Refurbishing an old press need some help

[hotwheelz]

I picked up this old CH press and 3/4 of the paint was gone all the metal surfaces had some surface rust and pitting but I had big dreams.... It was gonna look like new... well kinda I got it stripped cleaned and repainted but no texture to the paint b/c I didnt think of it I just got a can of red paint my question here is wich texture paint do you guys use? seems like ive used that VHTstuff on some car parts but it didnt seem to have much texture but that was awhile back maybe my memory is going much the same way my hair is? maybe some undercoating then cover it in red paint ? I have a couple other presses I would like to bring back to life as well as this press here is the test subject .. Thanks in advance WIll

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6561/chpr.jpg
By hotwheelzzz (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/hotwheelzzz) at 2011-07-03
I think the texture paint could possibly cover up some of the improfections all I used was a wire wheel on my grinder and some sand paper to clean it up Im thinking I may want to get a sand blaster to improve the final product..
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/4930/chpr1.jpg
By hotwheelzzz (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/hotwheelzzz) at 2011-07-03

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I've got two of these, one originally bought and the other found in a junk heap at Numerich for $10.-; it had to be cleaned up and restored. These presses were made by C&H " Roddy" when they were in California in the sixties. The original finish was a red crinkle finish that also was a little on the dull side. You can use a texture paint or it can be reasonably well duplicated by using a small square of sponge and dabbing the paint when it is still wet, kind of the way that drywall workers texture what they put up. Another way is to just use satin paint and also stipple it with a small wad of steel wool. It is better to also clean up the links, round transfer bar and handle and then coat them with oil. I also turned my presses upside down and oiled and greased the links where they work in the bottom of the lower ram. The decapping system for this type of press was kind of primitive; it was a long stalk that threaded into the base between the linkage. The spent primers went all over the place and changing from small to large primers was a hassle. I eventually did my priming on a hand tool. I rigged up a primer catcher from one of those complimentary little shampoo bottles that you find in motel rooms...it is narrow enough to fit between the links and when hung with thin wire looped around the shell holder, it catches all of the spent primers and holds around 200 of them. The press is fairly strong and handles well the standard loading ops; the handles on mine I replaced with wooden balls like Lee uses. They're still going strong after 40 years. The press as you've finished it looks good. Crinkle or textured finish looks cool, but it is a bit harder to keep clean as any grime gets in the "valleys" and doesn't wipe out so easy. LLS

[flashhole]

Rustoleum makes a great line of texture paints. I used a "peen" finish on my portable reloading station recently and it came out great.

[Ozarklongshot]

Or find someone with a glass beading cabinet and bead blast appropriate parts. Never tried that exact application, just typing out loud

[Kevin Rohrer]

I have used Rustoleum Hammered Finish paint on a few presses. Unfortunately, they don't sell it in red. For one press I used Rustoleum Safety Red. Someone sells wrinkle paint online, but it's not cheap. I had a link to it but can't find it.

[seagiant]

Hi,
Is this it Kevin? http://www.tcpglobal.com/spraypaintdepot/vht-wrinkle-plus.aspx

[Philngruvy]

+1 on the Rustoleum Hammered finish.

[3006guns]

Just a question.....why change it? You've done a very nice job and the word "restoration" is somewhat overused at times in my humble opinion.

I've "restored" several presses and with the exception of my Rock Chucker didn't necessarily stick to original factory colors. For example, I completely rebuilt a Hollywood Senior and used Krylon's hammertone gray, which is far cry from the original wrinkle black but you know what? It looks great and functions just fine. As mentioned, dirt gets in the "valleys" on a wrinkle paint job. Mine just wipes clean easily.

I think the suggestion to use a small brush or sponge to mimic the wrinkle finish is a good idea though. You could add another wet coat right over the first one and finish it in that fashion and I'll bet you five bucks it'll look very close to the "original" finish.

Edit: Just a caution on the sand or bead blasting....I've done a fair amount of it over the years, and while effective it can also be destructive if the operator doesn't understand that he's dealing with precision fitted parts. If you go that route, remove all parts and fill or cover any holes very carefully. If the frame is aluminum, I'd recommend a soda blast as anything else will round off corners etc. Ordinary duct tape makes a pretty good masking material by the way.

[HeavyMetal]

I've used the Hammertone paint on several projects and have been very happy with the finished color and texture.

They've also got a new paint out aimed at refinishing plasitic's and I have heard it is very tough to scratch once it has hardened. I have not used it as yet but plan to soon.

