Implement enamel vs. automotive grade paint

[Gleanerguy]

I am currently in the process of painting my 684 IH. I have been using automotive grade paint for all of the tin work. I think I will use regular implement enamel for the rest of the tractor as it is a fraction of the cost. On the automotive grade paint, I have been thinning it with reducer made by the same manufacturer and using the ratios of paint to reducer as per the paint manufacturers directions.
On the implement enamel can - it doesn't really say on the can the ratio to mix. Also it says to use mineral spirits "if thinning is necessary". Its hard to believe I would actually use mineral spirits - I thought laquer thinner would be the right thing to use? How do know the right ratio of paint to thinner to use?

 

[CNKS]

You don't use lacquer thinner in enamel paint, you use it in acrylic lacquer. If it was mine I would use the same paint on all. The enamel is not likely to match what you are using and will fade. Others can tell you how to thin the enamel. I do not use paint that comes without instructions. Quality paint along with specific instructions is virtually fool proof. That is one reason it costs more.

 

[Dick L]

Reading instructions are way over rated. You loose all the fun you can have with the cut and try method.

 

[glennster]

use the mineral spirits to thin the alkyd enamel. generally a maximum of 10 % reduction. add a little and stir well. it takes a while to mix it up. it will seem heavy bodied and then all of a sudden , too thin so mix carefully each time you add the mineral spirits.

 

[CNKS]

The cut and try method does not appeal to me at all. I don't paint the whole thing at once, I don't have a clue of how many times I mix paint for a single tractor, but it is well into the double digits. No desire to have to do each mixture, which do not have the same volume from one time to another. As I said the instructions for quality paint are foolproof.

 

[delberts]

You guys are killing me
Im getting close to start to paint on my ford 3000. I may be ready by the end of the weekend.
I bought the heavy epoxy primmer & hardener.
Borrowed a HVLP gun , and still cant decide which way to go acrylic enamel tractor paint or automotive paint

 

[CNKS]

Acrylic enamel is still used on automobiles as a repaint. It is still good paint. Some high line acrylic enamels are better than the "economy" urethanes. You may be thinking of the old alkyd enamel, which is not high quality, but 30-40 years ago it was also automotive paint. But, if you have supplied air, use one of the economy urethanes and hardener, such as PPG Omni or DuPont Nason. Omni and Nason also come in acrylic enamel. Martin Senour and others can also be used. For durability and a lasting finish, stay away from tractor store paints, which are usually alkyd enamel.

 

[ASEguy]

CNKS, What do you think about industrial paint versus PPG Omni? I'm not too worried about cost, but I am durability. Gerard

 

[CNKS]

I've only done this hobby since I retired 10 years ago, so I have no experience with them. PPG Omni was recommended to me before this forum existed or about the time it started, by an experienced person [very similar in opinion and experience as Rod(NH)] who found me asking questions on another forum. I have never used anything else because I see no need to. So, I can't really answer your question. Generally they are "heavy duty" paints designed to withstand the elements, I believe. But they don't have the gloss automotive paints have. But based on what I have read, for automotive and tractors nothing beats urethane. There are probably urethane industrial paints for that matter.

 

[ASEguy]

Thank you for your time.

 

[delberts]

I might be assuming its acrylic Enamel .. Its New Holland ford blue CNH paint
It says Factory match Finish paint ..The canned paint says Enamel and the shakers say acrylic , :? I added them together and got Acrylic Enamel
I dont have a fresh air mask but i would like the finish to shine

 

[El Toro]

I used New Holland's acrylic enamel blue on my garden tractor. It's about $18.00 a quart. I used Dupont's acrylic enamel Centari paint for the light cream. Both sprayed and covered nice. I didn't use any hardener. Hal

 

[CNKS]

What are shakers? It is not likely to be acrylic enamel as most if not all tractor manufacturers get their paint from Valspar, which used to be or still is alkyd enamel. Some, CaseIH for one, and since CaseIH is part of Case New Holland, CNH probably uses it too, use "acrylic modified" alkyd enamel, meaning it has some acrylic properties, notably UV inhibitors. Likely JD paint is the same thing. The CaseIH can used to say it was acrylic modified, but now says simply "enamel", so I am not sure. The manufacturers apparantly don't want us to know what it is.

