To clean and repaint, where to stop?

[MikeInOr]

I appreciate a good looking machine and have surreptitiously admired my own work on machines that I stripped and repainted decades ago. The older I get the more I want to use the machine rather than spend tons of time and effort to make it look pretty. Of course the older I get the more the projects pile up and the less time I have to really believe that I might actually complete them.

For that mill I would just run it as is. I don't believe in doing a quickie spray can repaint without doing a proper full strip first... I would lay awake for countless nights with the half hearted repaint job haunting me!

 

[jwmay]

It's your call. If painting would make you happier, do the best job you know how. Otherwise that mill will be darn fine after a good scrub. There's nothing wrong with the paint from here.

 

[sdelivery]

#1 many of the guys here "over restore" machine TOOLS.
The factory puts a good base coating on and can be difficult to remove. Which proves it was probably better then most can duplicate.
If you want to paint the machine I would clean. Clean sand clean and paint with some good oil base tractor enamel.

 

[projectnut]

Another vote for #1. While a fresh paint job might make it look prettier it won't make it run any better. With all the time and labor it would take it won't stay shiny if you use it to any extent. Add to that the disappointment you're going to feel every time it gets a scratch or nick and in my mind it's not really worth it.

The only painting I've done on any of my machines was when a specific part had to be rebuilt. If it's in an area where it makes it easier to wipe off the oil, swarf, or other crud it gets a coat of paint to make the job easier. If it's not exposed to a harsh environment it gets cleaned during the rebuild process and reinstalled.

I didn't buy the machines to look at them or show them off to others. I bought them to use. I do clean them up at the end of the day, but that's an old habit that was actually a rule in the shop where I worked. Now it's more to keep the dogs from tracking crud through the house, and making the next time in the shop more productive since I won't have to clean things up before starting a project.

Here are a few pictures of some of the machines in the shop. All of them work as they did when new, and none have been repainted. Note they all have some nicks, scratches, or discolored areas from years of use. The oldest are over 100 years old. Several date from the WWII era, and the newest are from the 1980's

 

[Investigator]

Thanks for all the suggestions folks. After a good nights sleep, and lots of thought on this, I still don't know what I'll do. Likely it will be a game time decision when I get it in pieces.
There is a lot to think about and I really do appreciate everyone's input. More is still welcome as well.

 

[Janderso]

use two part automotive paint for the best job

When using solvents to clean up oil and grease you sure can tell the quality of paint used as the rag often comes back with paint on it.
Good advise!

 

[Nogoingback]

The paint on your mill really isn't that bad to begin with, and with a good cleaning it would look
pretty nice. If it were me, I would spend my time on functional improvements and repairs, and put
it back into service.

 

[Janderso]

Thanks for all the suggestions folks. After a good nights sleep, and lots of thought on this, I still don't know what I'll do. Likely it will be a game time decision when I get it in pieces.
There is a lot to think about and I really do appreciate everyone's input. More is still welcome as well.

How's the shop coming along?

 

[Investigator]

How's the shop coming along?

Is it ever finished? I've got most everything moved, with the exception of the round column mill and the 12" logan. I have 120v electricity done throughout. Still need to wire the 240v for a radial arm saw, and table saw, and mount the phase converter for the lathe and 'new' mill.
I'm excited.

 

[Aukai]

It took a lot of years to give it the character that it has.