[Hallicrafters] Paint Question / Problem

Thu Jun 6 18:07:28 EDT 2002

Hi Glen,

Thanks for the quick reply and I am sorry to hear about  Mike's
problems. I understand now why Mike has not been answering his emails.

Mike sells his paint all prethinned and says to not thin them.  The balk
paint Mike sells in my opinion is thinned right for spraying but might
not have the right thinning agent for my conditions.  My problem is that
I am in Phx AZ and the temperature this time of year is not cool.  I
really needed to add a thinner that would retard the drying process but
couldn't.  Had I known  that it was going to dry so fast I would have
done the job in the cooler morning than in the heat of the afternoon.
I have done a lot of painting but have never had anything dry this fast.
I expect Mike mixes it for the cold midwest temps.

I expect I got a bad spray can for the paint I bought in the aerosol.
The nossel was leaking badly around the bottom so I had to replace it
with another from my stock of used nossel.  The can has also been
sitting for a while so it might have had an small air leak thus low
pressure.

Yes most paints I use take a long time to dry (true enamels).  I really
prefer a true enamel.  Drying time is not one of my concerns and having
the heat to dry it also is not a concern.

I will try the lacquer clear coat as you suggest.  I bought some that is
a polyurethane but an a little afraid of it so back to the store to buy
Crystal Clear Krylon.

Thanks for your input and the information about Mike,

Ron WA0KDS

Glen Zook wrote:

> I have not had any problems with the spray cans from
> Total Electronics.
>
> By the way, almost all spray can paint is really
> lacquer even if it is called "enamel".  Also, laquer
> was used by most manufacturers on their cabinets
> because it air dries very fast.  Enamel "cures" rather
> than "dries".  The curing process can take days if the
> humidity, temperature, etc., are not "just right".
> However, even under the best of conditions, it will
> take hours for the enamel to "cure".  You have to
> maintain a completely dust free atmosphere when using
> enamel.  Since lacquer dries so fast, conditions do
> not have to be anywhere near as exact.  When enamel is
> actually used, often the painted items are "baked" in
> a curing oven.
>
> I have never found a can of paint that I could not
> "thin" with the proper thinner.  For almost ten years
> I owned the Motorola reconditioned equipment center
> for the south-central US and we used only lacquer in
> the paint booth.  However, since we were using a spray
> rig, we did "cut" the lacquer about 50% (1:1) with
> lacquer thinner.  You have to apply two or three
> coats, but the coverage is very even.  Basically, we
> used two gallon "pressure pots" and put in a gallon of
> lacquer and about a gallon of thinner.  Worked great!
>
> I don't understand why you couldn't add your own
> thinner (correct type, of course) to the paint.  I
> have used Mike's spray cans in the Dallas, Texas, area
> when the temperature has been above 100 degrees F and
> haven't had any problems.  Since I don't have an air
> compressor right now, I haven't used any of his "bulk"
> paints.  However, I don't think that I would have any
> problems with them as well.
>
> Mike Shelton has had a death in his family.  He put
> out a notice a few days ago saying that he would not
> be able to answer any E-Mails, etc.  I do know that
> both his wife's parents and his parents have been in
> very poor health as well as one of Mike's daughters.
> I don't know which family member died, but taking care
> of five people in very poor health is very "taxing".
>
> What were you using to paint with?  Hopefully a spray
> rig.  But, no matter what type of gun you are using
> ("cup" or pressure system), you ALWAYS cut the paint
> about 1:1 with thinner when using any type of "stock"
> paint.  If you were trying to paint with a brush, then
> all bets are off as to the finish you will get.  A few
> paint companies will sell you "pre-thinned" paint.
> However, thinner is MUCH cheaper than paint and it is
> always better to thin your own.
>
> All of the clear coats that are readily available
> (including Krylon, Rust-Oleum, etc.) are actually a
> lacquer.  I have oversprayed the paint from Total
> Electronics with Crystal Clear Krylon and it worked
> very well.  Also, if enamel is truly cured,
> overspraying with a lacquer will not affect it.
>
> Unless you are very familar with the various types of
> paints and their applications, you don't want to "fool
> with" a true enamel!  I would almost offer "odds" that
> the "enamel" that the local auto paint store puts into
> spray cans is actually lacquer.  To my knowledge Mike
> sells only lacquer.
>
> Glen, K9STH
>
> --- Ronald Oberloh <wa0kds at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Just painted a non-Hallicrafters with some paint I
> bought from Total Electronics.  It was an awful
> experience partly do me to and partly do to the paint
> bought from Total Electronics.
>
> I have sent emails to Total Electronics and have not
> been getting any return replies.
>
> In my opinion the paint should be sold thinned.  I am
> in Phx AZ and the paint dried way to fast.  If I had
> been able to add my own thinner I could of stopped
> this from happening.  Second a second color was bought
> in one of the aerosol cans.  No way near enough
> pressure in the can to do a good job.
>
> Anyway with all that said my problem is I now want to
> spray a clear coat over my job which I hope will help
> clean up a couple of bad spots.  I believe that the
> paint that Total sells in not an enamel but a lacquer
> (next time I get enamel mixed at the local auto paint
> store) I am afraid that if I don't use the right clear
> coat that I will end up with a total mess. I am afraid
> the paint might blister because it is not an enamel.
> ANYONE out there have any suggestions as to what to
> use? Anyone else have a similar experience with Total
> paint?   What does Total sell enamel or lacquer?
>
> =====
> Glen, K9STH
>
> Web sites
>
> http://home.attbi.com/~k9sth
> http://home.attbi.com/~zcomco
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup
> http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com
> _______________________________________________
> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF **for assistance**
> dfischer at usol.com
> ----
> Hallicrafters Collectors International: http://www.w9wze.org
> ----
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hallicrafters