Tractor Painting - Assembled or Not

[rmaynard 15,448]

I know this is a wide open topic. But the question came up last year as my grandson was painting individual parts of the 701.

 

"Why don't you assemble the whole tractor, with the exception of the wheels/tires, hood, fenders, belt covers, and seat, and paint it all at one time?"

 

I have always painted individual parts and assemblies, then assembled. I know others have gone about it differently. I know at the Wheel Horse factory, mostly assembled units were painted, then hoods, fenders and other large sheet metal parts were added.

 

I am finishing with single-stage acrylic urethane, so there is a time limit on how quickly the paint must be applied before pot-life expires. The 701 is disassembled with the acception of the frame, transmission, front axle, and engine. Those pieces were pre-painted with rattle cans. Everything else has been primed, and prepped for the final topcoat.

 

So what are your thoughts ?

[ebinmaine 67,462]

Up until this point in time and probably for the next year or two we've been priming and painting everything individually because it's what's easier for Trina, aka The Paint Department.  

 

She uses spray cans, exclusively.

We have not made the change over to a full size spray gun although the topic has come up multiple times.

Perhaps when we move the operation to the new building we will reapproach. Perhaps not.

 

For us, it's all about ease and practicality.

 

 

[rmaynard 15,448]

42 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Perhaps when we move the operation to the new building we will reapproach. Perhaps not.

 

Might I make a suggestion. When you move to the new building, allow enough room for paint booth. You will only need enough room for a tractor and about 3-4 feet around it to paint. Provide adequate explosion-proof fans, filtered make-up air, and good lighting.

When I built my 20 x 18 pole shed, I never gave thought to the fact that I wouldn't have room for one if I put all my tractors in it. 

So, here I sit today, getting ready to put up my screen room to make it into my paint area. 

[Lee1977 6,658]

There are a lot of places that don't get painted when painting assembled.  If it's apart paint the pieces.  I just painted the frame assembled with rattle cans  and the under side of the sheet metal. Used the gun on the out side sheet metal it paint so nice. The paint gun is more trouble but a lot easer to control. I used Rust-oleum  and thinned with Acetone  and  Onmi  MH 284 harder I had. ( I think it was for etching primer ) Wasn't painting a show piece.  I nocked out the big dents ,no filler, and left the small ones. It has a little texture, maybe it will help hide some of the small dents. I checked Youtube for paint mixture and didn't use any of them.  Chose my own and it painted good. was dry to touch around 30 minuets.

Edited April 6, 2023 by Lee1977

[Pullstart 62,846]

I like the satisfaction of knowing that paint is covering every possible surface.   for painting it Johnny Cash style, one piece at a time.

[Lee1977 6,658]

11 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

I like the satisfaction of knowing that paint is covering every possible surface.   for painting it Johnny Cash style, one piece at a time.

I had one of those Jonny Cash holes gone yesterday changing Kohler sheet metal, but only half of each hole was gone.

[rmaynard 15,448]

Having painted 6 horses over 13 years, I have mixed feelings. Not being a professional painter, I try to keep it as simple as possible. I have always painted the hood and fenders and things like that separate, and little pieces the same way. Then I assemble everything but have found that during the assembly process, the paint always gets nicked, chipped and scratched no matter how hard I try. Going back and touching up is tedious, and never looks the same as before the damage.

[ebinmaine 67,462]

5 minutes ago, rmaynard said:

paint always gets nicked, chipped and scratched no matter how hard I try. Going back and touching up is tedious, and never looks the same as before the damage

 

 

I agree with that thought process.

All of the ones we've done so far have been workers, not strictly for show,  and that won't likely change.

Just the same, I really do like to have something as close to excellent as I can when I first start to use it.

Scratches dings nicks dents etc are all part of the usage process and repairable later. 

 

I think if I was trying for strictly show and shine quality we would probably change up our methods some though.

 

[SPINJIM 1,981]

Little pieces usually painted assembled, unless I have to take them apart for some other reason.   Big pieces like sheet metal always painted separately.   

And if I have to take some part off for repair, I almost always repaint it, or at least clean it, before putting it back on.

[Lee1977 6,658]

There are always a few who can give a tractor a professional paint job. The rest of us have to do the best we can and don't worry about it. It don't have to be perfect to look nice.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,552]

Workers all. So mine are touched up as needed to ward off rust... I've even, gasp, used a brush to catch some small areas quickly... Red, of course, except for the Black Hood... Satin Black on that.

