine polishing...but who has time for that? I even went so far as to contact Valspars area representative AND his boss, the S.W. territorial manager and asked if a clear coat was available (I'm thinking a good clear saturated with UV screeners would add decades of life to my paint projects), after many conversations...in the end he said you get what you pay for.

Because I held my own with their (Valspar) chemists and sales managers they sent me a free pallet of paint, hardeners and reducers. The line is called "Restoration Series". I immediately prepared and painted my old Snapper lawn tractor and within 6 months the same results.

IMHO there is a hierarchy for paints and applications on vehicles and equipment. From toughest on down starting with the Polyurethanes (DuPonts Imron, PPG Delthane etc.). These are aircraft quality finishes that stay shinny even when exposed to constant temperature changes.
Polyurethane
Acrylic base coat + Urethane clear coat
Acrylic enamel (Optional clear coat)
Acrylic enamel (w/o clear)
Alkyd oil base enamel (plus hardener)
Oil base enamel

Unfortunately It's all about the money...

 

[Sully2]

Just wanted to throw this out there....

Unfortunately It's all about the money...

It makes a guy ( novice like myself) wonder when I can buy acrylic enamel from TSC at about $22 a gallon..and the automotive paint place wants $100 a gallon ( or more!!) for "acrylic enamel"!!!

 

[mark777]

I have seen some excellent paint work by many novices...it seems there's little difference in following certain disciplines for either a professional or a first timer. Perhaps the only difference is knowing what to do when things suddenly go wrong.

I would encourage anyone that is interested enough to shoot their own projects rather than taking them to the local body shop. The rewards of obtaining the knowledge and projects that turn out well are.. forever.

BPS (Best Paints Sold) sold at TSC is not an acrylic base paint. Valspar does cover the entire spectrum though. From their least expensive (BPS) to the most expensive 'shimerin metallic, produced for "House of Kolor" often over $300 per quart or $1000 per gallon.