Alpha DeLaval Color

[Harry]

Have you seen one of these engine/pumps in your travels and if so, what color were they?

The one I'm working on has traces of dark hunter green on it, but this one sure looks original...


http://www.old-engine.com/alpha.htm

Harry , I have a pump close to the one you have . It is the dark hunter green with silver paint on the the raised lettering . I'll take a quart of cream when your done .

[Harry]

Here's the color I found after a clean-up.

Hi Harry,

I have a 3 1/2 type WB that I restored. It had a lot of original paint on the inside of those solid flywheels and I matched it up to DuPont 546A, which is a dark green, almost an olive drab color.

You sure were lucky to find one of the original vacuum pumps! I have been looking for one a long time. You'll have a nice display when you get it restored.

Good Luck, and thanks for this site.

David M.

The color on your pump is(or was) exactly as the color of my engine. The picture of the Alpha engine you have from the Viroqua Wisconsin show is very close, although the gold around the flywheels is unknown to me! I see this engine in Edgerton(WI) every year and it really is a beautiful restoration!! Somewhere I wrote down his name and the serial # of his engine but darn if I`ll ever find it again! Your pump is looking great!! Can`t wait to see it complete and in the barn, all hooked up to the pipe line pumping milk from all those cows you will be milking! (Got a barn?)Just kidding!!

Have you some idea`s on displaying this pump? Will it pump water?

Anyways, it looks great!!

Jim




http://www.old-engine.com/image/midwest/Viroqua659.jpg

[Harry]

OK, now we're going to put this ol' paint shop to work!

See attached color chips! My Novo was done with Rustoleum Hunter Green. John Ledbetter did his Fairbanks Morse Compressor Engine with Satin Hunter Green. My Dark Hunter Green has too much blue.

Note that the Viroqua Lawson matches my DeLaval Pulso Pump Special (gallon) Oil Can EXACTLY! He must have used the paint code and ordered special paint?

The photos that I took at Dublin, NH come closer to the Dark Hunter Green. That engine looked original, but I wasn't able to discuss it with the owner.

-- Harry


http://www.old-engine.com/alpha.htm

The color you have marked "the color from the original pump" is the same as my Alpha. It's the 546A code

David M.

[Harry]

Here's the pump after three day's paint cure, with the flourescent lamp off.

The cam gear is painted out of the same spray can, but same day cure and a DIFFERENT flourescent lamp!

SAME PAINT!

[Harry]

I finally got the color situation figured out and had Sherwin Williams mix up a gallon for me. A quart would have done all my work, but I didn't want to go through the special mix deal again.

This is my first time painting an engine with a brush. At first I was apprehensive, having been through a host of spray cans. The secret is to use paint thinner to get the right flow texture to reduce the brush marks. Also, spend the money and buy a good brush!

Here's the result...

[Harry]

Here's where the color sample came from. Inside the bell housing of the DeLaval magnetic pulsator generator.

[Harry]

Getting closer to the finish line, but it's a lot of work. This photo came out bright - it must be the flourescent lighting. By the way, that idler mount is upside down. You'll see the whole assembly in another photo.


http://www.old-engine.com/alpha-vw.htm

I think you replicated the original finish very well, with the brushing on of the thinned paint.I always wanted to try this method my self, but I was scared off by another post about this subject along time ago. Good job Harry !!!! Doug.

It is looking good Harry. Is that an original cart or did you make it? David

[Harry]

I had collected first one set of old wheels and an axle and then another. That's an 11-1/4" plank with 4X4s to support the barstock axles.

Today I was working on the vacuum pump. All cleaned up and the first coat of paint went on.

The galvanized water tank apparently had a silicone repair to its drain outlet. This is a brass fitting that was rivited and soldered onto the tank, but you can't make solder stick to dirt. So, off it came for a complete cleaning and re-sweating.

As the suspense grows, we'll soon have the completed photo. Another great day in the shop!