# Painting a Machine



## Trevanion (8 Jun 2019)

Pretty soon I've got a machine to paint, more specifically this Multico TH Thicknesser.







Now, it doesn't look anything like this anymore as pretty much all the paint has been removed now and the machine has been overhauled (There will be a thread down the line on this! )but I'll use this image to give people an idea of what it looked like before (A really terrible job of a horrible bluey-greenish tinge of Hammerite) I'm not really after any advice on what type of paint... etc to paint it with as I've got that pretty much nailed down anyway but I'm more after suggestions on colours for it.

Under the Multico serial tag was the original colour:




Kind of an interesting dark military-esque Hammerite green, not a huge fan of "machine green" anyway so I won't be using that colour.

I was thinking of perhaps a light blue/off-white colour scheme, blue sheet metal side panels, top castings, odd parts internally and dust hood with white main castings and attached panels (Front and back) with white on the bed extensions. But I'm also feeling this particular combination has been done to death both by manufacturers and machine restorers now that it might look a bit naff. I was just wondering if anyone else had any ideas for a good combination, I might just end up painting it blue/white anyway but I'm just interested in having a look at different options before buying all the paint.


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## Ttrees (8 Jun 2019)

Can't say I've any got suggestions on the colour, but a suggestion on a way to go about it.

Consider taking plenty of snaps of your machine in situ, and then put an undercoat on it.
It might make the choice easier.

You might possibly find Isopon zinc 182 primer on discount, I got mine in a car parts place.
Tom


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## SkinnyB (8 Jun 2019)

Just finished my morticer in Blue and Black.
Was originally going to do blue and white but I think it will show up the dirt to much.

Matches my planer too!



Morticer by jamie skinner, on Flickr



Morticer by jamie skinner, on Flickr



Morticer by jamie skinner, on Flickr


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## TFrench (9 Jun 2019)

Personally I'm a fan of boring one colour paint jobs - simple never goes out of style. I recommend having a look in your local agricultural suppliers at tractor paint - I use sparex stuff on my restorations and its very good. Quick drying and once its fully hardened its bulletproof.


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## Droogs (9 Jun 2019)

Rustoleum do a smooth finish paint series and one of the colours is Oiled Rubbed Bronze, I used it for the outside of our 1890s rolled top bath after I had re-enameled the inside. looks great they have a good range of colours in the spray tins worth having a look, even if only used to accent parts of the machine


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## deema (9 Jun 2019)

I rather like all white machines, shows up any problems quickly and is nice and bright. RAL9010 is what I’ve used a few times.


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## Trevanion (9 Jun 2019)

Droogs":28uadnhz said:


> Rustoleum do a smooth finish paint series and one of the colours is Oiled Rubbed Bronze, I used it for the outside of our 1890s rolled top bath after I had re-enameled the inside. looks great they have a good range of colours in the spray tins worth having a look, even if only used to accent parts of the machine



That would be an interesting colour for a woodworking machine :shock:

I'll be having an industrial direct adhesion paint put on it, at least that's what I've been told I'm having put on it :lol: I haven't got much choice in that department! I think it doesn't require any primers or undercoats and is pretty hard wearing so should work well.


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## Sideways (9 Jun 2019)

I like white too. There have been some really smart looking restorations done on Graduate lathes and old pllar drills finished in white. You can go pearl / metal flake white if you want to get fancy.
There's a guy across the pond who refurbishes old British woodworking machinery - Wadkin and the like. He does a lot of his machines up in a darker grey and they look superb...
Or just go the Martin route for fun and graffitti it up - it'll make you smile every day


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## Bm101 (9 Jun 2019)

https://craftmaster.myshopify.com/colle ... ry-colours
Just another option Trevanion. Used them a couple of times. Might not be the cheapest but it's good paint if you want original trade colours. If...