I will also suggest you look at the Kennady tool box company for wrinkle finish paint, they make touch up wrinkle finish for the red green and brown tool box's they make.

I have used this paint and it wrinkles great!

However I will say that I agree with the fact that wrinkle paint finishes seem to be a tad harder to keep clean which is why I went to the Hammertone paint.

[hotwheelz]

I have used Rustoleum Hammered Finish paint on a few presses. Unfortunately, they don't sell it in red. For one press I used Rustoleum Safety Red. Someone sells wrinkle paint online, but it's not cheap. I had a link to it but can't find it.

Thank you I will go find me some of it



3006guns
I think the suggestion to use a small brush or sponge to mimic the wrinkle finish is a good idea though. You could add another wet coat right over the first one and finish it in that fashion and I'll bet you five bucks it'll look very close to the "original" finish.

Edit: Just a caution on the sand or bead blasting....I've done a fair amount of it over the years, and while effective it can also be destructive if the operator doesn't understand that he's dealing with precision fitted parts. If you go that route, remove all parts and fill or cover any holes very carefully. If the frame is aluminum, I'd recommend a soda blast as anything else will round off corners etc. Ordinary duct tape makes a pretty good masking material by the way.


If I cant find some wrinkle paint I will give the sponge Idae a try, and thanks for the advise on the sand blasting I hadnt heard of the soda type material

IM on vacation this week so I post some more pics of my results....

[hotwheelz]

Hi,
Is this it Kevin? http://www.tcpglobal.com/spraypaintdepot/vht-wrinkle-plus.aspx

I have used that stuff on engine parts works well but if I remeber right doesnt have as much texture as the older presses do plus Id have to wait for the misses to be gone so I could put it in the oven to cure ... But I may use that on my hollywood press as I think the color would match up great

[bhn22]

Use whatever color wrinkle paint is available, then paint over it in the color you want.

[Ozark Howler]

Here's one in Rustoleum Red Hammer Tone

[Kevin Rohrer]

Yes, that is it.


I have used that stuff on engine parts works well but if I remeber right doesnt have as much texture as the older presses do plus Id have to wait for the misses to be gone so I could put it in the oven to cure ... But I may use that on my hollywood press as I think the color would match up great

Did you follow the directions and heat it in the oven? My understanding is that the heat process is what brings out the wrinkle aspect.


Or find someone with a glass beading cabinet and bead blast appropriate parts.

I did that to my two Dunbars. It gives the metal a slightly rough, satiny finish that would allow paint to adhere well, but you would not see a very rough finish. I left those presses bare metal as that is the way they were made. To keep rust from forming, the bare metal gets a good coat of Breakfree.

Hotwheelsz: I had one of those CH 111's that I restored and sold. It's a nice press; I just wish it was made out of steel, if so, I'd still have it. After stripping off the old paint, did you paint the aluminum parts with aluminum primer?

A Lyman AA painted in Rustoleum Safety Red:
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0253.jpg

Bare metal (Dunbar) after being bead-blasted to give it a rough look:
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0302.jpg

The CH 111 I used to own after restoration. Note the spent primer tube:
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0254.jpg

[W.R.Buchanan]

I bought a rest at our gun club meeting last month. It was a Hoppes brand and was painted orange.

I brought it home and spent and hour taking it apart, blasting the old finish off, and detailing all the parts. I then sprayed it with Rustoleum Hammer tone dark gray.

This paint has a significant amount of texture to it. It went off nicely and looks great.

I use this paint alot for applications where I need texture to cover up surface imperfections.

The wrinkly finsh paints all must be heated with a heat lamp or oven to get then to crinklle. You get a more consistant finish in the oven as heat lamps tend to be more localized.

Hammertone paints (the original was called Hammerite) have something in them that induces the paint to "fisheye" dramatically. fisheyes in a paint job are usually caused by a speck of oil on the painted object. This stuff takes that phenomenon to a much higher level.

I like the stuff becasue you get texture but you can clean it with a rag and some 409. trying to clean wrinkle finish requires a soft brush to get in all the nooks and crannies.

I use it alot on my Jeeps, in fact the wheel in the pic I have had for 20 years now and it has been on many rock trails. It was origianlly painted with Hammerite, but I repainted over that with Rustoleum Hammertone recently. The surface of that wheel has texture that is easily .010 deep!

