OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Reel-Type Mowers Rise Like the Phoenix! - a Model 45 Verti-Cutter

Hi BB,
Any idea how durable that paint is and how much are they. Some of those spray cans can be quite expensive.

Hi Norm,

They're not that expensive at all, if I recall correctly a box of 12 is around $74.00 from the distributor direct to you.

Because of the issues that I had with them, they just sent me a box full free of charge, but to be brutally honest I think they just want to get rid of the aging stock they've got on hand as it gave Bon_Scott heaps of grief and then me as well.

Like I suggested above if you leave the can out in the sun for a hour or so on a warm day it seems to function better than being stone cold in the tin.

Cheers,
BB.

I have been wanting to buy the gold hammertone in that brand for ages but couldn't find anyone that sells the deuced things. I called the maker in Windsor NSW and they couldn't come up with a list of retailers for me. Frustrating.
They said I could go to their facility and buy it directly from them but they are so out of the way that the fuel alone would add considerable cost getting there and back. Going by train would be a lot cheaper but I am leery of walking the 15 minutes from the station as it's a pretty rough area with quite a lot of crime stories on the news from out that way. Having it posted makes much more sense but not sure I need 12 cans for one Victa mower.

When I am spraying a good base and parts I like to sit the spray can in a can of hot water to warm the paint. It goes on better....
That's what I did when I sprayed my HR Holden with 12 cans of Killrust blue, epoxy..... want to see a picture?
speedy

Hi BB and everyone

If only that damn paint sprayed nicely out of the can, while the colour might not be the exact match it's pretty damn close to what you would of expected a clean unfadded paint finish to look like 50 years ago out of the factory, I personally feel this colour is a bit more modern to the duller colour they used back then as it has a kind of metallic shine that's not metallic but pops especially with the delicious reds and Chevy orange. I got about 6-7 half full cans jammed up from the box of replacements they gave me and another 5-6 can still unused. If they would only make a new batch I'm sure they would sell again through the Scott Bonnar community through word of mouth as the finish and colour is fantastic when it flows smoothly out of the can. Last time I was at the factory the manager/owner said they were just about to release a new colour to their hammer paint line black that he swared was something to see to believe so there not looking at stopping the hammer paint line. I told him that if the green hammer paint wasent so dodgy I could probably get the word out Australia wide and that there's a big market at the moment for this paint in the lawn mower restoration world, hence why I stayed quiet during my restoration on the paint job untill BB asked. I definately would of bought more of this paint to spruce up all my vintage cast power tool equipment which was mainly painted that hammer green in those days, I won't now as I may need 5 cans to do one saw.
Just looking at that paint job you have done BB makes me think what a shame such a nice paint, as BB said the colour isent doing justice in the pic, here's a sample of mine which is what it really looks like, as for durability so far it seems fairly hard and hasent chipped or cracked, the guy from ultra colour recommended not priming under this paint as it dident need it, to be honest I did prime under mine and thinking about it now maybe I shouldn't as the top coat is only as strong as your primer, and the origional paint from the factory lasted 50 years with out a primer either, did you prime under your top coat BB?

Here a couple of photos of what the paint looks like on the finished product to give you all an idea with out having to look up my old threads.

Cheers.

B_S

Man those look magic. It looks factory. Astonishing and tragic. I wonder if Speedy's suggestion of hot water (not boiling) immersion would restore flow sufficiently? It seems ridiculous an unused rattle can could be so temperamental. Has anyone tried using a different spray button from another brand of rattle can spray paint?? Also a few drops of general purpose thinner in the outlet and an air gun to force it down??
What about inverting the can, releasing the propellant, then opening up the can and brush painting the contents or loading it up into a spray gun?

Hi Mowerfreak

Did everything you suggested, even tried the tire valve with the air compressor, will probably get to the day when I bust open those cans and pour them into an empty paint pot and hammer the lid down. The paint applies so good with a touch up brush over the existing dried paint that it doesn't even show the blemish so I reckon you could brush it on no problem, ideal just to brighten up my tools so I don't have to mask them up or strip them down.

Hi B_S and MF,

Yes I had to use primer on mine as the base metal was that poor that I had to use body filler along with spray putty and then block it all back to solve all the rust pitting etc. Basically I used the same process as when doing Automotive panel repair work, thus why all the pieces now look like brand new and ripple, pit and dent free. The chain case was made up from two cases, one Series 1 and a Series 2 donor as original S1 had most of the bottom missing de to rust and as such try finding a spare replacement..........impossible. Series 2 cases are everywhere due to their feeble fracture riddled chassis being sent to scrap one after the other a few years ago and their remaining parts living on as donors to other machines, while S1 cases always stayed with their more durable chassis' counterparts to re refurbished over and over again.

