My Favorite Paint

I have a spray can from just about every paint company in the business. In my humble opinion, most commercial spray paints are good for interior finishing and protecting outdoor items. They just don't hold up on old engines. I have used auto finishes locally packaged in spray cans on small jobs with much better success, but that gets expensive when painting a 3hp size hit & miss engine. I graduated to an air gun and have preferred that method for some time using acrylic auto finishes with hardener. I am not an expert and would probably screw up a car fender job, but I do alright on engines.

Two years ago I decided to try Imron, or the PPG equivalent. It was twice as expensive as normal acrylic (that made me hesitate awhile), and a little more toxic (but what isn't these days). BUT..WOW!, what a great finish! It just never looses that wet look. It also seems to build up much faster with less paint. Three coates is almost too much. I think a quart will do at least three 3hp engines with three coates. Maybe more using a HVLP gun, if I had one to try. I used half the volume of this paint compared to a similar sized job using Centari. I work hard on my paint jobs, but usually screw up somewhere around the flywheel spokes. This paint was the most forgiving (no sags) I have ever used. This particular engine had the usual "strip, prime, fill, and prime some more" treatment. Good finishes start at the bottom. I didn't work as hard preparing this engine as I have on most of my other engines (big rush) yet it still looks measurably better than all of the rest. Has to be the paint! This finish has depth, gloss, and hasn't shown any sign of dulling with repeated dry wiping and cleaning (this engine is a sloppy runner). It's a very tough paint, and has become my preferred engine finish.

I have been cautioned about the solvents used with these paints. I always use a good cartridge style respirator for any air gun painting, and I paint outdoors. I suggest you do the same.

I would like to have a few engines with all original paint, but have never been fortunate enough to find one with more than a spec or two so I have to paint them. I don't fill and smooth my engine castings to the extent some do, although I admire the skill and effort it takes to do so. I like a little character to show through. But I do like a shinny engine and one the cleans up easily.

I think this new board is a great idea. Hope to learn a lot from it. Thanks Harry.

Hi Jeff,

You are right! IMRON looks great,sprays great, builds up great,doesn't run,shines like crazy, BUT... Get a copy of the MSDS sheet on this stuff and read it. It is bad news! It is nothing but catalyised epoxy and if this stuff gets in your body, it stays there forever! We are all in this hobbby for fun and I wouldn't want someone to cause themselves any harm just painting an old engine. A mask is great any time you are spraying, but a paint suit with fresh air respirator is recomended to spray this stuff. And it should only be sprayed in a paint booth with exit filters. Let's be careful out there. Just MY two cents worth.

David

I have a dumb question . Can Imron be brushed on ?

Yes, you can brush Imron or any of the other acrylic urethanes, but don't do it. The hardener in these paints contains quite a few isocyanate compounds which are bad news. They can cause repiratory failure. In my opinion, you are more likely to inhale these vapors over a longer period when brushing than spraying. I pick my conditions (sunny, 70-80F, and light breeze)and spray outdoors (no close neighbors) always staying up wind of the overspray. I usually wear long sleeves and old clothes and don't get any of the hardener on my skin. I also use a good filtering respirator for any spray painting. All paints use highly aromatic solvents that can be bad news if inhaled to excess. How much? I cannot say, but you have to respect any paint solvents and aromatic chemicals if you want to enjoy your grandchildren.

Guys you need a good paint education. If I had more time I'd start a message board just for paint related issues. There's no EPOXY in Imron. Yes you can brush it on but the problem is not that it's more dangerous. It's actually less dangerouse if you brush it because you don't risk breathing any spray mist which is completely different than breating fumes.

It dries too fast to brush on and if you try to brush back over it like an alkyd enamel, your brush will stick to it and make a mess. The solvents evaporate too fast to brush.

I'm writing a book on all this stuff. "Paint 101" or Paint Chemistry for Dummies. NO OFFENSE guys it's just that no one ever really takes the time to educate anyone but those that paint for a living.

See ya

I have a dozen engines painted with Rustoleum and am happy with the results. These engines look at least as good as when they were new. I probably saved enough money on paint to buy another engine. I have painting equipment but keep in mind many people do not. Explaining how one process is better than another is one thing but saying that an accepted one is no good doesn't impress me. Sincerely

[Harry]

"These engines look at least as good as when they were new."

I have to agree with this statement. The old paint shops used what they had. If the color varied a bit from day to day, so what?

If you want to make your "antique" engine look like it is a 21st century product, fine. My engines are painted with Rustoleum with the exception of my first one. I used Krylon on it because they had a deeper green, but Krylon does not hold up to gasoline. I only painted the other ones that had no paint at all and in one case when the original restorer painted right over the dirt and grease.

If Rustoleum defames and devalues my engines, tough. Don't overlook the fact that many engine and antique collectors frown deeply on any repainting at all. And, I don't care how "good" your paint is, if will never again have that true antique color. As to recreating a lead based antique paint, this is a topic I am attentive to, along with methods of aging its appearance.

Makes me think of those who would bead blast and polish an old steam whistle. If they wanted a "new" one, why not just go buy one. I'd rather see the old patina and I even know of one fellow that let the pigeon shit remain on his best steam whistle. (It's on display in his living room!)

I do have the spray gun stuff and I've painted cars before, but I absolutely hate the clean-up afterward. Unfortunately, I'm stuck with Regal Red, Hunter Green, Dark Hunter Green and Smoke Gray in a spray can. We need darker reds and greens! If I could add more black into the spray can, it might be good.

I agree with all of you! The only reason I use automotive paints is because I happen to own an automotive body shop and I have gallons and gallons of left over paint to mix and match any color I want! Also most of the engines I find have no paint at all(read basket cases)left on them and require a lot of machine work to make them run again. But I also have a small machine shop and this is what I like to do! So I guess what I am saying is, what ever blows your skirt up, have fun doing it. Just PLEASE be careful doing it!

My two cents worth

David M.

[Harry]

Message received. In fact, I don't even know what IMRON is. Is that an energy company?

No, But just about as dangerous in the wrong hands!!