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## Ttrees (9 Jun 2019)

Even though I'd like to get some Claas seed green for my tablesaw, I don't think it would look the same bright colour inside the dark workshop, and just look the same as the rest of the common light dull greens. 

I think white paint might be a good choice for me, as I'm guessing it won't yellow over time if it's in the dark, and has good Isopon zinc 182 primer underneath?

Would look great with some Claas seed green accents, as it would brighten up the green somewhat,
but for an extra 30 quid, 
I might leave that for another day, when I've acquired more iron. 

Member Spifitul done a nice resto on his Startrite TA 145 in white

startrite-ta-145-total-overhaul-t114480.html?hilit=startrite%20175

[Edit] How greasy can one of those thicknessers get though?
That would look horrible and add to the horrible yellowing you get with some machines like with some minimax stuff, I'm guessing were originally white.


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## Ttrees (9 Jun 2019)

Is it me or does white paint look better on machines with sharp corners?

It seems a very light grey might be more forgiving for some machines.
_The missus has enough of all this machine painting malarkey_


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## Trevanion (9 Jun 2019)

Sideways":3t3oh92h said:


> There's a guy across the pond who refurbishes old British woodworking machinery - Wadkin and the like. He does a lot of his machines up in a darker grey and they look superb...



Jack Forsberg? He has some excellent restored machines.



Sideways":3t3oh92h said:


> Or just go the Martin route for fun and graffitti it up - it'll make you smile every day



I used to use Martin spindle moulders daily, it would be sacrilege to cover them in grafitti! :lol: Truly next level machines.



Ttrees":3t3oh92h said:


> How greasy can one of those thicknessers get though?
> That would look horrible and add to the horrible yellowing you get with some machines like with some minimax stuff, I'm guessing were originally white.



They can leak grease from the feed roller housings (This once suffered from a lack of grease!) but that's about it. Resin can build up and cook on in places such as the cutterblock bearing housings though but all of these would be in areas you cannot see without pulling panels off anyway so I'm not too bothered about it, it will be a working machine in the end, hopefully not an ornament! 






It kinda looks cool in its bare metal state, to be honest!


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## Droogs (9 Jun 2019)

you could always gold leaf it :twisted:


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## Bm101 (9 Jun 2019)

My old drill Trevanion. Two tone Drill named Rudy.
[youtube]IbqiCxEIeEo[/youtube]















Goosewing Grey (Colchester) and Myford Grey.
8)


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## Trevanion (9 Jun 2019)

Bm101":1tqs4nac said:


> My old drill Trevanion. Two tone Drill named Rudy.



Rudy is truly a lovely drill. An old Meddings by the looks? You really can't beat the classic colours for real classic machines like that.


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## TFrench (9 Jun 2019)

Forgot to say, I saw on instagram recently that bruce kenneth has painted his Wadkin PK in neon pink....


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## Trevanion (9 Jun 2019)

TFrench":cn2d5k02 said:


> Forgot to say, I saw on instagram recently that bruce kenneth has painted his Wadkin PK in neon pink....



I wasn't sure if you were being serious or not but sure enough! https://www.instagram.com/brucekennethdesigns/?hl=en

Can't say it's what I would've chosen :lol: Doesn't look bad though! Reminds me of the time we painted a lawn mower hot pink for a local garden machine centre in aid of breast cancer research. I think they've still got it on display!


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## Ttrees (10 Jun 2019)

bm101, That drill looks fantastic.
I really like that light grey you've chosen.

Had to look up the goosewing grey and it appears to be a Harrison colour?
The Colchester colour on the website is titled ash grey.
Can you clarify if this is right?

Nice job cleaning the thicknesser Trevanion 
I'm not finding this all to easy on my rusty machine.
Round 2 today 

Tom


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## Trevanion (10 Jun 2019)

Ttrees":7dd8ae57 said:


> Nice job cleaning the thicknesser Trevanion
> I'm not finding this all to easy on my rusty machine.



