Farmall Cub

Hi all, looking for your opinion on this. As most of you know I'm redoing our 1948. I've been taking the parts down to bare metal with my makita grinder with wire brush (with mask and ventilation). I was speaking with a local guy who advised "oh no you can't get a good result unless you sand blast and prime immediately". Two concerns here - I don't own a sand blaster and while I've got a good air compressor it's not rated for continuous sand blasting.

What does you experience show?

Ken

Ken,
Try electrolysis.

Peter

Hi Peter, will electrolysis take paint off? Sorry if this seems like stupid question - I'm a newbie!

Peter Person wrote:Ken,
Try electrolysis.

Peter

Not trying to hijack this: but what about the black coating that remains after electrolysis (where the rust used to be)? I have never seen a real clear description of what needs to be done with it. Can you just hose it off good, let it dry and prime/paint?

I have never been a fan of sandblasting because of the risk of sand going places where it doesn't belong....

Al

I used both wire brush and sandblaster on my cub....but as Super "A" said ....have to be care just what you sandblast. But I have to say the finish after sandblasting can be quite nice.

I always hired my sandblasting out. Sand gets everywhere. A friend of mine does it for $100 per hour. He can do a whole Cub in an hour.

Super A wrote:

Peter Person wrote:Ken,
Try electrolysis.

Peter

Not trying to hijack this: but what about the black coating that remains after electrolysis (where the rust used to be)? I have never seen a real clear description of what needs to be done with it. Can you just hose it off good, let it dry and prime/paint?

I have never been a fan of sandblasting because of the risk of sand going places where it doesn't belong....

Al

Al,
In the How To section drspiff put this: http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=150&t=26881

Ken,
How To section has several articles on Electrolysis, and yes it will remove paint.

Peter

Ken:

I use electrolysis exclusively for cleaning parts of rust, dirt, grease, crud and believe it or not - paint. I do use my small sandblaster for plow parts that I cannot get to with the cup brush, but I haven't run into that problem with Cub parts at all. Sandblasters tend to put particulates where you least want them especially around engines, transmissions, TC's etc...

In The Library

All About Electrolysis


1. How To Understand Electrolysis In A Nutshell
2. What Is The Best Voltage To Use For Electrolysis?
3. How To Find TSP In The US And What Charger to Use?
4. How To Build Kodiak's 5 Gallon Electrolysis Tank
5. How To Build Rudi's 55 US Gallon Electrolysis Tank
6. How To Build Corky's Home Brew Electrolysis Tank

Super A wrote:but what about the black coating that remains after electrolysis (where the rust used to be)? I have never seen a real clear description of what needs to be done with it. Can you just hose it off good, let it dry and prime/paint?Al

Al:

I have found that the easiest way is simply to use a twisted wire cup brush on my 4-1/2" angle grinder to get rid of the residue. For the most part, it all comes off. Then I just hang the part up to dry. I clean the electrodes the same way. Before I prime and paint, I tend to rub the part with a rag with a bit of lacquer thinner on it to clean of any residue that might possibly remain. Using TSP I never worry about flash rust. But getting into that discussion is like Oil or Hydraulic Fluid....

sandblasting a whole tractor will get sand into internal parts no matter how well it is sealed. I have had to redo a few cubs over the years that had been sandblasted. I found sand in everything.I mean everyting. Complete disassembly was required to fix the peoblem. I use aircraft paint stripper with high pressure water to blow the paint off. Most of the time it takes one stripper coating to get to bare metal. Then I use a wire wheel to spiffy things up before priming.

Although it is messy, I use a wire cup brush on a 4 1/2" grinder. Smaller parts I clean with a wire wheel on a pedestal grinder. I borrowed a sandblaster from a friend a number of years ago thinking I would build my own later on. However, after using his I changed my mine and decided that if a part needed sandblasting, I'd take it to someone that did that.

Now that certainly doesn't mean I've found that to be the best way but it fits my budget and I can get the parts done to my expectations. Sandblasting is great if you can afford it, but I'd only recommend it if you totally disassemble the Cub and do each part individually. If you have access to a big sandblast cabinet with enough air compressor to power it, they can be great.

However, which ever way you choose to remove your paint (except for electrolysis users) make sure you wear a mask so you don't breath in the old leaded paint or silica dust.

Just to add another idea to what everyone else has mentioned, cheap inexpensive oven cleaner from your local dollar type store works well on removing paint from cast parts, it just takes longer but is effective.

Ok, looks like I'm building a tank - I found that Walmart has DAP TSP Substitute.

[url]http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dap-Inc-60004-T.S.P.-Substitute-4-Lb-Heavy-Duty-Each/22235475?ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=22235475&sourceid=1500000000000007346530&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0={matchtype}&wl1={network}&wl2={ifmobile:m}&wl3=21486607510&wl4={aceid}&wl5=pla&veh=sem[/url]

Thanks again for all the ideas and input.

Ken

I too am a newbie
And am wondering the same thing ; Also if anyone knows will one gallon a paint be enough to paint a 49 cub ?

Clark Thompson wrote:sandblasting a whole tractor will get sand into internal parts no matter how well it is sealed. I have had to redo a few cubs over the years that had been sandblasted. I found sand in everything.I mean everyting. Complete disassembly was required to fix the peoblem. I use aircraft paint stripper with high pressure water to blow the paint off. Most of the time it takes one stripper coating to get to bare metal. Then I use a wire wheel to spiffy things up before priming.

Thank 's Brother your sure saved me alot of problems ; I have been using a wirewheel to strip any part I have rebuild so far ; And had planned to let Fayetteville Tech school sandblast my cub in sept ; But I like you way better , Many Thanks

David Stanton wrote: Also if anyone knows will one gallon a paint be enough to paint a 49 cub ?

Yep.