As far as the issue of half used cans is concerned, I feel it's got nothing to do with the actual nozzle as the blockages seem to occur before before the paint gets up to the top and as such warming the paint up and continually Shake / Mixing it seems to get more out of the can. I've managed to get two cans to empty their full contents via the nozzle, so this may be the key to the issue.

When using in colder conditions I'd strongly suggest that Speedy's idea would be perfect.

Cheers,
BB.

Hi BB

Makes sense i went through more cans doing the little edger than the 45, edger was done in winter this year the 45 was done in summer earlier this year. Might try warming the cans up in warm hot water and shake well and see if they come to life, wonder if the paint skins in the can if it sits to long then when you shake it it's got chunky bits that clog the bottom. Might be interesting to break into one can and see what's going on inside.

Hi B_S

Yes the thought had also crossed my mind, I've pretty much thrown out all the half used cans after the building of my neighbours machine.

I also feel that the paint has skinned up and pieces of that are clogging the passageway.

As MF suggested maybe as you have some half used cans left see if you can exhaust the remaining propellant and then cut it open and have a Captain Cook.

Will be great to see what the results are.

Cheers,
BB.

Hi B_S, Speedy and B_B,
I just thought up an idea after reading the theory B_S came up with in the paint possibly skinning during prolonged storage.
Shake the can in various directions and angles for at least two minutes to give the marbles inside a chance to break up the skin as much as practicable and mix it into the paint. Then put it on the shelf again for a day or two to give the skin fragments a chance to possibly dissolve or at least soften enough to pass through the outlet easily together with heating the can.

I called Ultra Colour at Windsor and they said they won't post spray cans due to being classed as a dangerous chemical. She said I would have to get a courier myself to deliver it. Is that how you did it?

The manager said you can apply it without primer right? That means I can just paint it over the existing factory paint on my mower deck and it should adhere properly?

Hi MF,

Hammertone was designed to spray over cast metal (iron, steel and Ally) which generally had a finished surface full of imperfections and with the way the paint cures out it pretty much has the ability to hide a multitude of sins underneath it. As such most machinery which was made up of castings was painted with Hammertone.

You can most certainly spray it over existing painted surfaces but surface prep must be done just like any other paint requires for adhesion.

Debbie is the person to speak to at Ultra Color, but don't expect miracles that's for sure.

Cheers,
BB.

Hi Mowerfreak

I was quoted a freight charge of something like $20.00 but had to order a box as they wouldent ship cans in a lose box (fair enough) I decided to drive there cause I dident want to spend $80.00 on paint and freight when I thought I only needed $20.00 worth plus there were other things I wanted to do out that way and thought I could get what I needed for the coast of just the freight charge. Obviously had to drive back there again cause the 4 cans dident get verry far and they said if I returned the 4 faulty cans they would supply me a box of 12 for my troubles plus I had to finish my mower as I was half way through it. If they were closer I would be going there all the time as they have plenty of other paints such as cold gal etc and their prices are cheap even if you only get half a can out of it.
Funny thing is we still want this paint even though we know the cans are duds. Maybe if UltraColor stumble across these posts they may realise that people may want this colour more now than when they were supplying it years ago before the lawnmower craze. I don't want to bag the company their paint is excellent hence why we want to go back for more, just a shame their not making new batches due to poor sales and over stock of the old batch.
If this paint had the thumbs up I reckon most SB restorers would be using it as their is no off the shelf green hammer in a spray can that is close enough to the Avocado green unless colour matching which means mucking around with compressors thinners and the clean up, that's if you have the skills and setup.

Cheers.

B_S

Thanks B_B and B_S for telling of your experiences with the paint.
I think I'll just go and get it by car as I would like to try the green paint on my Waltons store brand mower that the green will look nice on.
B_B, what grit do you use for preparing the surface and is prepsol good enough a cleaner or soap and water and a dry in the sun better?
As seen in the pics provided, there is exposed aluminium as well as some filed down Selleys Knead It epoxy filler (green arrow) on the edge. Would a spray of etch primer be advisable on the exposed bits?
Any pointers on the chrome work of the nose cone and handles on the store brand in the last pic ? There is supposed chrome in a spray can but I do know it will never match real chrome, but one I used to use from Septone at Super Cheap Auto was a cut above plain silver.

