Paging the paint gurus

[T i m]

Hi All,

A mate recently gave our daughter his old 250 MZ motorbike (that was mine before him) that he had hand painted in some green NATO type satin paint. [1]

We needed to paint some additional bits and he's given me the 25l drum to 'take what I want'.

I bought a couple of 5l paint tins and went to transfer some over earlier today. The lid had delaminated but luckily the skin on the 'paint' was so thick you could walk on it so I was able to remove any debris before removing the skin.

What was underneath looked like (translucent brown) and had the consistency of treacle and I had to stir it with a metre of steel reinforcing rod to be able to get the pigment back into it!

It just says 'Green oxide' on the lid, smells an looks a bit like Hammerite and 'strings' similarly as Hammerite does when cold or needing some thinning.

So, does 'green oxide' tell us all we need to know (so I would know what to thin it with etc) or will I need to do some experimentation do you think please?

Cheers, T i m

[1] She loves it like that!

[nightjar]

That probably means it is chrome oxide green pigment, which is sold for use on farm buildings. However, that does not tell you what base has been used to suspend the pigment. It certainly does not sound like an acrylic paint and my inclination would be to test oil based thinners on a small sample.

Colin Bignell

[T i m]

Ah, ta. I knew 'red oxide' was a good primer, is this something completely different (ie, is it not the same stuff but just a different colour)?

Ok.

Well it's didn't come off my hands with several scrubs with soap and water but did come off (with some effort) with paraffin.

I'll try some other options tomorrow.

Thanks, T i m

[nightjar]

Totally different. Red oxide is lead tetroxide. Green oxide is anhydrous chromium sesquioxide and is used in top coats as it has good covering power and is weather and light resistant.

Colin Bignell

[T i m]

Ok ..

Ok. So that is typically used as a 'good' primer (am I right)? So why is that so please?

(wow)

So, would you use one over the other (for example)?

How would either compare with something like Hammereite or 'Chassis paint' would you know please?

Thanks, T i m

[nightjar]

...

It is a very traditional primer, but I gave up using it long ago. A wander along any paint supplier's shelves, including the local DIY shed, will give you a wide choice of modern equivalents that will outperform it in just about any application.

...

I would choose a modern primer first, preferrably one designed to be used with the paint you have, although that is probably not an option, as you don't knwo what it is.

No idea, as I don't know what the paint you have actually is.

Colin Bignell