Re-paint old machines or keep original?

[samthedog]

Like it says on the tin - repaint or not?

I have old machines and although mechanically they are in very good condition with little wear, they have started to look a little tired due to dings and chips in the paint. I usually just use a small touch-up brush and dab some paint in the chips to keep the machine as original as possible but lately I have gotten tired at looking at the bigger scrapes.

So what are your thoughts and opinions? Resale value of painted versus un-painted, attraction to buyers of painted and unpainted etc...

Paul.

 

[Rbeckett]

I think a well painted, well maintained looking machine will command better money when you get ready to sell it. A superior paint job that was disassembled and done separately on the parts and well masked makes a huge difference. I always get a chip or two of the original color and return it to the original factory fresh color or as close as possible. That shows attention to detail and improves the value of the machine a good bit too. A sloppy gobbed on paint job makes it appear that it is hiding some flaw, so neatness really counts That is just my personal opinion, but when I am looking at buying anything I look at the over all condition to see if it appears consistent with the age and use of the equipment. Others opinion may vary, but an original restoration style paint job is a super nice sales feature in my book...

Bob

 

[Uncle Buck]

I think a well painted, well maintained looking machine will command better money when you get ready to sell it. A superior paint job that was disassembled and done separately on the parts and well masked makes a huge difference. I always get a chip or two of the original color and return it to the original factory fresh color or as close as possible. That shows attention to detail and improves the value of the machine a good bit too. A sloppy gobbed on paint job makes it appear that it is hiding some flaw, so neatness really counts That is just my personal opinion, but when I am looking at buying anything I look at the over all condition to see if it appears consistent with the age and use of the equipment. Others opinion may vary, but an original restoration style paint job is a super nice sales feature in my book...

Bob

I agree with this 100%. With that said, I must admit that I have several machines in my cluttered and messy shop that could use a teardown and repaint. While these machines are mechanically sound and operate just fine I do not have the time right now to tear each one down to restore so they will just stay in their working clothes until maybe someday if I ever get to retire.

I have never understood the guys that tear a machine down to parts and re-assemble it without taking the time to repaint the machine. To me that is just illogical, it would be like doing a body off restoration on a car and leaving no stone unturned but not repainting the car in the process though everything else has been restored to as new!

 

[GK1918]

The old saying to judge a man by his shoes. John "Q" public has no clue if something is a day old or a 100 yrs old, all they see is something
that looks professional. Same as someone to does const. work one guys dump truck busted lights all mudded up cracked glass, backhoes all
busted up the next guy with everything spotless maybe old but who gets the job? Of course the clean guy; he does clean work. People
think like that.

So one of my machines mid 1960

 

[Chuck K]

Unless its painted in clown colors or has so many coats on it that it's peeling all over, I don't paint them anymore. It's easy to say that if you have it all apart, you might as well slap some paint on it. But for me, even after I have it all apart, it's still a time consuming pia job to put a quality paint job on it. Sure you can brush or rattle can it real quick. Then when you put it back together it looks like it has a hurryup paint job on it. And before I get blasted for dissing brush jobs....I know there are a lot of guys that do fantastic paint jobs with a brush..I'm not one of those guys. I guess I'm saying that I'm an all or nothing kind of guy. I've spent the time to completely strip, prime, and repaint them. They looked great and the new owners appreciated it greatly. But I can't justify it. Unless it's a long time keeper,(and most of my long time keeper machines have the same paint they came with) I'll go with the well used and liberally oiled look. I can't bring myself to paint an old machine that has the original paint on it. Whatever makes you happy.

Chuck

 

[Maxx]

When it comes to buying used equipment (esp farm equipment) if it has a "fresh" coat of paint it makes me wonder what "sins" have been covered up.
Now on my personal stuff I do paint as I make repairs provided I don't need it going right away.
Now when I do paint during a repair I don't just spray it on I take the long drawn out process of cleaning and prepping the parts first.

I don't mind things that have been painted in most cases if it shows signs of actual use since it was painted.

I do have some stuff that does have a 30 yard paint job on them but those will be corrected when they get to the top of the list for full service.
They aren't painted to sell just to cut down on further rust and so the people don't point and laugh as I move between fields. :roflmao:

 

[Bill C.]

Like it says on the tin - repaint or not?

I have old machines and although mechanically they are in very good condition with little wear, they have started to look a little tired due to dings and chips in the paint. I usually just use a small touch-up brush and dab some paint in the chips to keep the machine as original as possible but lately I have gotten tired at looking at the bigger scrapes.

So what are your thoughts and opinions? Resale value of painted versus un-painted, attraction to buyers of painted and unpainted etc...

Paul.

I weather see a spotted touch up paint job and a well maintained machine than a well dressed museum piece.

 

[samthedog]

I tend to agree Bill, hence why I just dab some matched paint into the chips and leave the rest as is. If I have the machines apart I guess I'll give them a decent paint job but I am yet to find a supplier for epoxy paint that is colour matched here in Norway. I just don't think slapping a half hearted coat of paint on the machine would make me feel right or do the machine justice. I am just waiting for some paint to fry and I'll post a picture to get some opinions. I think I might be too fussy for my own good.

Paul.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

paint jobs on really well done restorations look great, others look like lipstick on a pig. There's a Sheldon on CL in NJ (I think) that's bright white with a black painted chuck that just looks terrible - makes me wonder what sins the seller is trying to hide. Besides, I like a patina of age, makes it look like a tool that's been used as a tool.

 

[samthedog]

paint jobs on really well done restorations look great, others look like lipstick on a pig. There's a Sheldon on CL in NJ (I think) that's bright white with a black painted chuck that just looks terrible - makes me wonder what sins the seller is trying to hide. Besides, I like a patina of age, makes it look like a tool that's been used as a tool.

I agree with this. One of the reasons why I bought my lathe was because the old gent who owned it previously touched up every chip as it occurred. I figured it was a sign of regular maintenance that he knew every scratch and chip and applied a dab of paint whenever one showed up. It made me want the machine as I knew the guy loved this machine and took good care of it. Now if it had a coat of paint with runs, brush marks over chrome and just flat out cheap or wrong coloured paint, then I would have run.

Paul.