Protective clear coat options?

[lazyLathe]

Hi,


I am in the process of restoring an old Clausing milling machine.
For paint i am using a Alkyd Gloss Enamel that is pretty hard and resistant to oils etc...


I do not really like the amount of gloss the paint has and am looking for ideas or options for a protective top coat.
looking for something that will of course bond to the paint and have a rock solid clear finish.
Also it has to be brush-able since i do not have the facilities for spraying.

I have seen some amazing restorations that shine and would like to have that look on the mill when completed.



Any ideas or options?


Andrew

 

[pdentrem]

You should talk to a paint supply shop that sells clear coat for auto body shops. They could mix up a can of clear with a different mix of reducer to allow brushing instead of spray. You need a slower drying time to allow the brush strokes to flatten out before it skins over.

 

[Tom Griffin]

Andrew,

You might be asking for trouble mixing old school and new school paints. A lot of the urethane clear coats are supposed to be compatible with many basecoats but I would try a sample before coating the entire mill. The last thing you would want is the clear coat attacking your alkyd enamel basecoat. Also, if you do decide to use a urethane clear, be aware of the health hazards. These are not your hardware store variety paints. If they contain isocyantes, which most do, an external supplied respirator is required, even if you aren't spraying. Ordinary cartridge type respirators are not adequate.

Or you could just color sand and buff the alkyd enamel for more shine and less risk. :thumbzup:

Tom

 

[pdentrem]

The new stuff WILL kill you but Laquer clear is still available. Easier to handle.

 

[Tom Griffin]

The new stuff WILL kill you but Laquer clear is still available. Easier to handle.

Lacquer is definitely safer to use, but again there will be a compatibility issue if he used an enamel basecoat. You can safely put enamel over lacquer but lacquer over enamel can be a problem.

Tom

 

[pdentrem]

You can use Shellac as a barrier between the paints.

 

[jgedde]

What about good old water clear polyurethane? Make sure it's not water based poly. It's available in any gloss level you want from any good paint store... The Minwax stuff sold at the big box stores holds up well, but is NOT water clear and yellows over time...

I used it to clear coat my trailer hitch because of never endling stone chips causing rust. Black paint with a clear poly overcoat stopped the chips and rust dead.

Another option would be reduced clear acyrlic urethane with hardener. It self levels well, so brushing should work out OK. It's rock hard when cured and about as chemical resistant as you'll get. I use PPG stuff from the local auto body supply house. Not quite as tough as DuPont Imron, but it won't kill you either (at least not quite as quickly). It'll come out even better if sprayed. The HF detail spray gun for $40 is a real prize - it compares well to big $$$ guns I've used before.

I would choose the acrylic urethane if gloss is what you're after...

I'd avoid lacquer. It's shiny as all get out if applied right and/.or wet sanded and polished. But, it's far from durable and chemical resistant. Plus, the easily available lacquer isn't the nitrocellulose lacquer we came to love - it's acrylic. Not bad, but not nitro...

John

Hi,


I am in the process of restoring an old Clausing milling machine.
For paint i am using a Alkyd Gloss Enamel that is pretty hard and resistant to oils etc...


I do not really like the amount of gloss the paint has and am looking for ideas or options for a protective top coat.
looking for something that will of course bond to the paint and have a rock solid clear finish.
Also it has to be brush-able since i do not have the facilities for spraying.

I have seen some amazing restorations that shine and would like to have that look on the mill when completed.



Any ideas or options?


Andrew