John Deere paint, how much thinner

[dacaseguy]

Im painting a JD 40. I picked up a gallon of JD Classic a green at local JD store. How much paint thinner should I used per quart of paint ? Also, do I need to use a harder. This is not going to be a show tractor. Thanks

 

[chuck from neb]

I usually do about 10 percent

 

[centash]

Should say on the can....

Ben

 

[Dan in Ohio]

There should be instructions on the paint can. IIRC I used a 1:9 ratio and be sure to use the recommended John Deere thinner. Good choice on the Classic Green.

 

[rustred]

i used to see painters watch the drips of the sick and tell that way. your choice on the hardener as its expensive and will make the paint harder and shiny . your call. plus there should be some instructions on can.

 

[Mark-Ia]

I never use the John Deere thinner. I get Medium Reducer at a parts store in town.

 

[Mike M]

I don't know how much ,but I was taught to watch your stir stick. When you lift it up out the paint should drip off of it in droplets and not run in a stream. This has served me well over the years. I stayed away from hardener as the paint chips too easy and it is hard on your lungs.

 

[woodvue]

8-2-1 ratio of paint-thinner-hardener

 

[ArnieinChesterfieldVa]

Auto paint stores USED to carry a gauge for paint thinness when painting with a gun. You poured paint thru it into another container and a certain amount of paint was supposed to make it through in a certain amount of time to be proper thinness. I don't know if this gauge is a thing of the past or not. I asked at just one auto paint store and they looked at me like i was nuts. Might be worth asking around so your paint is always thinned just right.
Arnie

 

[David.DeHart]

I have not mixed any JD paint in a while. So unfortunately I do not remember the thinning ratio. I do remember that I followed the instructions on the can and I used Klean Strip Alphatic Naptha from Lowes for the thinner. JD paint is a synthetic enamel. I believe the directions called for thinning with Naptha. I do wipe everything down with thinner prior to painting though. Make sure everything is thoroughly dry before applying the paint. I do not use the JD hardener because it is so toxic. It contains isocyanates and requires a purified breathing air system for spray application in a confined space. I do not feel comfortable even spraying it outside. You would be ok to brush/roll it on, because it isn't being atomized by a spray gun.

 

[David.DeHart]

Arniein from Chesterfield, VA is referring to a Zahn Cup. It is basically a stainless steel cup with a handle. The cup part hold a specific amount of liquid depending on its size, example #2 or #3. The cup also has a hole of specific diameter in the bottom. You take this cup, dip it into your thinned paint and as soon as the bottom breaks the surface you start a stop watch. You then measure the amount of time it takes for all of the paint, not counting residue on the sides, to exit the cup. The system measures the viscosity of your thinned paint compared to a set amount of time. While painting aircraft. I believe we used a #2 Zahn cup and the time was like 5-10 seconds (not positive about the time). If it took longer you added more thinner, less you had to add more paint. This was to get the paint thin enough to flow through a spray gun, but not too thin to leave a nice coat.