(ET) Re: painting mower deck...

["Jim (Cape Cod USA)" <fiskfarm mediaone net>]

Dave,

Is your's a siphon or pressurized blaster. Done a lot of blasting , even
made a high volume compressor out of a Chevy st. 6. (3 running, 3
blowing).  A pressurized blaster gives you about twice the blast power
and have gotten quite reasonable. I sold all my big guys some years ago
and since got a 40lb unit around 100.00 from either Northern or Harbor
freight. Does a damn good job for the money. Don't even waste your time
with siphon types. Been there. Use the gun for an air blow gun though.
Great for that purpose.

Be careful of silica grit (silicosis). I suggest the slag (Black Beauty)
at auto paint supply houses. Put down a tarp and reuse it. Unlike sand,
it breaks into sharp segments and retains it's bite.

I refinish large commercial washers and dryers and find a final wash
with a product called Metal Prep to be cheap and highly beneficial. It
"converts "the rust and gives you a far longer lasting paint job as it
also improves the paint to metal bond. I tend to be of your school as to
fancy paint jobs on the ET as we work them hard. I just spray them down
with Break Away in all the vulnerable places to preserve them for the
day that I might want to refinish them. Actually the surface rust tends
to give the oil something to cling to. I do the same even on our new
autos and trucks. The frames last forever. Pay particular attention to
the drain holes under the battery boxes. Soak them well and grease the
whole box when the batteries are out. (I have 5 sets of good batteries
and 7 running tractors so I switch them around occasionally for example
if I want to use the E-12M for grading a new lawn etc. Otherwise they
stay in the BIG boys, the 20's and our latest, the I-5. What a TORQUER.
I may break down and put a chain in place of those slipping belts so I
can do wheel stands. I think it might look good with wheely bars. Lost
the 15 up to it's hubs in the marsh trying to mow along the fence line
and after putting the chained set of wheels on the I-5 it pulled that
sucker out like greased lightning. Wish I'd had the camera!

Hope this helps. ET's forever!

Jim