Mechanics Corner: Painting Farm Machinery

This article is written by Andy Overbay from Progressive Dairyman 

"I had a friend tell me one time that my dad was like his: “He doesn’t care what it looks like as long as it runs.” My thought was, “This guy sure doesn’t know David Overbay.” 

One thought that was drilled into me from a boy is that cleaner really does run better, and one of Dad’s favorite sayings when asked why he bought a new tractor or took the time to paint an old one was, “Every once in a while, I like to burn the paint off a manifold.”

As we well know, using farm equipment places them in situations, especially around a dairy, where a clean, fresh paint job is hard to maintain. In order to keep a sound protective finish on our machines, we need to freshen the paint from time to time.

This is problematic because few farms have the luxury of a dedicated paint booth and proper painting equipment. Goodness knows we didn’t, but that didn’t stop us from getting the job done.

Over the years, I have seen a wide range of paint job “successes.” Some were pristine, mirror-like finishes. Some were epic failures. As a youngster, Dad liked to have me paint things like truck frame rails and other less-than-noticeable areas because I was small enough to get in there and I put the paint on thick … not recommended, by the way.

I can remember one truck-frame job years ago when a neighbor visited and inspected our new dump bed that Dad had built. When the neighbor asked about me painting the frame, Dad remarked, “Andy does a good job. I know if he gets as much paint on the truck as he does on himself, it will last a long time.”

Painting equipment properly takes time and, just like building a house, a good foundation is essential to doing a good job. There are as many options for paint formulations as there are colors themselves, but without a good, smooth base for the paint to adhere to, even $1,000-per-gallon paint is wasted.

Thoroughly cleaning and de-greasing the machine may take a great deal of time and several trips back to the drawing board. Cleaning and painting are very much like clipping show calves; after a while, you go blind and it all looks the same.

Sanding and using fillers to get that ultra-smooth finish is important, but it is also important to remember that the mechanical integrity of the machine must be maintained. Being overly aggressive with the sand blaster can ruin even a heavily made casting, causing leaks that require expensive repairs or replacement.

After you have achieved a nice smooth surface, selecting the appropriate paint to use will be a major factor in the overall success of your project. While I am not one that subscribes to the “more it costs the better it is” model, cheap paint is just that … cheap.

My best advice is to evaluate the use of the particular piece of equipment, the kind of torture it may be exposed to and ask someone who regularly paints equipment or cars in your area what they would recommend.

When you have decided on a formulation, be sure you have the proper equipment to apply the paint and a clean, dust-free place to paint. What you may find is that while getting a professional to paint your equipment is expensive, creating the environment for you to have the desired level of painting success in a do-it-yourself setting is even more costly.

The benefits of keeping a nice looking line of equipment are numerous. You will elevate the resale value, of course, but you will also find that keeping things neat and nice elevates the level of care taken when operating equipment.

No one cares more about equipment than the person who paid for it, so if you exhibit a “don’t care” attitude toward your machinery, don’t expect anyone you hire to do that for you. Finally, having a fresh, well-maintained line of machinery elevates the reputation you and your farming operation have in the community.

Looking successful makes things like getting a loan or even having a machinery auction easier and more profitable because you have a reputation as a person who cares about the details. PD

Andy Overbay holds a Ph.D. in ag education and has more than 40 years of hands-on dairy and farming experience."

How to Hit a Home Run With Your Home Painting

June 8, 2015 by Debbie Zimmer 0 Comments

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Now that the outdoor painting season — like the baseball season — is in full swing, it’s easy to hit a home run with your home painting. Just take a tip from the pros: Touch the following four bases and you’ll score a perfect paint job.

First. Start your four-bagger with good surface preparation. Your home exterior should be clean and sound before starting to paint. Remove loose, flaking, or peeling paint with a scraper or wire brush. Then feather rough edges by sanding them smooth. If mildew is present, remove it by applying a solution on one part bleach to three parts water, waiting 20 minutes, then scrubbing it off. Rinse the surface clean and spot-prime any bare spots with a top quality exterior primer.

