Lathe Paint – Harrison M250 / M280

[Joe PageParticipant @joepage27051]

Hi,

I'm sure lathe paints been done to death but I will soon be selling my Harrison M250 / M280 CNC lathe. All of the bed ways are in perfect condition and the paint is mostly there but there are some bad spots and I need to get the most money out of the sale.

My questions are;

The original paint is green, now do I keep it original or is there a preferred colour people go for, such as white or grey. (or is that a silly question)

I'm pretty sure colour won't match perfectly, and the electrical cabinet has perfect paintwork, so would it put you off if the lathe was in two slightly different tones of green, or should I paint the lot.

What is the best paint supplier? I can spray or brush it, brushing would be easier but I want something that won't leave brush marks.

Would you paint the coolant sump with the same paint or go for something specialised?

Much appreciated,

Thanks,

Joe

[Joe PageParticipant @joepage27051]

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

I used paints4trade (via their ebay store, but I think they have a shop and a website) – they seem to know A LOT about paint and recommended a high solids machine enamel as well as what type of thinners to use and what primer would work, they always responded very quickly with a wealth of technical knowledge

I ended up using a thinned first coat straight to metal as a primer – my own decision, I didn't run it past them, the following coats were very thick so they just needed something to stick to initially. The paint was so thick it levelled itself perfectly, I found the right layer thickness was JUST enough to cover (which is really quite thick as it so stiff to brush) after a while it will have levelled itself and if you went overboard, it will have very slowly run.

I think I paid about £30 for a 5 litres of a custom colour and I've still got loads.

**LINK**

Edited By Russ B on 11/03/2016 21:26:15

Edited By Russ B on 11/03/2016 21:30:04

[Tony RayParticipant @tonyray65007]

FWIW I am always suspicious of anything that has been repainted. If the machine is good a lick of paint won't make a jot of difference imho.

[SpurryParticipant @spurry]

I have to agree with Tony. If it is as genuine as you say it is, a small amount of not-so-good paintwork only proves the point. There is nothing worse than a tarted-up finish.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

I agree, nothing worse.

The only reason I was repaint was because someone had painted a dark blue very very badly over a grey machine, it was mostly peeling and oil damaged, it was a proper mess – but a good machine hiding underneath, which further emphasises Tony's point I guess!

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

.

I would want to see the machine "Warts n all".

It's a machine tool that is supposed to be used. Not a Ducati motorbike that gets polished every weekend and although the owners prize possession never gets ridden.

There is a big difference between 'used' and 'abused' I personally would not wish to see anything covered with a splodge of paint.

Nick

[Joe PageParticipant @joepage27051]

Hi, thanks all

That is one thing I feared but didn't expect everyone to say,

I have to admit seeing some peoples machines on here I would expect them to have Rolls Royce emblem let alone Ducati, haha

I think I will leave the paint then, its clearly had light use.

Cheers

Edited By Joe Page on 12/03/2016 13:47:29

[JonParticipant @jon]

Just one point Harrisons have never been green, that's a turn off.
Admittedly mine is but that was painted twice with a brush and trowel by GKN.

[Joe PageParticipant @joepage27051]

Hi Jon,

I'm not sure where you got your information from but all of the M280's are in fact green from new. It has never been painted either as it still has the original Harrison inspection sticker.

[JonParticipant @jon]

Seems your correct stand corrected, M280 and equivalent Colchester are green maybe a bye product of china before dropping that model. Incidentally looks same tone as the first green on mine.

All other M series including 'title M250' beige upper **LINK**

Recall some years back Harrison would paint colour of choice at extra cost, maybe 80's.

As for any dinks or chips I would leave as is, ensures its honest and not tarted up like so many.

[Joe PageParticipant @joepage27051]

I wonder why Harrison chose the beige colour in the first place, makes them look so drab. Sorry about my last reply too, just read it back and I sounded a little brash.

Incidentally the lathe is from the 80's, I wonder what the colour choice was,

I spent the whole day cleaning the lathe, the paint isn't too bad, it's around the base where the paint has peeled, shame because when I got it five years ago it had been in storage from a year after it's manufacture and it literally didn't have any paint chips.

[Author]

Posts