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Painting techniques

 
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erikl


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Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 892
Location: Houten, Netherlands

PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:10 pm    Post subject: Painting techniques Reply with quote

I know not everybody likes repaints, but I think we can all agree that if you repaint, you'd better do it as good as possible.
Since there are more collectors that do repaints, I thought it might be usefull to start a topic about painting techniques.

With the restoration of my G&G SE3 I've been trying some differend painting techniques. For all engines I've done so far I used spray paint, which worked quite ok.

Now for the SE3, I tried to use a more traditional aprouch, with paint out of a can, and a Brush.
I had several reasons to try this:

- Less mess (or so I thought)
- easyer (I thought)
- you can get it mixed for a exact color match
- cheaper

The posibility to get it mixed was great, I went to the shop with a baseplate, they had some kind of device that could tell which color code it was, and than mix paint to get that color, that was great, because you could get exactly the color you needed, unlike spray paint.

It was indeed a bit cheaper than spray paint, but not very much.
One of the reasons to use this kind of paint is because I thought it would be less messy. With spray paint you get all kind of red spickles around the garage (not that I mind, but my parent's are not very happy with it.) Well, this kind of paint wasn't less messy at all. You first have to mix the paint with a piece of wood everytime you use it (and somehow clean that piece of wood) After every layer of paint you have to clean your brushes, so most of the time it was quite a mess.

It wasn't easyer too. At first you have to use a layer of primer. Drying took me 48 hours (while with spray paint about half an hour). After every layer you have to sand it lightly (you don't have to du that with spray paint)

So it took me more than a week to get the bottom of the SE3 painted. Although it took more time, and was more messy, the most important is ofcourse how it loos.

Unfortunatly I wasn't satisfied with the result, this was what it looked like:



I just couldn't get a flat surface out if it.
So after this expiriment I decided it all had to get off again, and I had to redo it using spray paint.

Now a coleage recently suggested to use a air brush set, like this one:



Because it works like spray paint, you will get a good smooth surface. A advantage would be that you can use mixed paint, so basicly you would have the best of two world. Does anybody here have experience with things like this?
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SPOKESMAN


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Im hand painting my M122 (Bowman) if that any help.Your SE3 looks fine. Mamod never go that kind of finish.
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Mamodman123


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Location: Midlands, UK

PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think brush painting a base is a very good idea! The area is large and you'll get brush marks
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mamodman123 wrote:
I don't think brush painting a base is a very good idea! The area is large and you'll get brush marks


En contrare MM, with studied appilication and proper preperation you will - see how my M122 gets on!
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Mamodman123


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Joined: 19 Jul 2006
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Location: Midlands, UK

PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SPOKESMAN wrote:
Mamodman123 wrote:
I don't think brush painting a base is a very good idea! The area is large and you'll get brush marks


En contrare MM, with studied appilication and proper preperation you will - see how my M122 gets on!


Well proove me wrong by all means Mike!
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mamodman123 wrote:
SPOKESMAN wrote:
Mamodman123 wrote:
I don't think brush painting a base is a very good idea! The area is large and you'll get brush marks


En contrare MM, with studied appilication and proper preperation you will - see how my M122 gets on!


Well proove me wrong by all means Mike!


I will!

You can also get a better layer of paint - spraying is too thin and is historically incorrect!
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Mamodman123


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Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 31717
Location: Midlands, UK

PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SPOKESMAN wrote:
Mamodman123 wrote:
SPOKESMAN wrote:
Mamodman123 wrote:
I don't think brush painting a base is a very good idea! The area is large and you'll get brush marks


En contrare MM, with studied appilication and proper preperation you will - see how my M122 gets on!


Well proove me wrong by all means Mike!


I will!

You can also get a better layer of paint - spraying is too thin and is historically incorrect!


I suppose so. I tried brush painting an SE3 base a while ago. It didn't look very good so I sprayed it

As long as you can keep the brush lines out of it... otherwise it will look like you've re-painted your front door

The enamel I buy is quite thick! so when I spray I have the opposite problem of avoiding thick layers
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Wallace


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Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 11349
Location: New South Wales, Australia

PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:00 am    Post subject: Re: Painting techniques Reply with quote

erikl wrote:
I know not everybody likes repaints, but I think we can all agree that if you repaint, you'd better do it as good as possible.
Since there are more collectors that do repaints, I thought it might be usefull to start a topic about painting techniques.

