Correct way to paint The tractor

[stevey30]

Hey Git, are you building a special tractor? I see in your one pic you have 2 black lines, looks like your making hand levers for clutch and left brake pedals. LOL

[Larry in WNY]

Wet sand sheet metal primer coat with 400 grit. When you spray the color, use a small amount of thinner. Example fill gun canister with paint then add 1/8 measuring cup of thinner. I used Case IH paint and my hood wasn't glossy and smooth after painting. I wet sanded it and used barely any thinner and it was very smooth and glossy the 2nd time. It flows better and stays shiny if not thinned too much. I don't want clear coat since it's a working tractor but it looks close to it. I used a Harbor Freight paint gun with moisture filters @ around 35 psi.
Larry

[Super A]

Well as long as we're talking.....

Ricky nailed it, do it based on your facilities, skill level, and desired outcome.

IH did indeed paint the whole tractor at once, minus wheels/tires. Looking at some of the old films it does look like some parts were painted ahead of time that were hard to get to once assembled (bottom of fuel tank for example.) When dealers painted a tractor they took off the hood, steam cleaned it, and let the paint fly. No shame in this method, especially for a working tractor.

IH had a list of stuff to be masked off. Mainly gauge faces, light lenses, magneto/distributor, etc.

Painting/not painting the carb is a matter of preference. Both look nice if prepped properly. I didn't paint mine just because I didn't take the time to. A reasonable coat of paint shouldn't affect the ability to adjust, tune, etc. If you cake it on there, that's another story.

I prefer painted wire harnesses. I painted mine off the tractor on my granddaddy's Super A, I did not paint it on Old Ugly. Personally I think an unpainted harness sticks out too much.

IH painted the gearshift knob at least in the 40s and 50s. Never will I ever do that!

For pete's sake, paint the generator red.......

Before you ever buy any paint, clean, clean, clean, look it over, clean again, then clean it, wait 10 minutes, clean it some more, look it over again, clean it, mentally kick yourself for every entertaining the idea of cleaning a tractor, then clean it at least two more times. Right before you mix your paint, clean it again.

Protect yourself when using paint, primer, etc. ESPECIALLY if you use hardener. You cannot smell hardener and the way it was explained to me, the stuff in the hardener that will kill you is so small at the molecular level that it will go right through the mask. You have to use supplied air, downdraft paint booth, etc. to use hardener. DO NOT SKIMP ON SAFETY.

If you have never painted something like this before, contact your local community college. I paid $180 a semester and painted my tractor going to class 2 nights a week. There was body work to do and I had a qualified teacher walking me through every step of the process. It was a great experience and I always had access to a huge knowledge base and fantastic tools! At least make friends with a local auto parts store that sells auto paint and supplies. Even if you use caseIH paint, you'll need other materials like wax and grease remover, masking supplies, and other goodies.

Use nothing "cheaper" than caseIH Ironguard paint. It's actually pretty good stuff. If you can use hardener safely, you can mix some in and produce a coating that looks as good as paint that costs $100+ a gallon.

Hope this helps
Al

[rockfarmer]

Please take note;

Hexamethylene Diisocyanate or HDI is the molecule Al is referring to. It is a component used to make UV stable polyurethanes, mainly coatings, and is referred to as a hardener. It performs very well once properly cured. It will react with moisture to form Carbon dioxide gas and a crusty polyurea solid. That is why it is important to keep the container closed when not using. It is designed to react with alcohol groups in alkyd and acrylic resins and cross-link them, or harden them into a film or coating, hence the name. Hardeners are not required to dry alkyd and/or some acrylic paints, but do improve the toughness and chemical resistance along with improving color stability. HDI is a small molecule that has a relatively low vapor pressure, meaning it will float around in the air for long periods, and can enter your lungs and chemically react with epithelial cell proteins, causing asthma like symptoms. In some cases it can be severe and/or cause asphyxiation. It can also cause skin rashes. When using hardeners, FRESH Air is key, whether it is a steady 10-15 mph wind at your back with proper full face, vapor cartridge respirator, or if in a confined space where there is very little or no air movement, a Fresh Air supplied respirator is mandatory! HDI is oderless. Most hardeners are supplied in a butyl acetate or solvent blend, which is what you are smelling. Use butyl or nitrile gloves which are available at all auto parts stores. Latex gloves will not suffice.

Don't be a tough guy! It could cost you your life, or at least the quality of life.

[Don McCombs]

Rockfarmer is spot on. But I'd like to add that inhalation is not the only means by which isocyanates can enter the body. Any exposed skin or mucous membrane (think eyes, mouth, nose) is also another means of entry. Full body protection, suitable for the use of isocyanates is also mandatory.

[Matt Kirsch]

Any paint on the manifold, plug wires, or carburetor was completely incidental.

Normally the paint would quickly burn off the manifold, so no big deal there. Leaking gas would take care of the paint on the carburetor, or the caustic dip would on the first rebuild. The first tuneup would clean the plug wires by way of tossing them in the trash.