Painting tractor with paintbrush

connor9988 · Dec 22, 2014

I was thinking about using a paintbrush to paint everything but the tinwork. I can use a air gun to do the tinwork later.
Has anyone done this and have some good tips?
Also, does anyone have some pictures of how it turned out?

What are some good paint brushes to use for this?

Thank you.

RandyB(MI) · Dec 22, 2014

A very perfectionist friend of mine did exactly that and turned out great and you can't tell. Was a Farmall M. Very soft brush but more important is the paint dry time and temp when painting. It has to lay there wet and have time to level itself. You will have to decide how to make that happen depending on what paint you use.

Welding man · Dec 22, 2014

If you are going to keep the tractor and use it,it might be OK,but if you are thinking about selling it ,I would say you would devalue it quiet a bit.

Joe W. · Dec 22, 2014

I rebuild running gears and paint with a brush - both primer and finish paint. I also prime and finish paint the sandblasted wheels with a brush. I always use Flood Penetrol as an additive to the paints - both primer and finish paint. You can go to the home depot web site, among others, and see it. It's about $9 a quart and a quart will last through many paintings. It's a product that helps with paint leveling which they say eliminates brush marks. It works good for me. I use Purdy paint brushes.

showcrop · Dec 22, 2014

I think that you can make it look good. You just need to thin the paint on the brush now and then to keep it flowing. The difficult thing is to get around and into and behind and under and over and between all the nooks and crannies. I think that it will get old after awhile and you will wasn't to switch over to a sprayer.

connor9988 · Dec 23, 2014

Thank you for all the replies. I will look more into it.

rustyfarmall · Dec 23, 2014

(quoted from post at 00:04:18 12/23/14) Thank you for all the replies. I will look more into it.

I've done both an H and an M that way. Turned out great. I will challenge anyone to come have a look and see if they can find any brush marks. I used IH 2150. I DID NOT thin the paint. Applied it straight from the can. Wet and heavy. If the paint sagged, I just worked with the brush until the sag was smoothed out. Start on one side of the tractor, work your way all the way around, and then start with the second coat. You do not want the first coat to completely dry. You want it to still be tacky. After the second coat is applied, THEN wait for the paint to set up before starting on the third coat. Cast iron will soak up a LOT of paint, so keep on painting until there are no dark spots anywhere, and you WILL end up with a very nice shine and gloss.

Oregon Tractor Jack · Dec 23, 2014

I have done three tractors with a brush and you can't tell it was brushed on. You have to really watch out for runs. I normally will paint for a while and then stop and go back an look for runs. Then go back and look for runs again. They do sneak up on you. I use Van Sickle paint so it has a long open time. Another trick is to brush for a while then go back over the brushed part with a rattle can and give it a light dusting. The rattle can paint is thinned so it will allow the brushed paint to flow better. That hides any brush strokes. Also make sure that if you stop painting and are going continue later, you should feather out the paint. This is only for the cast iron. I spray all the tin. I acutally saw a JD that someone had brush painted the entire thing, including the tin with a brush. They even used automotive paint. I could tell by the smell. It look great from about 10 feet, up close it looked like C*%P.

El Toro · Dec 23, 2014

A spray gun will put paint where a brush won't. Hal

etshobby · Dec 23, 2014

I keep some spray paint handy. Spray the hard to get areas first such as little corners. Followup with a brush paint job. Get those hard to get areas you find after brush paint has dried, spray 1st 2nd brush ,followup with spray again.

dr sportster · Dec 24, 2014

The paINT WILL LAY A BIT FLATTER WITH THE SPONGE BRUSHES. tHE ONLY THING WITH THOSE IS THE SPONGE WILL START TO COME OFF THE STICK SO YOU NEED A SUPPLY OF THEM FOR WHEN THEY FAIL oops . They are great for nooks and crannies and they hold alot of paint before you have to reload .If you use gloves you can put hardener in the paint.

1206SWMO · Dec 24, 2014

A friend painted this 1941 Massey 101 Super with a brush and spray cans...Its flawless..

larryanderson · Dec 24, 2014

If you are going to spray the tin and are already set up you will save some time and probably do a better job of covering.I have seen tractors painted with spray cans and brush and were done nicely.Prepartion, good paint ,and primer are the key to a good paint job.A poor paint job can devalue a tractor more than a perfect job will add

Ultradog MN · Dec 24, 2014

You wouldn't be the first one.

connor9988 · Dec 24, 2014

Thank you for the replies and information everyone.

pat sublett · Dec 25, 2014

Don't see the point . If you are going to spray the tin why not the rest of it unless you just like to work. Once it is properly prepared and you have messed up the gun, why use a brush. No way, I don't care how meticulous you are, can you paint as good with a brush as a spray or as quick.

Stephen Newell · Dec 25, 2014

It could be it's not fun to lay on your back under a tractor spraying it.

souNdguy · Dec 25, 2014

If you have a spray gun, IMHO, spray the cast too. Can do in 10% of the time needed to brush.

