Polishing Spray Paint?

A

A.Bursell

New member
Ok, I know what you are already thinking, but stay with me...



My father has rebuilt/restored a couple small tractors. It's a hobby. When he repaints them, he has them down to nuts and bolts and paints individual pieces before reassembly. He uses spray paint. Not 99 cent special though, it is actually labeled from the original manufacturer (International), and seems to be nice product. He seems to have a good technique, and it's about as high a quality spray paint job as I have seen. Lots of gloss, minimal orange peel. Smooth. He does NOT clear over top if it.



My question, since I have started playing with my GG 6" DA and some different polishes and sealants on cars,is can I use that on his tractors? I think he would love to see them taken up a notch. But I don't want to risk ruining his work.



I wouldn't be doing a "correction," just a quick clay, maybe a mild polish, and a sealant. Just to make it pop a little more and protect it.



I could start in a hidden area like under the hood if I needed to. But not having any experience with this type of paint, or ever a single stage paint, I don't know if I am walking into a mine field, or have no reason to worry.



BTW, if polish is too dangerous, would it be safe to just apply a nice sealant by machine?



Thoughts?



Adam
 
Rattle can paint is a bit different regarding the cross-linking of the resins.

It looks good, when done right, but if exposed to UV rays for long, goes "dull".

There are some better ones, and "farm implements", I grew up in a farm machinery business.

When I retired, moved back to the area, and one of my best friends is an IH fan of the highest.

He owns and farms over 2,000 acres of prime Illinois prarie and loves his IH's.

Les built a 60 by 80 shop just to restore his many IH tractors, crawlers, etc.

Great shop, no paint booth, but other than that, "WOW"!

Last year he asked me why that while he shot the tractors using a 1K solid pigment paint, would sometimes use a rattle can from the same paint supplier and it would go "dull" in a year or so.

Told him, as I am you, different resin chemistry, but don't worry, any mild polish will remove the slight oxidation and it will be great.

For your quest, it's much the same. Don't worry about using clay, about some high dollar sealant, etc.

Just take a soft towel, some mild polish and go for it, followed by any good wax or sealant.

They won't stop it from going dull for more than a year, at best, but they are "show tractors" anyway.

No need to clay, etc, just make the old boy happy and enjoy the time you have with him and his passion.

Grumpy
 
Thanks Ron-- sounds like you read me right on. I just want to make him happy and enjoy some time with him. Having him really "WOW" at his own work would be a nice bonus. These are show tractors and do not get worked or even sit outside for that matter, they are garaged.



So, it's your opinion that I should skip the machine all together and just do a little hand work? As I said, I don't want to risk damage, and I know hand is definitely the safer way to go. But I'd also love to use the machine. Using very mild / inexpensive products (I like the Griot's line) I've been able to really impress myself by learning technique and not worrying as much about best this and most expensive that. Anyway, that's another story. I'd really like to hear more of your thoughts on hand vs. machine in this application.



Thanks again,



Adam
 
Use of the DA on the fenders and hood would be great.

Just watch the "splatter" as it can get in places on these old tractors that is time consuming to remove.

Since they are for show, I would just use a good liquid that doesn't leave dried indicators. Spray on, wipe off, no real need for using a high dollar sealant or wax.

I showed Les the ValuGard Fast Finish, solved his problems, but since it has to be ordered on line from the company, pointed him towards Turtle Waxe's Ice. Both contain polymers and some synthethic carnuba. Also good to remove the dust on the units in the morning before the show opens. Even makes the tires look like a farm tractor tires should, since neither will gloss them up, just provide a new tire look. Works on the seat vinyl as well.

He been very happy with the results.

Grumpy
 
I've polished rattle can jobs before. Most of the time the pad comes back pretty discolored and sometimes (depending on how familiar with painting the painter was) it can be removed entirely. Someone who knows how to paint can actually do a fairly good job with a rattle can, but just spraying it directly onto a dirty or unprepped surface is a good way to ensure you will polish it right off with a machine.
 
Thanks guys. I think I might give the underside of the hood a quick try with the polish to see how it works. If I don't feel comfortable, I'll just skip the polish and seal it. I'm sure that alone will make him happy.



Adam
 
Last time I attempted to machine polish a rattle can job the paint twisted on me. I won't ever do it again. It was a flex with purple foam pad/105 VS duplicolor black base & clearcoat which had about a month to cure in the summer
 
tssdetailing said:
Last time I attempted to machine polish a rattle can job the paint twisted on me. I won't ever do it again. It was a flex with purple foam pad/105 VS duplicolor black base & clearcoat which had about a month to cure in the summer
Click to expand...



Can you explain a little more about the twisting?



This paint was done about 10 years ago (I asked him the other day), so it has had plenty of time to cure. But, I would like to know what to look out for if/when I decide to try this.



For products I was going to use either Griot's One Step Polish/Sealant with an Orange pad, or just Griot's Sealant with a Red pad. I have both already.



Adam
 
Twisting is when the cheap resin system of cheap rattle cans does not cure "tight" and the paint seems to move, show everything.

10 years and if it is not real "dull", and the resin in quality rattle cans back then, shouldn't be a concern.

Most of my farmer friends (and me as well on somethings) use Majistic brand of paints, both their 1K in quarts and gallons and their rattle cans. It is superior to Rustoelum for metal, etc.

Good stuff, does require a couple of days cure before doing much to it.

Use their black on some motorcycle frames, etc, no problems.

Grumpy
 
Thanks for the education, I love learning on this forum.



I talked to Dad a little more. This paints he used are/were sold by Case IH and Cub Cadet, and have part numbers. He knows one of the paints is manufactured by Valspar under the Iron Gard name, but the other he does not know who the actual manufacturer is. Both are marked industrial. Both colors are still glossy on the tractor and look nice really. Hopefully this means they are quality and I will have a successful project!



Adam
 
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