 

[wallfish 16,995]

Embrace the patina look ! 

[rmaynard 15,448]

1 hour ago, wallfish said:

Embrace the patina look ! 

Rust is rust. Rust is not patina. 

[c-series don 8,695]

If I’m going for show quality I’m disassembling, sandblasting or glass beading all the components. Then priming and painting individually. To me the real fun part is the assembly process after paint. I also agree with Bob about nicking or scratching during this process. Some things won’t go together if there’s too much primer and paint on them. Such as the brake pedal sliding over the shaft that it pivots on. Ask me how I know?😂 If it’s a worker I may paint in place with a small brush or rattle can. The paint was pealing on my 416 fender pan ( as many of them do) so I just brushed on some paint to try to stop the pealing. 

[WHX?? 48,815]

Sorry Bob I gotta side with 'Fish on this one. Case in point @Achto's rat.

[Achto 27,570]

1 hour ago, rmaynard said:

Rust is rust. Rust is not patina. 

 

On the scientific / technical terms I gotta side with Bob on this. Patina is actually a protective coating that forms/grows on non-ferrous metals such as copper, bronze, or brass. This coating actually helps to protect the underlying metal. Rust is the oxidization of ferrous metals that happens as they start to break down. 

 

I appreciate the rust look on some tractors as well as I appreciate pretty paint.

 

NOW - back on subject. Paint together or apart in my mind depends on the purpose of the tractor. I would have no problem painting a worker while it is mostly assembled. On a resto I want to clean, inspect, and paint each piece individually. As we know most resto's end up having a better paint job than the factory ever dreamed of. 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Achto

[953 nut 55,211]

8 hours ago, rmaynard said:

always painted individual parts and assemblies, then assembled.

Got to hang the red laundry out to dry.

[WHX?? 48,815]

26 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

 

Got to hang the red laundry out to dry.

 

Lol Richard... what was that about rust not being a patina? 

 

Question is here Bob what's the easiest thing, or right thing, to do to coach your boy on? Talk to him on it. His 701 give him the reins. Is he willing (or you) to do the parts separately? Does he want a show room piece or just something to have fun on? Rattle can or gun? We know you have some HF cheapys which would be fine.

You want to teach him the unfiner points of a gun go for it with a partial tractor. Short story get him involved.  

Edited April 7, 2023 by WHX??

[WHX?? 48,815]

4 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

used a brush 

 

1 hour ago, c-series don said:

so I just brushed on some paint

Now i have heard of a painted horse before but maybe Sylvia & Don should have a coffee klutch on the finer points of using a paint roller on a . 

Edited April 7, 2023 by WHX??

[rmaynard 15,448]

10 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Short story get him involved.  

Oh, he's involved. He sandblasted everything, primed and rattle can painted each individual part. The problem now is that neither of us like the rattle can results.

[rmaynard 15,448]

11 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Sorry Bob I gotta side with 'Fish on this one. Case in point @Achto's rat.

I think @Achto covered (no pun intended) patina vs. rust nicely above. 

I might add that "patina" also is the result of human perspiration on wooden furniture such as tables and chairs, that gives a result that is hard to duplicate.

Edited April 7, 2023 by rmaynard

[ebinmaine 67,462]

12 minutes ago, rmaynard said:

Oh, he's involved. He sandblasted everything, primed and rattle can painted each individual part. The problem now is that neither of us like the rattle can results.

Forget me if you've already answered this but what exactly is it about the results that not fond of?

[rmaynard 15,448]

3 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Forget me if you've already answered this but what exactly is it about the results that not fond of?

We tried to be economical and use Krylon. Usually cheap, and dries in 10 minutes. The problem is that even after drying all winter, it still chips and scratches very easily. The consistency of Krylon has gotten poor as well. The gloss varies from can to can as well as the color. When we started the project, Krylon Farm & Implement IH red was $3.87 per can. It is now very hard to find locally, and if you do it's almost $8.00 per can. We have gone over everything with 600 grit sanding pads and I'm biting the bullet and using acrylic urethane.  You might remember back at least a year ago, I was experimenting with a waterborne paint from Majic. Total fail. I should have known that any spray-on automotive-type paint that only costs $20 per quart was not a good idea.

[ebinmaine 67,462]

That experiment does ring a bell. Yes.

 

I think your decision to step up to an acrylic paint is a good one.