It’s surprising how much paint will come off with just a 1” Marples chisel


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## Bm101 (10 Jun 2019)

Tom you are quite right. Apologies. It is indeed a Harrison colour. How strange. I think I was debating between the two and at some point got confused. The tins only have the paint name not the machine name so I have blithely ventured down the path of false assumption ever since it would appear.


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## Ttrees (18 Jun 2019)

Was looking forward to getting my machine all painted up.
Why, Oh why, I didn't do a test on one easy to clean off piece.... I don't know.
Not a happy bunny.
Here is what colour not to paint your machine  :evil:  #-o 
This Rustoleum mode paint just looks horrible, nearly OK until you open the door.
Then it looks like an ice pop. (hammer) 





I wonder if spray enamels are easy to get off, without going through the primer aswell?
It would be lovely if I could just paint the proper stuff on top, but nothing's ever that easy.

More importantly, what's the chances of getting an actual correct colour, if I order a generic 
agricultural Claas green paint with the correct RAL number?

Was looking forward to getting working on other projects to get the workshop back in action.
That's not happening now for two effin weeks, till I can afford some.
Annoyed at myself for chanceing my arm with this carp, which wasn't cheap.
Plenty of time to wire wheel it all off again, I suppose.

On a lighter note, at least the isopon primer was good tack for filling the pitting, much thicker than the Lowe's stuff that I've used before.
Moral of the story.... don't try out new paint when tired and overly optimistic (hammer) 

A disgruntled Tom


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## Bm101 (18 Jun 2019)

As long as its fully cured can't just scratch coat it and treat it as another layer of undercoat Tom? I know paint companies say they only guarantee their own products its mainly to mediate against user error in application. 
I'd be tempted to just pick a darkish topcoat and go for it personally . That bright lime undercoat might not suit a light top colour.... If the paint is sound and its just the colour you dont like in effect you are strengthening the finish with far less work. And unnecessary work is a trick of Satan.


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## Ttrees (3 Jul 2019)

Got some Claas machine paint delivered speedily from eBay.
It looks different at various angles, and will hopefully tone down a bit once dry.
I might be making a tall order here, so maybe a bit'o sawdust may help.
Why not have an excuse to get this saw running  

Awaiting another lick before assembly the day after tomorrow.
This stuff takes some time to cure.
Will post some pics when I get this thing assembled, which is hopefully straight forward.

Tom


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## Inspector (3 Jul 2019)

Little late now I guess but on the 9th last month when you said you kind of liked the look of the sanded machine you should have gone the way of the Americans and their Rat Rods "dirtied it up" a bit more with some paint and shot a clear coat on it.  

It does have the blockiness of a vending machine so a Coke Red or my preferred, a Pepsi Blue along with a few white pinstripes would look good. 

If it is to sell then sticking as close a possible to the original keeps the purist/collector happy. For yourself whatever makes you warm and fuzzy. I look forward to seeing the end result.

Pete


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## Trevanion (3 Jul 2019)

Has it already been almost a month? Time sure does fly by  

At this rate it will take me a veeeeeery long time to finish it :lol:

I really did consider the "Ratrod" look but it would show up a few blemishes I would like to hide behind paint! Plus it would almost have 0 sale value if you ever decided to sell it on.


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## Inspector (3 Jul 2019)

True the Rat Rod look would make it harder to sell but at the same time it's unlikely thieves would want to take it either. 

Pete


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## Ttrees (11 Jul 2019)

As promised, but a bit later than expected....
Not like me atall (hammer) 




The colour looks lovely, as its toned down now a good bit.
The camera can't figure out what colour it is though, and no matter what setting I use, it still thinks its illiomunious, or overly limey, like the other previous colour bought in haste. #-o 
Probably would need a fancy yolk, if you wanted to go all youtube/instagram on it.
It pleases me anyways, and I'm very glad I sprung for the good stuff. 
Would look sweet sitting on a nice black mobile base.

Tom


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