| Author | Message | ||
     Glenn Tinkerer Username: Glenn Post Number: 965 Registered: 07-2006 Rating: N/A |
Unfortunately most modern acrylic paints do not stove properly, and I have found the modern day 'environment friendly' Testor's products to be pretty crap in that respect. Unfortunately you have made the biggest blunder the DIY restorer can make - experimenting on the customer's camera, instead of finding a workable solution first. All brass items should be etched primed before top coating, otherwise the enamel will soon wear off, and then covered with a good quality enamel. There are a number of suitable enamels available, Microtools sells both a gloss and a satin black that not only goes on well, but will stove off at around 80/100 degs in the domestic oven.Do a google search and then request a small sample from your nearest manufacturer - always go to the manufacturer and not their local agent/supplier. I have always found these small specialised firms to be most helpful. The original Humbrol gloss enamel formulation from the 1970s/80s can also produce a hardened surface by stoving. When the enamel is cold and fully dry you can fill in the engraving with a white acrylic enamel, using a fine brush to fully fill the indentations and set aside to touch dry. To remove the excess white paint, place a piece of thick cardboard on a flat surface and wet the card with white spirit or naphtha. Make sure the card is fully wetted and that there is no solvent pooling on the surface of the card. Now place the painted item, engraving down, on the solvent soaked card and make a single wiping action, repeat the single wiping stroke on a clean area of card until only the engraving is filled with paint. Never use a solvent soaked cloth on the finger to remove excess white paint, doing this will drag the infill from the engraving vee. The use of powder coatings on fine objects such as camera body parts should be approached with caution. I use powder coating as the primer coat when restoring vintage/classic motorcycle - the coating fills ALL surface imperfections and when rubbed down provides a superb surface for a traditional spray finish. Take your nicely engraved top-plate to your average local powder coater and you will never see the engraving again! For a real insight into DIY refinishing of painted metal parts try and get hold of a reprint of a late Victorian or Edwardian book on the subject. The subject matter is still of value today and can allow one to use many modern paint formulations to their best advantage in the home workshop or on the kitchen table. |