Just my ho..

rustyfarmall · Dec 25, 2014

Cast iron soaks up a LOT of paint. You can apply THAT MUCH paint with a brush just as fast as you can with a spray gun, and a brush is much quicker and easier to clean up when you are done. Also, the sheet metal can be done with a rattle can. The paint in the rattle can is the same paint that comes in the quarts and gallons, and again, when you're done, there is no need to clean up a spray gun.

souNdguy · Dec 25, 2014

Can't harden or modify rattle can

It goes down real thin

No control of reducer in the rattle can. I'm not a fan if rattle
primer, and the solvent in the rattle color may not be compatible
with your good spray on primer.

Worried about cast soaking? Practice good technique and
prime it first.

504 · Dec 25, 2014

I have painted a lot of tractors with a brush. I use a 4 inch roller on everything I can, including the tin work,rattle can the places you can t reach.
The paint woks better if it is a little thick. I had a can open that I had used out of three or four times for different thing, the last time is was getting too thick,the roller was tracking and it made the paint rougher than I care for. (Van Sickle IH red) No they are not show tractors but they are a lot better than rust and look good 5 feet away,and really good from 10ft

showcrop · Dec 26, 2014

(quoted from post at 11:01:06 12/25/14) It could be it's not fun to lay on your back under a tractor spraying it.

I agree. but it is even more uncomfortable to keep turning and finding the can of paint, then reaching up to to dab it on while the paint runs down the handle of the brush and onto your hand. I expect that it would take a good four times longer under there with a brush than with a sprayer.

rustyfarmall · Dec 26, 2014

(quoted from post at 04:58:19 12/26/14)

(quoted from post at 11:01:06 12/25/14) It could be it's not fun to lay on your back under a tractor spraying it.

Click to expand...

I agree. but it is even more uncomfortable to keep turning and finding the can of paint, then reaching up to to dab it on while the paint runs down the handle of the brush and onto your hand. I expect that it would take a good four times longer under there with a brush than with a sprayer.

I guess it is all in the technique. Very seldom do I get the paint anywhere BUT on the tractor.

vtjoe · Dec 26, 2014

I did my JD 420 dozer with a paint brush and it worked out really well! Some places with a 1/2 inch wide artist brush. The paint was JD enamel in a can from the dealer. Only spray work was done by a friend of mine on the hood tin. Did all of the work while the girl was up on jack stands as I was making "NEW" track frames

showcrop · Dec 26, 2014

(quoted from post at 08:29:57 12/26/14)

(quoted from post at 04:58:19 12/26/14)

(quoted from post at 11:01:06 12/25/14) It could be it's not fun to lay on your back under a tractor spraying it.

Click to expand...

I agree. but it is even more uncomfortable to keep turning and finding the can of paint, then reaching up to to dab it on while the paint runs down the handle of the brush and onto your hand. I expect that it would take a good four times longer under there with a brush than with a sprayer.

Click to expand...

I guess it is all in the technique. Very seldom do I get the paint anywhere BUT on the tractor.

yes, I definitely need work on my antigravity technique, LOL.

El Toro · Dec 27, 2014

I used a brush on my garden tractor on a small strip on the gauge panel. The rest was sprayed using Dupont acrylic enamel on the light almond color that was mismatched and the blue was acrylic enamel from our local New Holland dealer.
Hal

Tall T · Jan 12, 2015

Great photo!

Someone told me once that those beautiful 1930's car bodies were painted by brush and hand-rubbed.

Last year I made the mistake of trying the nylon bristle brushes; never again, only natural bristle.

Something else that might be of interest to some:
Twice I was brush painting using marine enamel thinned with mineral spirits and twice by the time I went to bed it hurt to swallow and by the next day I had a full-on sore throat sick.

Again . . . never again!
I only use turpentine now and with no respiratory ill effects.
I've been using up my mineral spirits for brush cleaning only and even at that, I chase it with turps for the health of the brush.

Never brush paint in the sunshine.

T

Here's a perfect at 10 feet brush and roller job.

Larry Urquhart · Jan 23, 2015

I done some painting with sponge brush and it turned ok. The only problem was I painted inside with no ventilation. I screwed up my lungs and everything else. Be very careful where you paint. I read about someone else this happened to but can't find the article again. Can anyone help me locate me find it? Thanks for any help you can give me.

DrLoch · Jan 23, 2015

Nice job. I'd love to find one of those

Tall T · Jan 23, 2015

(quoted from post at 12:40:19 01/23/15)
Nice job. I'd love to find one of those

Not sure who you are speaking to but if it is to me, that's my 1951 Aluminum bodied Chev. My very first rebuild of a 1953 engine, that i extracted from one of my 50's Chev flat decks is what powers it.

It is sadly faded now and I'm thinking I should have clear coated it.

T

Painting tractor with paintbrush

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