Brush painting tractor

[Oliverguy-NE Ohio]

I posted this in the body work forum but am posting here to gain more attention.


Hi guys, I am painting a tractor of mine for the first time. I planned on spraying the tractor and sheet metal but yesterday I learned that my compressor isn't big enough and that the siphon sprayer that I was given from my grandpa wasn't cleaned real well whenever it was last used. I happen to know someone who is very good at painting with a brush and roller and was wondering if this would be a good option. It is a tractor that is still used and will get dirty, etc. I just want it to look better and I don't really want to see brush marks from a couple feet way. If I see them up close then so be it. Depending on what you guys say I could possibly put some money into a new lvlp sprayer but I don't really want to do that... at least not yet. Maybe if I start painting my tractors more I will invest into one. But anyway thanks for you thoughts!

 

[trackrat]

You will have brush stroke marks if you use a brush

 

[rustred]

even if you used spray cans would look better than a brush. its been done before and a good painter no one is non the wiser when looking at it. but its not just one or 2 coatings. take about 3 coats. what tractor is this on ?

 

[Gambles]

Well, you are basically saying this is a working tractor and not a museum piece, so…
Beg, borrow, steal or buy a compressor with more volume. Or, just do some painting, wait for it to recover and then paint again. Horror Fright USED to sell some really cheap paint guns. They were adequate (but not fantastic) when viewed from a distance. Hit the pawn shop and see if you can find something similar.
Or, just do it right the first time. That way , you won’t regret your work.

 

[Tgrasher]

Never saw a brush painted car or tractor that didn't look it. Spray cans would produce a better look. You could make a saddle tank off your compressor to give you the air volume you need. I've seen it done with 100 lb propane tanks.

 

[M-MAN]

Use a quality brush and paint it with automotive enamel. After a dries use compound to smooth any marks.

I had a pickup truck once that was brush painted and I couldn't tell. Probably 15 years later when rust popped a chunk of paint off before I knew it. You could see the brush marks from the bottom.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I posted this in the body work forum but am posting here to gain more attention.


Hi guys, I am painting a tractor of mine for the first time. I planned on spraying the tractor and sheet metal but yesterday I learned that my compressor isn't big enough and that the siphon sprayer that I was given from my grandpa wasn't cleaned real well whenever it was last used. I happen to know someone who is very good at painting with a brush and roller and was wondering if this would be a good option. It is a tractor that is still used and will get dirty, etc. I just want it to look better and I don't really want to see brush marks from a couple feet way. If I see them up close then so be it. Depending on what you guys say I could possibly put some money into a new lvlp sprayer but I don't really want to do that... at least not yet. Maybe if I start painting my tractors more I will invest into one. But anyway thanks for you thoughts!

Harbor freight :
CENTRAL PNEUMATIC
20 oz. HVLP Gravity-Feed Air Spray Gun
Parking lot price $9. 47% off.
This is a low pressure gun. Try it first.
$210 for this Air cheapie air compressor at HF> 4 cfm at 90 psi should be enough.
If it requires more air, I would wait until you could borrow someone's air compressor or buy one before I mess up a tractor with a paint brush.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

For best results brush painting you have to do two coats. First, a thin coat that will leave brush marks and won't necessarily cover. Second, a thick coat that flows out and fills in the brush marks. The trick is putting on just enough paint that it doesn't run. If you really slobber it on the paint will be smooth but you will have severe drips and runs.

 

[flying belgian]

I think you could paint everything with a brush except the tin. Get some spray cans for the tin. My great uncle painted a Case "L" with a brush. It didn't look terrible but you could definitely tell it was painted with a brush. If it's really rusty now then I think painting with a brush would be better then nothing.

 

[caterpillar guy]

IF you use those foam brushes from the hardware store it will be better than with a bristle brush. I painted some noses for a combine head where they are close to the ground and it looked fine for that. Left no marks with it. Does take a bit of practice with it. Don't try to skimp on the paint though.

