Thread: Hercus Paint Colurs

AT50,

What brand of colorbond paint did you use? The term "colorbond" is a name given to steel coated in various colours of your choice.

Ken

quite right Ken, it is the steel colorbond colour I'm referring to. Several companies produce a touchup paint colour matched to repair your steel panels should you damage them. I am using WATTYL KILL RUST ANTI-CORROSSIVE EPOXY GLOSS ENAMEL TOP COAT in a one pot can, which is designed to match the Lysaght colour WILDERNESS green and is labelled wilderness.
The product is available from bunnings in spray cans or the brushing variety, it drys quite quickly and hard at most temperatures with an excellant finish, sprayed or brushed. The shade is a little lighter than standard but is in the right general tone of the original Hercus colour.
I tried to use an off the shelf colour after several abortive attempts (and a lot of paint )to get an exact match. I will be posting the finished photos when I eventually finish all three restorations (god knows when that might be).
Just added a photo showing the original hercus green against the wilderness green, the motor and pulley cover plus the countershaft pulley cover are new the side gear cover is original.

I have been checking out the forum every now and then after acquiring a Hercus 260 early this year (an ATM, circa 1978 according to the serial number list posted by neksmerj). I have found the posts interesting and helpful - many thanks to all who contribute. Hopefully with this, my first post, I can give something useful back.

When it was time to start painting the old girl, I took the cabinet switch-panel to have it colour matched. The inside of the panel was chosen as it was pristine - the outside had been repainted at least twice anyway. In fact the lathe had parts in four different colours when I first collected it. The pics show the details of the paint which I finally settled on. I got the guy who did the mixing to write the tint details on the lid. Note in the other photo that ‘Ultra Deep’ is the base used.

I am quite happy with the paint so far. It seems a very close match in both colour and gloss level. It covers well (one coat is usually enough) and it dries in about 24 hours. Oil wipes off easily, leaving no staining. Here’s hoping the finish will be reasonably chip resistant as it hardens with time.