Thread: refinishing planes

Originally Posted by kiwioutdoors

I like to restore planes high gloss engine enamel seems to work ok but to my horror ordinary high gloss enamel dosent seem hard enough and scratches easily. Can I harden it by baking in the oven on a low heat.

I would also be keen to know can you still get the origional jappaning so my restoration could be more authentic. At the moment I strip right back to metal prime and spray.

Before someone says anything I know some will horrified that I paint planes. What is best practise in the world of plane restoration

Thanks

Andrew

Andrew

Have a look at this site it has an eBook on Japanning that you may useful.

http://www.gutenberg.netProject Gutenberg's Handbook on Japanning: 2nd Edition, by William N. Brown

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net


Title: Handbook on Japanning: 2nd Edition
For Ironware, Tinware, Wood, Etc. With Sections on Tinplating and
Galvanizing

Robert34

hi andrew.
sory to be a wet blanket but the handbook on japanning wont help you much.
I've read it & it realy talking about a diferent sort of japanning than what you are looking for.
You want a asphalt based japan.
Well good luck finding the asphalt ( real stuff not tar)

anyway
you will find thinners based enamel goes off much harder than the turps based stuff. Get thee to the local auto refinish supplier and ask for some QD enamel ( quick dry ). They will look at you funny if you say "i'm putting it on with a brush" but don't let that worry you.
It goes off fast, so you have to work reasonably fast & don't let the brush dry out. Give it one coat( don't be heavy handed ) & almost rub it in if you get me.
let it dry, 1 hour on a warm day will do. then give it a nice wet coat. It will self level a bit. If you want more cast grain look you might have to thin.

let it dry overnight the bake at 100c or so the the kitchen oven ( while swmbo is out). For 2 hours.
I load up the oven cold & set it to 100 c then turn the oven off after 2 hours & open the door for a slow cooling. sves handling a hot plane.

If you realy got the metal clean and washed it with thinner first you probaly don't need a primer. But if you are keen "wattyl super etch black" would be a good choice.

I'm recon a full repaint is a reasonable thing on a non colectable user tool.
so I won't poke fun at you.
I hope to devise a "japan " from curently availabe materials some time.
cheers
let me know how you go.

AH HA, I have succeeded in obtaining the holy grail of plane restoration.
Powdered asphaltum. A few weeks ago I rang all sorts of art stores, no luck.
The a little while ago Oxlades ring me telling me they have found a tin.

Any way I now have a beaten up old stock tin of evil smelling black powder.

So I've made a couple of test batches of japan & baked them & yep it works very well.

Will share a story later with my modified formular.
I've added shelac and used thinners as the solvent.

cheers

I thought "japanning" was the art of painting black gunk on floorboards - until I read this posting. So I spent a bit of time on Google to see what it was all about. And very interesting it was too, especially the article I found on the steps involved in the original japanning of treadle sewing machines.

In addition to Soundman's excellent advice, obviously gleaned from experience, you might be interested in the info on http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/r...cles_117.shtml

This article says that the stuff you need is known as "Gilsonite (a trade name), asphaltite, and uintaite". This info might help you track down a supplier for future needs, although I'm sure Soundman could put you on the right track here.

Hi Soundman,

I went through this process a while back, try these guys
http://www.e-artstore.com.au/ the part number is E022 Asphaltum powder comes in a 1 kilo tin. the price was about $17 about a year ago.

Himzo.

that source of asphalt will be helpfull for others. I've got my tin & I understand it will last me forever.
I did pay a lot more than $17 though.

there are a lot of processes and stuff refered to as japan and they are wildly different things.

I am keen to do a whole plane but that will ahve to wait I have 3 to finish at the moment.

cheers

Ping

I decided to bring this to the top to ask whether soundman has used his asphaltum to do any japanning.

I am thinking of doing some on some planes in the collection and would like to glean some tips from people who have done it before. I have a 450g tin of asphaltum powder on its way from Jacksons Drawing Services, but i was wondering about issues like:

1. surface preparation
2. which solvent and medium (I was going to use shellac and meths)
3. applicaton technique (including what number of coats are required).

TIA

Jeremy

Yes I have done some japanning..... quite sucessfull.
It was some time ago thgough.

I tried a couple of brews one using a mix of meths and turps as solvent and one using GP thinners.

I would go with GP thinner as it will disolve both the asphalt and the shelac.

You will need to use some linseed oil...I don't know if it makes a bilind bit of diff boiled or not considering the baking temp, but i used BLO.

If youve been doing your research and reading the various articles you should be able to make a decent fist of the fromular yourself..... I cant remember too much detail and would have to dig up my notes.

BUT
I dont think proportion is critical...... equal portions seems to be what most of the formulars recon & from memory thtas what I did.

equal portions by volume of shelac (dry) and asphalt (dry)...... about (.....) that much thinner and the same linseed oil. All cold mixed in a jam jar.

Bearing in mind this is very chude finish chemistry.... I recon the following.
shelac functions as a resin and binder
asphalt functions as a pigment and a resin
BLO functions as a resin and a plasticiser
thinners just acts as a solvent and carrier.

I tried a couple of things on some scrap steel flat
asphalt disolved alone & baked
BLO alone disolved and baked
shelac alone disolved and baked
and
a couple of brews

If you want to understand the above exercise is most worthwhile. I won't spoil it for you and tell how it comes out.

With the thinners brew.... it dries a little faster but the dried film (unbaked) isn't what you would call dry... its a tacky gooey mess.

apply two coats drying inbetween overnight...... a very light hand is required on the second coat or you will muck up the previous coat.

don't make the mixture too thick nor apply heavy handed otherwise the finish will buble in the corners and run.

remember it is like a light glase and will be a dirty brown transperent gooey......... yuck.... how can this possibly work......prior to baking.

try it out on some scrap steel first...... yep it works..... yep it looks like real japan....... it is nothing like paint or painting so forget any of those ideas or expectations.

OH
A little of this goes a very long way. For a starter batch think teaspoons.

give it a go and post back.
Cheers

Thanks for that, soundman.

When you talk about "baking" - I take it that is putting it in the domestic oven from cold, taking it up to 200° C for an hour or so and then letting it cool (so that you don't burn the pinkies).

Okay then. When the aspheltum turns up, I'll give it a go.

BTW, how well does it last?

Cheers

Jeremy