Shopsmith Forums

I want to repaint the Speed Dial on my 32+ year old Mark V since it is well worn. I was thinking that I should use a chemical paint remover, sand it, and then paint it with a red enamel. Any overpaint I could wipe off with a rag.

Any suggestions?

Another option may be to sand blast the old paint off. Very thorough and if you have a machine shop or body shop nearby, they might have a small sandblaster handy. If you do not want the outer rim sandblasted, you could cover it with duct tape perhaps. I have not done this, but it seems to me like a likely way.

Maybe try brush cleaner on it. Don't think I'd have it sandblasted, because it's alummium. I think I might cover it with wide masking tape. Then cut out the center part you want painted. Cover the lettering with a thin coat of grease on a Q-tip, and spray it all. After its dry, take the tape off, and wipe the lettering clean.

Airplane bodies are made from aluminum. I have been told that Boeing uses ice blasting to remove old paint before repainting the skins. They use ice, because the ice pellets melt, and there is less clean up. I have been told by Boeing workers, that they switched to ice from sand due to the clean up problems. I have never seen the process, so maybe I have been misinformed, but I can knot think of another easier method that they may use.

I just keep it simple. I use an electric 6" brass wire brush to remove the paint and corrosion and shine the aluminum. Wipe it down with acetone and spray with Rusteoleum Red spray can paint. After letting it dry for about 30 minutes, I use an acetone soaked rag to wipe off any area where I do not want red paint. I hold the speed dial facing down so no acetone can collect in the indentations as I wipe lightly. I do the speed control handle the same way.

blockhead-mark-v wrote:I want to repaint the Speed Dial on my 32+ year old Mark V since it is well worn. I was thinking that I should use a chemical paint remover, sand it, and then paint it with a red enamel. Any overpaint I could wipe off with a rag.

Any suggestions?

Interesting ideas, is "an electric 6" brass wire brush" a wire wheel brush that you put on a hand drill? Would wire scratch or gouge the aluminum or would a softer brush material be better?

Acetone is nail polish remover, is that a good chemical paint remover?

What kind of red is official Shopsmith red? Kinda looks like fire engine red to me.

Thanks, I will take some before and after pix. Judging by some of the pictues posted on this board, there are quite a few nice restorations underway.

I use a 8" round brass wire brush on a 8" polishing motor with a steel 8" wire brush on the other side. I also have a 6" round but thinner brass wire brush on a 6" grinder motor. The brass wire brush does a nice cleaning and polishing of aluminum surfaces. I do not get any scratching or gouging. A steel wire brush will remove some of the aluminum surface but works great on cast iron and steel surfaces. I use the steel wire brush if the aluminum surface is badly corroded (headstock housing, carriage, headrest and base assy.) to remove some of the aluminum surface before polishing with the brass wire brush. Always stand to one side and wear safety glasses when using wire brushes.

I buy acetone in the gallon can. I mostly use it to clean any surface that I am going to paint using oil based paint and use it to clean my hands after painting. It will soften paint but it is not a paint remover. I like it as it I have been using it without gloves or harm to my skin for many years.

I use Rustoleum Sunrise Red. I only use Rustoleum paints on my Shopsmiths as they appears to dry with a harder surface than other brands of paint.

blockhead-mark-v wrote:Interesting ideas, is "an electric 6" brass wire brush" a wire wheel brush that you put on a hand drill? Would wire scratch or gouge the aluminum or would a softer brush material be better?

Acetone is nail polish remover, is that a good chemical paint remover?

What kind of red is official Shopsmith red? Kinda looks like fire engine red to me.

Thanks, I will take some before and after pix. Judging by some of the pictues posted on this board, there are quite a few nice restorations underway.

By the time you buy the paint and acetone you will have more than the $11.18 a new speed dial will cost. Just a thought.
But then again, nothing beats restoring an old one.

cincinnati wrote:By the time you buy the paint and acetone you will have more than the $11.18 a new speed dial will cost. Just a thought.
But then again, nothing beats restoring an old one.

Do knot forget the sales tax (if applicable) and the shipping charge.

billmayo wrote:...I use Rustoleum Sunrise Red. I only use Rustoleum paints on my Shopsmiths as they appears to dry with a harder surface than other brands of paint.

Hi Bill,
I like Rustoleum paint too. Have you ever used Hammerite? IMHO, that is one tough paint.