ploughmyfield.com

How I paint my parts.

I had a question on the website:

“Wandered if I could pick your brain? What do you know about painting, as we know nothing about it but hope to paint our TEF engine whilst it is all in bits and easier to get to. Could I ask how you’ve prepared yours and then painted it?”

Steve

I thought this was an area that might interest others and spark some debate about how others paint there tractors.

Stage 1,

If the parts are really dirty/oily I use a wire brush, Sandpaper or the airline to remove as much of the muck as possible. For larger parts a pressure washer could be used but be careful around gaskets and seals to the high power jet doesn’t distroy them.

Satge 2,

As a minimum I carry out a strip down of the major items.

I try to carry out a nut and bolt strip down wherever possible.

Stage 3,

I get the parts into the degreaser. I like to leave them in for at least 24 hours.  I try to use the degreaser without diluting. but acording to the instructions it can be used at as low as 1 part  degreaser to 10 parts water.

Degreaser available from Screwfix Part Number: 47781

Stage4,

Using a scrubbing brush I now wash all the degreaser off the parts with hot water. This should take off the paint as well. If the majority of the paint it still on I stick the part back in the degreaser for another 24hours.

Stage 5,

Now the hard part using a wire brush, angle grinder with brush attachment, flapper disk, sandpaper and an air line I take all the remaining paint off the part. This gets the part back to bare metal. I then wash the part again.

Stage6,

Now all the muck is off the parts you can asses any ware, cracks etc.

I now decide what parts to assemble back together before painting, what needs replacing, what needs repair

Stage7,

Using masking tape mask off the areas you don’t want paint to go.

Stage 8,

If the parts are small enough I heat then in the oven.  Turn the oven on to 100 degrees c then place the parts in for at least 10 mins. This also removes any remaining moisture from the part. I than apply an undercoat using a spray can or spray gun.

If the item is Alloy or Aluminium I apply an acid etch primer before the primer coat. I also used this on the engine block.

Acid etch primer available from Halfords, Catalogue Number: 741124-0 Data Sheet. It’s not cheap but it gets great results.

Stage 9,

Now warm again and repeat the undercoat and then topcoat as many coats as you wish I use 2 of each as a minimum.

Fo the top coats I use the MF original Ferguson paints as the top coats. It’s important to pick one paint from the start and stick with it. different paints from different suppliers used on parts next to each other can make your tractor look like a patchwork of grey if you are not careful.

Topcoats:

400ml Spray can, MF part number: 393 192 8M7

Tin of Paint 1Litre, MF part number: 393 102 8M5

Specifically focusing on Steves question about the engine.

I’ve followed the steps above to paint the parts with undercoat. I then assembled the items back onto the engine block before painting. I’ve used the acid etch primer on the block and then undercoat. With all the parts back inplace on the engine I now spray topcoat on all parts. I have left the exhaust manifold off or masked as I have painted this in a special high temperature paint.

For the engine I know people who have hand painted both primer and topcoat. I believe once you’ve done a good job at getting back down to the bare metal spray or brush can be used to apply the paint.  This isn’t going to be a show tractor so I am not worried about the surface finish of the metal on the block or parts. I won’t be filling them with anything or using 2 pac paints.

I asked a pro once… “should I paint the bolt heads before I assemble the parts or after I have assembled them”   Both was his reply, thanks Alan.

————– Nov 2009 update, a great DVD available on this subject————–

Image curtesy of Old Pond Publishing

Painting your tractor is always high on the hit list when looking at the pages of this website.

I don’t think I’ve got it 100% right yet so I’m always searching for ways to improve the results I get. I’ve been a fan or Alan Davies since I met him at Newark show 4 years ago. I liked his honesty and down to earth approach. what I mean by that is at the time he wasn’t trying to sell anything or promote any thing other than himself and his work. The advise he gave was fantastic and he always had crowd around his bunch when giving a demonstration.

Alan has got together with Old Pond publishing to produce a 142minute long (2DVD set) of preparing, filling, sanding, undercoats, and topcoats in order to achieve a super finish for bonnets, wheels and the main body of the tractor. At £19.95 it’s not cheap but I think I have gained £20 worth of knowledge and my tractor value will definitely be increased by at lest £20 once I have practiced the techniques Alan demonstrates.  It’s just nice to see how someone else does things. I disappear into my garage and I’m on my own to produce the results. I going to get one of the hammers Alan uses.

If you don’t know what to get someone as a Christmas or birthday present and they are interested in tractors or old cars, bikes lorries you’d not go far wrong than adding this item to your short list.  

A link to buy the DVD and a more detailed description of the item.

I’m giving it a 4.5/5 it should have been 5 hours long with a glimpse at the welding/brazing and painting small parts but other than that fab.

————– Mar 2010 update, Link to great article on painting————–

I can’t take you straight to the page it is a 2 part process.

first click here: A great Article about Painting  then click on How To Paint A Brighter Picture (One the right hand side?