Second. Make sure you have the right equipment. Quality tools and accessories make painting more effortless. They also apply a thicker, more uniform coat of paint, which enhances durability. Choose brushes that are springy, with tightly packed bristles, and high quality roller covers. If you use power washing or spray equipment, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Third. Choose the right weather conditions. It’s best to do exterior painting in mild weather, ideally when the temperature is between 60 and 85 degrees F., with little or no wind. Even then, try to avoid painting in direct sun, since the exterior surface can be 10 or even 20 degrees hotter than the air temperature. Paints form the most protective coating in mild weather, when they can “cure” slowly.

Home. Use top quality paint. You can’t score a home run without crossing home plate, and you can’t get a perfect paint job if you don’t use the right coating. The highest quality paints adhere better; are flexible enough to withstand expansion, contraction, or other movement in the exterior; and contain special additives to resist mold and mildew. That makes them much more durable than ordinary coatings. In almost every case, the best choice is a top quality 100% acrylic latex paint.

Touch each of these four bases and you’ll be painting not just like one of the pros, but an exterior painting all-star.

DIY Do's And Don'ts

Painting to Sell: What Color Homes Sell Best?

Christopher MooreJul 16th 2010 3:10PM

Updated May 21st 2014 7:00PM

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Getty Images/Flickr RF

Wilma Horner said no to blue. And it paid off.

Horner, a broker for RE/MAX in Bridge City, Texas, had a client with a blue-colored facade. "I said we need to make a change because that's not going to attract people," Horner recalls of her exterior painting suggestion. Her clients agreed to go with a more neutral color. "It's turned out to be a positive," Horner says of the home's new look, which netted more than $100 per square foot. That is the going rate for a much newer home in the neighborhood, the Texas Realtor says with considerable pride in her voice.

Call it exterior painting to sell. Horner's basic rule, one underscored repeatedly by others with firsthand knowledge of what's selling, is to go mainstream. Try to appeal to the widest possible swath of buyers. This is no time to be idiosyncratic.

Or as Jackie Jordan, the director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams, puts it: "Get rid of anything that's kind of obnoxious."

What are the color expert's other suggestions?

After all, Jordan is not just a color expert at one of the world's most famous paint companies. She's also a Dallas-based professional who has bought and sold many homes over the years. She always looked to make sure the color of the home she was selling had broad appeal. "Anything I thought would not appeal to the masses ... I painted over it," Jordan said.

Aaron Hart, a RE/MAX broker in Colorado, championed cream and light green and light brown for exterior paint color schemes. As someone who invests with others in properties, Brown has seen how brash colors can turn off his business partners. "They're typically more hesitant to look at the house and sometimes even skip it," he said.

Other tips on exterior painting to sell:

• "Drive around your neighborhood," suggests Sherwin-Williams' Jordan. "Get inspiration that way."

• Think about your part of the country, but don't get too stuck in that mindset. "There's definitely regional color," Jordan explains. Spicy tones might work in the Southwest; tropical areas might be more used to a little blue. But with more and more transients landing in new places, some newcomers do not necessarily adapt to their new neighborhood. Some take their style (and their furniture) with them from one part of the country to another.

• Earth tones abound. They should, according to Ainslie Dougherty, a RE/MAX Realtor in Colorado. "What I suggest to all my sellers is that they start with earth tones, nothing too bold and nothing too taste-specific." No lime greens. No oranges. "No pink unless you have an old Victorian and you are fixing it up," Dougherty says.

• Look at new home construction, Dougherty suggests. Copy what the builders of new construction are doing.

• "Make sure that your front door is beautifully painted," advised Jordan. Front doors matter, which is an argument underscored by at least one company, Therma-Tru Doors, of Toledo, Ohio. Heather Sonnenberg, the director of product management at Therma-Tru, says the biggest hurdle is getting someone into your home. When it comes to painting the door, Sonnenberg advises: "You can add a little drama, but you want to steer clear of going too far." And don't put a Craftsman-style door on a contemporary house.

