|
Hi KEG, Great idea to practice on the mower. Probably use a putty knife to remove any heavy grease and crud buildup. Then, I would suggest using a degreaser such as GUNK that is commonly used for cleaning auto engines and engine compartments. The foam version is better for vertical surfaces as it tends not to run off as much. If you have a pressure washer, so much the better...but a regular garden hose will do the trick if you can get a good spray. Some people have even been known to spray gasoline through a venturi nozzle but I wouldn’t want to suggest that here. Some use oven cleaner and that's a good idea if you also want to remove the paint. However, I am not a believer in removing paint that doesn’t have to be removed. If most of your paint is in decent shape as you say, I would not want to remove it. I would though, recommend you prime everything, including over the original paint. I am assuming you have some bare metal areas that require priming. If not, you should consider using a sealer over the old paint to assure there is no reaction between your new topcoat and the underlying old paint. Lifting can sometimes occur that would ruin your job. Or, conversely, try a small area to make sure you would not have a problem without the sealing coat. Try to get as much hand sanding done as you can, with 320 grit or finer just to rough up the old surface a little. This would promote better adhesion of the new topcoat. A final wipe down down just before painting with a solvent such as DuPont 3919S PrepSol), PPG DX330 (Acryli-Clean) or one of the older enamel reducers such as DuPont 3812S is always a good idea that promotes a clean surface and good adhesion of the topcoat. Good luck, Rod
|