 

[RandyB(MI)]

When we see the word "Industrial" on anything we immidiatly think high quallity and maybe a little better than.......Usually "industrial" means acceptable quallity at an even more acceptable price. I work in "industry" every day. I run the paint dept at Morbark Inc. We buy and use "industrial' 2 part urethane by the 55 gal drum and catylist in 5 gal buckets. Our usage is in the hundreds of gal per yr. We pay $40 per sprayable gal and it is orange. It holds up great and after a week of cure , chemicals don't affect it at all.Color all goes on in ONE coat. BUT...you wouldn't want to paint your tractor or car or truck with it. It was NOT formulated for flow out and dry film shine. It looks fine on our equipment (look up Morbarkinc.com)Whole tree chippers , grinders , tub grinders , flail total chip harvestors , saw mills etc. Some weigh over 100,000 lb , 4 axles , 1200 hp and take 3 painters 4 hrs to prime and paint with constant flo proportioners that automatically mix paint and cat by computer to whatever ratio called for. No worry about stopping or pot life. So in our case , "industrial" means satisfactory finish at a high volumn and at a low cost. It means it meets the requirements of "industry". I'm sure mine and your requirements are quite different. That being said , would it look as good as a 1937 JD "A" did the year it was new?? Probably. Do you or I have any idea what that look was exactly? Probably not. It's safe to say that "green w/a little shine" was probably the industry standard back then. It's up to each individual whether that's good enough for his tractor now. They didn't use any primer either! Why , then , do we bother??

 

[delberts]

Iv been at the farm working on the tractor this weekend.....i called the spray can a shaker

 

[delberts]

Im still sanding ,,its growing bigger and bigger.
maybe 2 more weekends before i can paint

 

[delberts]

I called the ford place and asked about the paint he told me it wasnt acrylic enamel ,but didn't no what kind of enamel it was ..

 

[CNKS]

If not acrylic it is either the old alkyd enamel or the newer
"acrylic modified" alkyd enamel. The answer was typical of people who do not specialize in paint, and some who do.

 

[SWMO]

I personally do not use PPG, as I use Dupont Nason. Basically the same product just deferent companies. I also do not use Industrial paint except when I want a quick color coat for a work tractor. Below is a quick reference of Omni acrylic enamel and acrylic urethane.

(MAE)PPG Omni acrylic enamel is a fast drying, two component acrylic enamel designed for economy minded collision centers. OMNI (MAE) may also be sprayed with the addition of MX201 Gloss Enhancer to improve gloss normally associated with clear coating in one easy step. Technical Info
1-800-647-6050
Safety Info
U.S.A.

MTK ( OMNI )is a fast drying, two component, acrylic urethane designed for today’s automotive collision centers

 

[pstav]

I will add what I can to this post on paints. I generally use Case IH enamal (2150 red) on my tractors I have rebuilt. It is a Valspar alkyd enamel, also called synthetic enamel. I believe Valspar makes most of the enamel for the major tractor people. However, since they discontinued the lead, it has poor fade resistance. One of the single stage urethanes is a much better choice, although it is a lot more money. They have UV inhibitors and withstands fading quite well. Why they cannot put the same inhibitors in the alkyd paints, I don't know. It is not proper to use mineral spirits in alkyd enamel. It will work, but it takes forever to dry. Use a NAPA product called Synthol (synthetic enamel reducer), or go to Case/IH and ask for their reducer. The reducer is added 8:1. Also, if you will add a synthetic enamel hardener (also 8:1), it will produce a shinier finish and harden quicker. Don't let them sell you an acrylic enamel hardener.

 

[delberts]

the auto parts store in town that sells a lot of auto paint , and paint for tractors sounds like the way to go then ..what has me worried is my friend that got a gal of jd green and it looked like regions green ..but his cousen had the same guy mix 10 gals for a big tractor and it looks right , i dont know if the paint mixer was short one shade but thats in the back of my mind

 

[ASEguy]

Thanks for your input. Gerard

 

[Anonymous-0]

ASE guy If you wanted something "heavy duty" I would go with Du-pont emron. It was designed for airplanes it is a strong paint once it cures it is hard to sandblast off. Any quality automotive paint like PPG Concept DCC (single stage) works great. It is kinda spendy though. If you wanted to go on the cheap you could dhoot it in Omni

 

[rustyj14]

My life-long trade was auto body and painting. After being trained, i more or less ran an auto paint shop. We advertised baked enamel refinishing, of most everything, bar none. Cars, trucks, kitchen cabinets, refrigerators, amusement park rides, you name it. Everything was painted with enamel, baked to dry in a large drive thru oven.
One day, a new paint salesman was brought in by our more experienced sales rep. The new guy looked the shop over, and finally got around to the spray booth, where i was stirring up a gallon of enamel, for a spray job. He saw me standing there, so he said:" How do you know how much thinner/ reducer to put into the paint so you can spray it?
I told him:"I just keep adding thinner, until it looks good running off the stick, and then i apply it!"------------Uh,huh, he said, and they left. Later the paint rep told me the guy didn't say much about my statement, he only asked if i was kidding. The regular paint guy assured him that i was not kidding.