This weekend I have been disassembling my Jeep project down to the ground so I can weld out and then paint. The entire frame will be painted with this stuff as it will cover up alot of the imperfections. Also I can touch up minor dings with a spray can.

I like this stuff alot.

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi Randy,
That gun rest looks better than new!!!

[hotwheelz]

Well after trying the Hammertone I really didnt like the finished look, very tough but not what i was after. So stipped down to bare metal again and used some VHT wrinkle plus and its perfect for what i was wanting except it only available in black. I tried going over the black with some red paint but it ends up filling up the texture some what. So I striped it back down and repainted the black and put some red accesories on it Im very happy with this finish and when i decide to refinish my hollwood IM pretty sure it will look like stock paint thank for all the info guys here are some pics...

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/888/press13l.jpg
By hotwheelzzz (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/hotwheelzzz) at 2011-07-25
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/2664/press12u.jpg
By hotwheelzzz (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/hotwheelzzz) at 2011-07-25
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/8752/press11.jpg
By hotwheelzzz (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/hotwheelzzz) at 2011-07-25

[Ben]

hotwheelz

That is very nice. You did a great job ! !

That is the " Ultimate Face Lift ".

Ben

[hotwheelz]

hotwheelz

That is very nice. You did a great job ! !

That is the " Ultimate Face Lift ".

Ben

Thanks

[STP22]

Kevin,

My first Dunbar was found in near perfect condition. Still looking for another, and would like to try your method for "enhancement" if I can locate another.

Regards,

Scott

[flashhole]

Very nice indeed, excellent job.

A word about the Hammerstone. Mutiple light coats and drying between coats is the way to do it. If you try a thick coat it is too smooth.

[Kevin Rohrer]

STP22: The guy who sandblasted it for me used Silica Sand. He had to build a special box and wore a mask to keep from breathing it in. Silica is not good for people.

As long as I keep the bare metal well-oiled with Breakfree, it stays rust free and looks great. I have two of these. You can see them if you look in the Bench Pictures topic.

[MikeS]

I've used the Hammerite paint a lot, and it works really well. As for wrinkle finish paint, it works best when the part(s) are put in an oven to dry. On one of the sewing machines we used to manufacture new we used wrinkle finish on, and so we had a special 'oven' that we built just for that one machine. The few times we painted a main casting without the oven (it was broken for a couple of weeks) really looked sad in comparison to the ones that are oven cured.

Hotwheelz: Did you put your press in an oven when you used the wrinkle paint, or did that paint not need it? I'm curious, as my experiences with wrinkle finish are from prior to 1981, and I'm wondering if they've finally got wrinkle finish that works right at room temp?

[hotwheelz]

I've used the Hammerite paint a lot, and it works really well. As for wrinkle finish paint, it works best when the part(s) are put in an oven to dry. On one of the sewing machines we used to manufacture new we used wrinkle finish on, and so we had a special 'oven' that we built just for that one machine. The few times we painted a main casting without the oven (it was broken for a couple of weeks) really looked sad in comparison to the ones that are oven cured.

Hotwheelz: Did you put your press in an oven when you used the wrinkle paint, or did that paint not need it? I'm curious, as my experiences with wrinkle finish are from prior to 1981, and I'm wondering if they've finally got wrinkle finish that works right at room temp?

The can says if you bake it on the wrinkle would be tighter and I wanted some thick heavy texture so I didnt, but will cure at room temp. takes 1-2 hrs for the wrinkles to really show and says let stand for 24 before handling and another 48 before reasembling ... Im a little bit impatient so I put it back together after 24hrs seems ok but Im not going to be using it right away and I was kinda careful handling it .... I was thinking how much trouble I could get in for putting it into the oven, but I did think if I made a wood box lined it with some alum foil and used 1-2 of those halogen flood lights I could get 100-150degree wouldnt be inclosed but those things get hot..

[W.R.Buchanan]

Hotwheels: your press came out looking good. That VHT Wrinkle paint almost looks like hammertone in the pics.

nice job.

Most people don't realize those older Single stage C&H presses are good for alot of insundry jobs at the reloading bench like primming cases, knocking out primers, flaring case mouths Etc.

Not my first choice for doing full length resizing on big rifle cases cuz the mechanical advantage is not as high as a Rockchucker but still useful.. I passed on one at a gunshow last year for $50 and i'm still kicking myself in the ****.

I'd do it the same way I did the rifle rest. It is about an hour and a half project

Randy