Correct paint color for Herter's #3 press???

[bear67]

Thanks to Gbrown of Beaumont, I have a replacement for my old Herters #3 press that I purchased in 1959 originally--it was stolen out of one of my barns last spring. I remember the original paint as a dark gunmetal grey, similiar to a the original Massey Ferguson Grey used on the TO 20s and 30s. I have it the "new" one in the electrolysis bath this am to clean it up as this model has no paint left anywhere.

I really don't need this as I have other single stage presses along with turrets and progressives, but I wanted it, so another project. Any and all help will be appreciated.

[1Shirt]

Most of the old Herters presses I remember were a sort of dark brown!
1Shirt!

[KCSO]

The number 3 I had was dark grey about the same as South Bend equipment grey. But some also came dark brown and the scale I had with the press was brown.

[bear67]

The scale I have is brown, almost hammered finish, but I thought I remembered the one I bought in '59 being dark grey. It had been stored several years before it was stolen--but I was redoing machine shop in order to move reloading stuff to larger benches. I Think I have some Ferguson tractor enamel and hardnerer, so that may be the way to go. I know Rustoleum has some hammered paints available, but don't know a local source of these colors. If you are going to go to the effort of cleaning and painting, you might as well use good paint. You certainly will not go to Hell for that and might for using the cheap stuff.

[bear67]

KCSO
The Ferguson grey I have is for those models before the tractors became Massey Ferguson--It is very close to Southbend factory grey. I even painted a '47 model C lathe with it several years ago

[Reg]

All of the Super Model 3's I have seen or owned ( bought my first one in 62, have 4 on the bench now, owned others ) were a dark brown crackle finish. Almost the same exact finish they use on the Kennedy metal machinist tool boxs. Have a few of those as well.
I do understand that towards the end Herters did use other colors. Crackle does take more effort to apply and they were no doubt cutting all corners.

[Shepherd2]

The Herter's press, powder measure and scale that I bought in the mid 60's all had a dark brown crinkle finish. Like the Kennedy tool boxes mentioned above.