Want to be all about color? Do it later. "People are more brave with color when they know they are going to stay for a while," Jordan said. "They'll go with the chocolate-brown or bright-red dining room."

Or as RE/MAX's Dougherty puts it: "After the house is yours, do what you want."

In the meantime, Horner insisted that it's all about curb appeal. Too often sellers think about what they would want, the Texas broker says. "If it's a bright person, they think about that bright color." Her suggestion: Don't.

Think about painting the exterior to please. After all, as Horner has learned about selling homes: "It's a business, not an emotion."

A FRESH COAT: EXPERT TIPS FOR PAINTING YOUR HOME’S EXTERIOR

JUNE 10, 2015ERIN EMANUEL  LEAVE A COMMENT

Summer is here, and the weather is perfect for getting outside to do some much-needed work on your home’s exterior. In particular, you might be thinking about retouching the paint, or even changing the color of your house. Don’t be intimidated by how big the job might be – follow these tips, and you’ll have a beautiful new paint job that’ll have your house looking like new.

Pick Your Paint

There are two kinds of paint for exterior use, and both have different qualities, pros and cons. Water-based latex paints dry quicker, don’t have strong odors, and can be cleaned up with soap and water. Oil-based alkyd paints on the other hand dry slower, have strong smells, and require paint thinner for cleanup, but usually dry with fewer brushstrokes and tend to be more durable overall. It’s up to you what you use, but if you choose to use water-based paint on top of an older coat of oil-based paint, you’ll need to prime the surface first in order for the paint to adhere correctly. Additionally, whatever you pick, don’t take the cheapest option just because it’s the least expensive. With paint, you usually get what you pay for. Don’t go over your budget, but be willing to spend on the higher end to get the look you really want.

Finally, make sure you read any labels that come with the paint before you start applying it. Sometimes there is valuable information about how to prep exterior surfaces and what temperatures to avoid in order to get the best application. It’s important to follow instructions from the manufacturer as closely as possible in order to get the finish you desire.

Painter’s Tape

Painter’s tape is another must-have to complete your project. The best way to apply the tape is by creating even lines along all trim, door handles, or railings. A Palo Alto house painting specialist fromArmstrong Installation Service says homeowners shouldn’t be afraid to over-tape as necessary. By over-taping, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by keeping new paint off of other surfaces. After you finish putting down a strip of tape, go over it with a straight-edged object such as a credit card to smooth the tape and keep it down. Last, make sure all paint is dry before you remove the remaining tape.

Rollers and Brushes

Which should you use to paint your house? Both, actually! A roller is best for covering long, large surfaces while a brush is useful for small, narrower surfaces or for touching up trim. To use a roller, you’ll have to purchase a paint tray as well. Dip the roller into the base of the paint tray, roll on the upper ridges of the tray to remove excess paint, and apply with long, even strokes to get the best result. For a brush, dip the bristles halfway into the paint can and tap to remove extra paint. A good technique involves pushing down lightly on the surface with the brush so as to bend the bristles, but not to the point where bristles are being bent permanently.

Technique

Finally, it’s important to know what techniques to use to get a gorgeous finish. First of all, you should start painting at the top of your house and work downwards. This keeps paint drops from ruining the finish on the bottom of the house. Next, make sure you use enough paint, and get in the habit of keeping your brush wet in order to ensure you’re putting it on as thick as it needs to be to look great. For your application technique, always apply paint from one wet surface to another wet surface, as this helps to prevent marks from overlapping. Finally, paint in the shade if you can and try to avoid direct sunlight. This will help to keep paint from drying too quickly, or even worse, blistering or flaking.

Hopefully you have a better idea now for how to paint your house from top to bottom (pun intended). Go out and start looking at different colors and paint types, do your research on what your project will entail, and come up with a budget for the materials you need to complete the job. Painting can be fun, but make sure you do it the right way so you don’t have to do it over!