Thread: Oil or water based paint for lathe?

I'd personally go for enamel, mostly because it is what is traditionally used and also I think it would still hold up better than any acrylic based paint would in the similar environment.

Originally Posted by neksmerj

Once upon a time, oil based paints were all you could get, but today, water based, and derivatives, have made significant in roads.

Quick question, which is more suitable for painting, say a lathe, and why?

All replies will be treated as confidential, so as not to expose what a dumbhead I am.

Ken

Oil based. The acrylics don't tend to like all the solvents and cutting oils that lathes tend to live in.

G day Ken

I have been reading where someone overseas had used oil based paving paint. I had my doubts when I saw some of the unsuitable colors available locally.
What about single pack epoxy enamels.
I reckon that they would be tough enough.

Watcha reckon ?

Grahame

Nuff said,

Have been convinced to go for an oil based etch primer, followed by a "household" exterior oil based enamel. Dulux or Wattyl etc,etc. Will depend on who has the colour I'm trying to match.

One last question, full gloss, or semi gloss?

Thanks for all your comments,

Ken

Engineering experts advised me paving paint was the go however I never investigated whether it is oil or water based.There is an extensive range of colours but not many lathes are black,or bright red or yellow,the large manufacturers stuck with greys,blues and safe green colours. I would be interested if we could choose the variety of colours in my television screen LCD what colour would people choose,what is your favourite lathe colour if you could choose.?? Baked enamel has been the go.

Peter

Hi Pete,

Somehow, I couldn't imagine an old Hercus being painted a bright red, yellow or blue.

Will stick the something close to the original Crowhurst Green, for authenticity.

Army camouflage?, mmmm, that would be different.

Ken

I did my shed floor in Berger paving paint (oil based). I etched it with acid first and it is hanging on incredibly well.
I have cleaned up spilt paint with a rag soaked in thinners and it didn't affect it.
The floor is a really nice grey colour which would work well for any machinery.


I shoudl do my mill in it. That way when I repaint the floor I don't have to worry about cutting in

When I started to re-do my Hercus I wanted something like a dark blue-gray. I got some pigment added to a can of White Knight epoxy rust paint. I like this paint-it sprays well, and it also brushes very well-flowing out to a nice coat. That said, I chose the colour badly. It is high gloss, and too blue. My lathe has a toy-like quality as a result. Oh well.

My other machine tools, both real and potential future maybes will be painted in that Euro machine green colour (RAL 6011 Reseda Green).

On the other hand, have a look at this candy apple red Monarch 10EE (from the PM forum)...I like it:

I like that bright colour as well but only on someone elses lathe,I realise the comfort when i use my lathes the first thing I look at is the chuck and cutting area,it enables me to concentrate on using with pleasure.

On the other hand my first car was an a Model Ford Tourer,for a pack of ciqarettes? a mate sprayed the car Carnation Red with a bit of black to soften it,a large tin of black boot polish on the hood,new side curtains I loved that car,it gave me 30 mile to the gallon and was my pride and joy.This was in 1954 just before I married.When you use a car the colour is removed to the outside,with a lathe it can distract,ot at least it does me.I punish my kids by wearing the extreme bright ties and tees etc cause I see them only in the mirror (horror)

Wonder why we are conservative with machine colours for me give me soft greens.

Peter

Hi Greg,

Your arms must be getting tired by now, with all that flying around.

With your painting experience, would you advocate using a semi gloss enamel, in lieu of full gloss?

Ken

Hi Ken...

Yeah, they are a bit weary. Second day home for me in ten days, can't seem to get started on many chores yet.

I do like that showroom new quality that a full gloss paint job yields, but they do show up all the warts. My other lathe is going to be my 'trophy' machine, so I'm going to strip it and use bog and sanding filler where needed, then go full gloss.

I did a bandsaw restoration last year and tried to duplicate that industrial 'textured' look. (They do that with special paint and special guns). I used a rather heavy cut and sort of "splattered" the first coat on, then painted normally over top of it. I was very pleased with the results, but it was more work than it was worth, and I had a tyre (original...not a replacement) explode off the upper wheel soon after (so much for 99% restoration jobs). Anyway, my custom splatter job proved to be difficult to match-something I never anticipated having to do.

By the way, I since learned that you can do something similar by adding silicone to the paint and intentionally creating fish-eye in the first coat. Something like a monochrome hammertone.

I'll ring you later on with an eye to popping by with that promised book today or tomorrow...

Greg

edit: I'd expect the gun would be ruined for normal painting afterward though as I think silicone is devilish to remove and any contamination at all would mess up subsequent paint jobs.

Here are the three commonly used colours in Machine tools. The green is RAL 6011 (A DIN code...most brands will have a formula for it)...

Hi Greg

You own a Monarch 10EE????? I didn't think there would be one in Aus. Rare as rocking horse poo here. Did you import it yourself? It's a sweet looking unit for sure.

BTW What is the lathe(s) in the other pics?

Hi Craig...

No, the 10EE's are from my collection of tool . The other lathes are both A.I. Hembrug DR-1's from the mid 60's. I do have one of those, but it hasn't been delivered yet. It is an ex Telecom research unit machine in need of cosmetic refurb and not much else. I still haven't really decided on the colour; I think green but that white one really looks neat.

Funny thing is that I could have bought a Monarch 10EE and shipped it for not much more than a new Chinese machine, but I didn't think of that until after I bought the Hembrug. I'm told that it is the Dutch equivalent of the 10EE anyway. I didn't really need a one tonne 10" lathe, but what the heck...

Cheers

Greg

Edit: In half a year or so of watching ebay I've seen two Monarchs for sale here, one a 20' bed and the other an 8' bed CW built a couple of months after Pearl Harbor, which I find curious. Neither went for much money, which was a pity as they both looked well cared for. If I ever see a 10EE I'll let you know. Or not, depends ;-)