Painting old iron beds?

[Santalum]

Morning all,
I recently bought a couple of old cast iron/steel tube beds, have stripped the numerous coats of paint they have accumulated over the decades and am now back to bare metal.
The question is how best to finish them, I would like to top coat them with high gloss black enamel or similar, the question is what to use as a base coat, i.e. undercoat/primer/rust preventive or ???.
I do have spray equipment.
Any suggestions would be welcome.
Jon.

[soundman]

The best option is sand blasting & powder coating.
If thats not the way you want to go spraying is good.
I am very fond of wattyl super etch which is an etching primer/ undercoat.
It sticks like excrement to a fabric warming device.
Available in black & gray. If topcoating black go the black. Top coat with black spraying enamel or acrilic laquer.
If you don't have spray equipment, some auto stores have primer in spray tins & go the top coat from a spray tin too.
fine sand after the primer.
cheers

[Santalum]

Thanks Soundman, the Wattyl product sounds like just what I'm after.
I have spray equipment so will probably go with black enamel.

[violincrafter]

Have you thought of two pack black? Its fairly cheap and most durable finish.
Are you really "keen" on high gloss stuff?

There is a lovely low semi sheen black that is used for metal conditioning and priming from Hi Chem industries. It is used as an anti rust pre treatment prior to addition coats over. The tech sheet also states it can be used as is over metal for interior use. It dries like those wrought iron bookcases or dressers that have feature iron work.

Other than that two pack is tough but you need to observe the WARNINGS on the label

Heres a link,,, click it and go to SUPER ETCH PRIMER. A pdf file will download after a minute or two. This product is non 2 pac but is not a overly high gloss but looks very nice non the less. GO TO PRODUCT INFORMATION////INDUSTRIAL

Well here goes

http://www.hichem.info/

[bitingmidge]

Go with Soundman's first advice.

Powder coat.

It's so good, easy and cheap that you'll be looking for other things to do as well, and there is an almost unlimited range of colour and finish available.

Cheers,

P

[Santalum]

Thanks for the tips people, these beds are around 80 years old so I am looking for a finish similar to the original, I would also like to do the work myself.
The superetch primer suggested by Soundman sounds like the go and will probably follow up with spray enamel.

[soundman]

powdercoat in antique silver, mmm nice. or ripple black or antique bronze.

there are a whole bunch of funky texture finishes.
The archects favorite colour at the moment is ripple graphite ( does poncy interior decorator type dance & matching funny noise - in joke with local powdercoater )

[Santalum]

Thanks guys, the main point is its a DIY project so powder coating wont be an option, the beds were originly finished in black, so black enamel it shall be.

[RufflyRustic]

Hi Santalum,

I've refurbished two men's valet chairs. Sanded them back, sprayed a couple of layers of killrust, then a couple of top coats, lightly sanding between coats. They have turned out really well. Love to see your project when finished.

cheers
RufflyRustic

[Santalum]

Thanks RR, will take a shot when completed and post it, what did you use for the top coats?

Hi Santalum,

I've refurbished two men's valet chairs. Sanded them back, sprayed a couple of layers of killrust, then a couple of top coats, lightly sanding between coats. They have turned out really well. Love to see your project when finished.

cheers
RufflyRustic

[RufflyRustic]

Hi Jon

I used the Pearlised copper/coffee colour from Mitre10. Sorry, can't remember what brand - enamal of some sort. Small spray cans, about $10-15 in price. They were marked down to less than $10. Two spray cans does one chair for me. I'll have to get some pics for you.

cheers
RufflyRustic