Machinery Restoration/Refinish Advice? (Project Complete)

[Jim Becker]

I recently purchased a used back blade (old Woods RB5) for the Kubota for a "very good price"...it will come in handy for a variety of things around our property. However, the previous owner didn't "lovingly" care for it, IMHO, and it needs some restoration work and refinishing to insure an even longer life in my attachment collection. This is how currently looks...

29May2006 047.jpg

I have nearly zero experience with this type of metal restoration and refinishing and will appreciate any advice from any SMC car/tractor jockies for the best ways to remove rust, prepare for refinishing, etc. I want to do it right the first time, if you know what I mean. And yes, I do need to remove several layers of "hastily applied by hand" paint, too, before priming and refinishing. Suggestions for primer, etc, will also be appreciated. Remember, this is ground-engaging equipment and although it's expected to get a little banged up over time, it still needs to be protected from the elements, etc.

Thanks in advance!

[tod evans]

jim, sandblasting is going to be the easiest way to remove the paint-n-rust. if that`s not an option get some aircraft stripper and slather it on. if you opt for the stripper don`t get it on you it`ll light you up! .02 tod

[JayStPeter]

HF sells a pretty nice little sandblaster for occasional use. I think it was right around $100.

Jay

[tod evans]

HF sells a pretty nice little sandblaster for occasional use. I think it was right around $100.

Jay

i`ve got one of those, aircraft stripper is much faster and cheaper...02 tod

[Bruce Page]

Jim, sandblasting or chemical strippers will get the old paint off but you’ll still need to grind/file the heavy rust spots smooth. A 4” right angle grinder will do a good job on the rust.
If you got it for “a very good price”, it might be worthwhile to have it powder coated. Powder coating is extremely durable, weather resistant, and gets into all of the nooks & crannies. Look in your Yellow Pages and get a few quotes.

[Don Baer]

If you can sand blast if not then Aircraft stripper like todd said. If you need to remove the rust then I'd use Navel Jelley on the rust. I'd probubly use auto paint primer, the grey stuff then a good coat or two of Rustolium.

[tod evans]

guess i should have specified earlier about sandblasting.........take it to an industrial blasting firm an object of this size if you`re in no hurry should be less than 100 bucks and an industrial blaster will remove all the rust(and some of the metal if they`re not carefull) as well as the paint. most places that do blasting offer to squirt it with red oxide primer for a couple of bucks, take them up on the offer it`s unlikely that you`re going to buy the grade of primer they use over the counter...02 tod

[Wes Bischel]

sandblasting.........take it to an industrial blasting firm

Excellent advice from Tod. Don't bother with any portable sandblasters DAMHIKT Getting it done is money well spent - you could spend that amount on stripper, and/or a few weekends on sandblasting! The other thing I would add is use an etching primer. It will give a great base for any topcoat and seal the metal - standard primer/primer fillers don't. (a primer-sealer is what you are looking for - high build primers are for making pretty finishes) It may be a good idea to stop by your local tractor supply store or industrial paint supplier and ask what they have in the way of paint for this application (and who does sandblasting in your area) - auto paints are typically much more expensive than industrial paints. Oh, and this of course would be color matched to your Kubota!

Good luck,
Wes

[Matt Meiser]

If it were me, I'd just get a wire wheel and thorougly go over it making sure to remove any loose paint and loose rust. Then use something like Rust-O-Leum to paint it--I think they even make a safety orange that will be a prety close match to Kubota oranage. Whatever you do, the paint on the blade itself is going to wear off pretty quickly from the stuff you are moving with it.

Edit: Tractor Supply also sells an oil-base tractor and implement paint that I used on the attachment my dad made to put a receiver hitch on my 3PH. That has held up well. Also, these paints tend to level well, so you can get a pretty good looking finish with a cheap brush that you can just throw away when done.

[Jim Becker]

If it were me, I'd just get a wire wheel and thorougly go over it making sure to remove any loose paint and loose rust. Then use something like Rust-O-Leum to paint it--I think they even make a safety orange that will be a prety close match to Kubota oranage. Whatever you do, the paint on the blade itself is going to wear off pretty quickly from the stuff you are moving with it.