With the restoration of my G&G SE3 I've been trying some differend painting techniques. For all engines I've done so far I used spray paint, which worked quite ok.

Now for the SE3, I tried to use a more traditional aprouch, with paint out of a can, and a Brush.
I had several reasons to try this:

- Less mess (or so I thought)
- easyer (I thought)
- you can get it mixed for a exact color match
- cheaper

The posibility to get it mixed was great, I went to the shop with a baseplate, they had some kind of device that could tell which color code it was, and than mix paint to get that color, that was great, because you could get exactly the color you needed, unlike spray paint.

It was indeed a bit cheaper than spray paint, but not very much.
One of the reasons to use this kind of paint is because I thought it would be less messy. With spray paint you get all kind of red spickles around the garage (not that I mind, but my parent's are not very happy with it.) Well, this kind of paint wasn't less messy at all. You first have to mix the paint with a piece of wood everytime you use it (and somehow clean that piece of wood) After every layer of paint you have to clean your brushes, so most of the time it was quite a mess.

It wasn't easyer too. At first you have to use a layer of primer. Drying took me 48 hours (while with spray paint about half an hour). After every layer you have to sand it lightly (you don't have to du that with spray paint)

So it took me more than a week to get the bottom of the SE3 painted. Although it took more time, and was more messy, the most important is ofcourse how it loos.

Unfortunatly I wasn't satisfied with the result, this was what it looked like:



I just couldn't get a flat surface out if it.
So after this expiriment I decided it all had to get off again, and I had to redo it using spray paint.

Now a coleage recently suggested to use a air brush set, like this one:



Because it works like spray paint, you will get a good smooth surface. A advantage would be that you can use mixed paint, so basicly you would have the best of two world. Does anybody here have experience with things like this?


Great info EriK

I always use an airbrush, for the main reason that I can get the paint mixed at a smash repairs owned by a mate. He has a similar paint matching device, like you mentioned.
In fact, for perfect colour matches on cars, he actually applies the paint to a large sheet magnet, then sticks on the car, to see how well it's matched

My airbrush is adapted to a standard air compressor, only cos that's all I had. Pressure reduced of course.

It is great info you have given for those into resto here.

Also, getting a brush job to come up like sprayed, is quite hard.
The pic you gave doesn't look too bad, but I can imagine what it would look like in person.
Brush paint is great for wood, not for smooth metal.

Actually, Mamod in the late 70's used ionised (or charged?) paint, so it was attracted by the metal, to get even coverage. Which I had those capabilities.

I think for painitng Mamods, spray cans are quite good, airbrushes are perfect (only due to being able to match colours).
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yosa


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Joined: 11 Sep 2006
Posts: 2493
Location: Liverpool

PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree that spraying gives more consistent, better quality results. But, for anybody who has to brush paint for any reason, the general rule is lots of thin coats rather than one or two thick coats.

Going by your pics Erik, I reckon you've got a pretty good finish there and I wouldn't redo it.
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Steely


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Joined: 19 Jul 2006
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Location: England

PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Painting in a warm temperature will help the results a lot.
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MTA


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Joined: 26 Jun 2006
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Apparently, once you've done the first coat, do the next coat with the brush going 90 degrees to the first way you painted it
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MTA wrote:
Apparently, once you've done the first coat, do the next coat with the brush going 90 degrees to the first way you painted it


Quite correct.
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Steely


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Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 1721
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MTA wrote:
Apparently, once you've done the first coat, do the next coat with the brush going 90 degrees to the first way you painted it


Yeah isn't that for sparying aswell as brushes?
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

steely wrote:
MTA wrote:
Apparently, once you've done the first coat, do the next coat with the brush going 90 degrees to the first way you painted it


Yeah isn't that for sparying aswell as brushes?


Yes, for flat areas anyway.
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Mamodman123


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Location: Midlands, UK

PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 5:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well the firebox looks good Mike, would look a bit better with a few runs as well!
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