P.S how many cans of each should I get? I was thinking three to start with.

Hi MF,

I would go over the whole lot with 120 grit paper and then finish off with some 400.

Then I'd prime the whole lot with a good etch primer as you are dealing with Ally here. As far as wax and grease remover is concerned I always use Prepsol or equivalent just prior to painting.

After priming I rub back using wet 800 grit but make sure you have a good coverage of primer so you don't go through it when rubbing back.

From there you're ready for a good well shook up can of Ultra Color Hammertone Green.

Give it a light coat of green and let it flash off for a couple of minutes and then hit it with a wet coat, but not too heavy otherwise you'll end up with runs on the vertical areas. Try and keep the surface as horizontal as possible as this way you'll get a good finish without any runs.

I must admit I ran all my parts through the oven once they were able to be handled well enough without finger marking them.

In saying the above you probably won't be able to bake a whole chassis so it will have to remain out in the sun for a few days. One thing I have found though with this paint is that even though it might feel dry to handle it will still be soft deeper within the paint, so don't be in any rush to do the fit out of parts for at least a week if not more. I've found that I sat my clutch body on it's engine side downwards on my bench for a few days only to move it yesterday to find that I had an impression of the timber surface of the bench pushed into the paint. Luckily it's the surface that you won't see as it's against the engine once the component is bolt up.

Cheers,
BB.

Hi BB & Mf

Definately etch primer the ally, the guy at UltraColor told me it was recommended. Just for curiosity if you pick up some paint can you report back the batch number? BB and I have the same batch guessing it will all be the same.

Good old Waltons, my mum worked for the department store in the city head office was her first job and always talks about it, she still has her Waltons name badge. She would love that mower.

As for the Ultracolor Hammer deep green, BB is correct while it seems dry after days even a week, don't put any pressure on the paint as you will disfigure the finish, I did the same thing after assembling the clutch and sitting all the weight on one end. Guessing the silicon takes a while to harden up, but in saying that my catcher soleplate and grass deflector is still holding up after a few months of mowing.

B_S

Thanks for the instructions B_S and B_B. I thrive on instructions, not making judgment calls lol.
It's invaluable to know how this paint behaves once applied, particularly being hard as wood on the surface, but still like taffy underneath! That's a good heads up.

I recently painted up a replica of a Jason hockey mask with PlastiCote from a can and despite it saying fully dry in 48 hrs, decided to wait a week before handling.
Right to the hour, a week passed and it still gave off a solvent odour but I thought surely it's cured plenty. Wrong. To my horror, my finger marks stayed visible in certain light and nothing I tried, such soapy water removed them. Then, even worse, after using making tape to paint on the blue chevrons like in the fifth movie, the tape left impressions all over the white part. Luckily you have to look carefully up close in the right light to detect them. From more than two feet away, it looks flawless. I'll have to attempt to carefully rub back the marks down the line with 2000 grit wet and dry.
How long do you have to leave it though, a month, six weeks, half a year?!?

Hi MF,

I guess B_S will be a better judge of this issue as he's painted both his mower and edger some time ago now. The mower I did a few months ago for my neighbour across the road, to this day still hasn't even been started or used. Honestly I think he likes the idea of simply ogling at it and being able to say to his mates that he's got a pristine one sitting in his garage. Anyway at least I'm not getting any warranty claims made on the paint work at this stage.

I'll probably have my Groomer up and going before his even gets started.

Just on a bit of progress on my project, I wired up all my fasteners and brackets etc. that were originally Zinc plated and took them down to the Electroplaters this morning and as a few of you on here know I'm actually a plater by trade. So guess what happened when I came back for them 2 hours after I dropped them off ? .........................He screwed them up and as such he now has to redo them. He says it's pretty embarrassing doing this to a platers job and swears he wants them to be absolutely perfect for me. I'm really starting to wonder what one has to do to get good help nowadays.

Cheers,
BB.

PS. Bon_Scott........ I bet they've got a pallet of this old stock paint that they refuse to toss out, instead they continually annoy folks that buy it and progressively destroy their business in the process.

Hey MF,
Here's that BrightGal I use by Boston.. it's pretty cheap $10 or something. Made in USA. It's a zinc paint. I even touched up my new 2nd hand Holden VE......
It just looks like chrome and sticks like babypoo to a blanket.
cheers
speedy