Edit: Tractor Supply also sells an oil-base tractor and implement paint that I used on the attachment my dad made to put a receiver hitch on my 3PH. That has held up well. Also, these paints tend to level well, so you can get a pretty good looking finish with a cheap brush that you can just throw away when done.

Funny you should mention TS...I just got back from there an hour ago with some of the oil-based implement red oxide primer and Kubota Orange (!) paint along with a few new varieties of wire brushes for drill use to help deal with the rust. I thought about chemically stripping it, but after some contemplation, think that providing a good surface for the primer will work fine for a tool that is not going to get a huge amount of use. I can always get the stripper if I'm not happy with things along the way. I need some for another project, anyway. Between the angle grinder, electric drill with the wire brushes and my Rotex, I should be able to do that reasonably well. I'll replace all the fasteners during disassembly/reassembly, too.

Realistically, I'm not comfortable spending $100 on a cheap sandblaster (or a service for the same) on an implement I paid $150 for, although I do think that would likely result in the absolute best rust/paint removal. It's good advice and I'm not discounting it lightly. I just can't justify the cost after thinking about it since I started this thread this morning.

My singular beef with Tractor Supply is their non-acceptance of AMEX for payment. Not kewel in my world...

[Dan Oelke]

A angle grinder with cup shaped wire brush does wonders on this sort of thing. I have a cheapie (like Harbor Frieght) that my father-in-law got me (bless his heart) - I figured that it would die within 10 minutes of use but I have put it through a lot and no problems so far. Be sure to wear a face shield, dust mask, and long sleve heavy shirt. The wire brush will kick up a lot of fine dust and occassionally a wire will go flying. The braided wire cups will last longer than a cheap one, but for something that size you shouldn't have any problems. A little sandblasting in the corners that the wire brush doesn't hit might still be needed if you really want to get everything out.

The wire brush will strip off any soft or loose paint, and polish the stuff that is still tight. Also tends to feather the transistion. In general I like it much more than sandblasting (been there, did that) with an underpowered sandblasting rig.

This is a tool - not something to be shined up to the hilt. It will get dings and scrapes and more rust after one minute of real use. So - a couple of spray bombs of primer and whatever color of "implement" paint is all I would use on it. Be sure to let it dry for a couple of days to harden up before using it to minimize the dings. I like to use my "high-volume" sprayer for this, but Im sure an HLVP would do well too. Spray cans even work pretty well 90% of the time. If you really want a good hard surface add some hardner to the paint, but then be sure to wear a good respirator.

[Matt Meiser]

My singular beef with Tractor Supply is their non-acceptance of AMEX for payment. Not kewel in my world...

Guess they don't think y'all have Amex to pay for "The Stuff You Need Out Here"

[David Wilson]

Jim, I possibly have another option. If you can find a radiator shop which repairs truck radiators near you the blade could possibly fit in their hot tank. The combination of heat and the chemicals used should remove most of the paint and rust.

[Steve Ash]

Jim here is my .02. We restore old tractors for a hobby and I've done several muscle cars as well. When we get something as rusty as what you have there (we get them a lot worse) we take the pieces that we can to a sandblaster to have all the old paint, rust and scale removed. I also have a sandblaster here but would rather have someone else do it since they do it very reasonable and we are repeat customers, and sandblasting is hot work when you are dressed in all that protective clothing and face wear.

After we get the parts back or blast them ourselves (blasters do a wonderful job of getting back to bare metal) then we use a "self etching primer" immediately so no rust will begin on these bare surfaces. Self etching primer actually grabs itself into the small metal pores to make sure your regular primer will stick "guaranteed".

We use PPG paints on most everything we restore but since you are not restoring you could use less expensive paint just make sure that your self etching primer is compatible with what ever paint you decide on. But with that in mind we then prime and paint. Usually I do a base coat clear coat on everything (even my old lathe resto was done this way) and on my Chevelle was a tri-coat.

Now granted you don't need to go to this extreme for what you want to do, but I would definately sandblast and then self etch prime.

[Jim Becker]

Steve, I'll have to see if I can "easily" find some of the "self etching" primer...it sounds like a good idea no matter what method I use to prepare the surfaces.