 

[rrlund]

It couldn't look any worse than the only one that I ever hired anybody to paint. He painted it in the rain, then three days later, he sprayed another coat over the blistered runny mess. He came unglued when I asked him if he was going to clean it up and do it over. I knew he smoked a lot of dope, but after that, I don't think the guy could have ever not been high. Nobody should have thought that was alright.

 

[m16ty]

You will devalue the tractor by brushing it. Even if it’s currently a rust bucket, it will be even worse after you brush paint it.

 

[m16ty]

Well, you are basically saying this is a working tractor and not a museum piece, so…
Beg, borrow, steal or buy a compressor with more volume. Or, just do some painting, wait for it to recover and then paint again. Horror Fright USED to sell some really cheap paint guns. They were adequate (but not fantastic) when viewed from a distance. Hit the pawn shop and see if you can find something similar.
Or, just do it right the first time. That way , you won’t regret your work.

I’ve seen show quality paint jobs using HF spray guns. The guns work fine, they just don’t last very long.
Last one I bough was $15, and you pay the extra $7 for a free replacement. When you get done painting just throw away, cost more in thinner to clean than you can just get another one for.

 

[stevieb49829]

I did just as fb's uncle did. Rustoleum with a good brush, and spray cans over good spray can primer on the tin. You cannot see brush strokes on the cast parts.

 

[JD Dave]

It will look a helluva lot better and last a helluva longer if you use a professional-style spray gun hooked to a clean air compressor with enough cfm. Rattle can paint is thinned down like water to work with the propellant Trying to get enough paint on with rattle cans is impossible. You need to get 2-3 heavy coats of paint on the subject, - 1st medium coat and then one or two more full coats on. This is if you're using enamel. And, - that's after you have thoroughly cleaned everything squeaky clean with Prep-Sol or equivalent material, sanded or Scotch-Brite cleaned everything and applied a self-etching primer over bare metal areas. Do it right the first time. You will not like it when paint starts failing because of poor preparation.

 

[grandpa Love]

I posted this in the body work forum but am posting here to gain more attention.


Hi guys, I am painting a tractor of mine for the first time. I planned on spraying the tractor and sheet metal but yesterday I learned that my compressor isn't big enough and that the siphon sprayer that I was given from my grandpa wasn't cleaned real well whenever it was last used. I happen to know someone who is very good at painting with a brush and roller and was wondering if this would be a good option. It is a tractor that is still used and will get dirty, etc. I just want it to look better and I don't really want to see brush marks from a couple feet way. If I see them up close then so be it. Depending on what you guys say I could possibly put some money into a new lvlp sprayer but I don't really want to do that... at least not yet. Maybe if I start painting my tractors more I will invest into one. But anyway thanks for you thoughts!

Every single one of these were brushed and rattle can painted. I would challenge anyone to find a single brush stroke on any of them. Prep is most important. We brush the cast and rattle can the sheet metal. Sheet metal gets 10-12 coats of spray paint, so it's thick and shiny. A couple coats will not last.

 

[grandpa Love]

I did just as fb's uncle did. Rustoleum with a good brush, and spray cans over good spray can primer on the tin. You cannot see brush strokes on the cast parts.

View attachment 131286

Bingo!! Truth!

 

[Charlie M]

I have painted surfaces that aren't smooth like sheet metal is with a brush and that works fine. Smooth metal like sheet metal is tougher to paint with a brush but sounds like guys that have already responded have figured it out.

 

[da.bees]

Many moons ago before I had airless I painted doors,cabinets and paneling with brushes and customers were pleased. If you have a good brush paint one fender then decide. A quality brush costs more than a Harbor Freight HVLP gun so go that route if you are not willing to invest in a good HVLP rig. Forget rattle cans,it will require many,many cans just to get thin coverage that won't last.

 

[Richard G.]

I have painted surfaces that aren't smooth like sheet metal is with a brush and that works fine. Smooth metal like sheet metal is tougher to paint with a brush but sounds like guys that have already responded have figured it out.

I have done several with rattle cans and they come out dang good.