Repainting a yellow machine ?

[Richard]

Couple of questions when painting a yellow machine.

Though Brutus is fine and dandy, if “he” was a “she” it would be a definite double 12 pack you would have to consume before you accused her of being attractive. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif That said, I’ve considered giving Brutus a...shall I say...face lift. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

There were some construction machinery painting dudes that said for $1,000 even, they would sand blast and then paint Brutus. I’m a bit hesitant because of my experience of having something sand/bead blasted once before and every single orifice of the item was packed with beads.

Is this the typical way to refinish these machines?
Are there any specific concerns about the sand blasting hurting anything else?
We have a 5 gallon container of the specific paint to be used (came w/purchase of machine from prior owner) Do you blast and paint or would you blast PRIME and then paint?

Simply said, I know nothing about painting something like this. I don’t even know if $1,000 is a good/bad price and am looking for advice/wisdom/direction.

Thanks

 

[MJB]

Richard

I would be hesitant about sand blasting anything that you are not going to fully disassemble and clean. The sand will go literally everywhere including inside your engine, transmission, wheel bearings, etc. I once read an article about sandblasting in which the writer related an experience of sandblating the top edge of a semi-truck bulk trailer and aferward finding sand in the front wheel bearings which were 20 ft away./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif He also wrote of sandblasting a mower deck with the blade spindles still in place because he knew that it would be later disassembled to replace the spindle bearings. He wrote that he taped around the openings as best he could and tried to keep away from the spindles while blasting but later found a heaping handfull of sand in each spindle housing./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Needless to say the bearings would have soon been destroyed if they were not replaced. If "brutus" were mine I would give it a good steam cleaning to remove the dirt and grease before refinishing. As far a painting goes there are several choices. At the low end of the price spectrum is the alkyld enamel paint you find at equipment stores. This stuff will look good for a while but it will quickly fade and begin to wear and chip. For a better (and more expensive) finish I would use a good enamel primer followed by acrylic enamel paint without hardener. The enamel primer will bond better that laquer primer but it does not fill imperfections as much (probably not a issue with Brutus). Adding hardener to paint makes the paint harder and thus more glossy and scratch resistant but also makes it more chip prone. If you really want to break the bank you could use an epoxy primer. This stuff is very expensive but it sticks like the very devil. I would probably go the low buck route on a machine that is going to really see some use. Good Luck. MJB

 

[Richard]

MJB
Thanks for the thoughts. You mirrored my fears exactly on sand everywhere. A year ago, I obtained a basket case dirt bike (1983 Maico 490) I took engine apart and though was planning on new bearings, left old ones in when I took to sand blaster. Taped up and when returned, they were immovable objects. I don't think you could have packed another grain in them. That's what caused my fear about this.

This machine is not planned on being a lifer in the family. My current plan/goal is use it, maintain it and maybe even improve it some. Then sell it. If I break even I'll consider myself lucky, if I lose a couple grand that will be cheaper than hiring out/renting for the things we are doing and will still consider myself lucky.

 

[Bird]

Richard, I tend to agree with MJB. If the guy really knows his business, sandblasting before painting is great, but it doesn't take much of a mistake to get expensive. I occasionally use my little sandblaster, and I also have a Cyclone Blaster (small cabinet that uses glass beads instead of sand) and it's amazing how that stuff can get into everything.

Bird

 

[dmccarty]

With all of the problems with the sand blasting, what harm would a pressure washer cause if it was used to clean up Brutus prior to painting?

I have NO knowledge on this but the question popped into my head while reading the Evils of Sandblasting.

BTW, if Brutus is a girl I think a nice shade of pink would be in order.



Later....
Dan

 

[Richard]

Dan, you don't know how close you are. My better half has a love of lavender, fucia (sp?) and some other lovely colors. Because of that, I have a kitchen with a "purple" countertop and some lively hand painted (by her) tiles etc... When I rebuilt my dirt bike and had it painted (red), she DESPERATELY wanted it painted a purple/lavender color with dots or some such. I am SURE that when the day comes to paint Brutus, the ONLY thing keeping her from advising me on a color scheme is the possiblity/probability of selling it. I think (pray /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif) that she understands MOST self respecting construction machinery type folks don't want a pink loader/backhoe with floral interior and pansies painted on the loader bucket. If there are and you're here reading this, please advise and email me, we can continue sales converesation in private to protect your reputation /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[scruffy]

Advertise it for sale in San Francisco!!! Should sell like hotcakes painted like that!

 

[Richard]

Scruffy

ROFLMAO, kind of brings new conceptual meanings to "loader" and "backhoe" maybe?

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I hope this isn't TOO politically incorrect.

 

[scruffy]

LOL
Richard,
I hadn't considered that! You're right, conotates entirely new meanings!

 

[The Haymaker]

Richard

I would be hesitant about sand blasting anything that you are not going to fully disassemble and clean. The sand will go literally everywhere including inside your engine, transmission, wheel bearings, etc. I once read an article about sandblasting in which the writer related an experience of sandblating the top edge of a semi-truck bulk trailer and aferward finding sand in the front wheel bearings which were 20 ft away.

Couldn't have been sand from the road? Up here in Maine, this time of year, you'd be hard pressed to find anything without sand in it. What the sand doesn't destroy, the calcium chloride will.