Painting chrome door pieces

[Jeff99]

I have some door parts that I have had replated but have not painted and a proper restoration should paint the grooved chrome parts.  How did Bally paint it?  Did they mask off the high points? Use a brush and somebody that has a really steady hand? Spray and wipe the high points?

I'm planning on using Testors enamel unless someone knows of a better product.
Thanks,
Jeff

[FORDSBS]

What I'd do is mask off outer edges. Spray on color & wipe excess off what you want chrome with a rag & thinner. NOT LOADED WITH thinner or it will run onto part you want paint.
Just my way of doing it.

[Jeff99]

Thanks I will give it a try tomorrow and report the results!
Jeff

[FORDSBS]

only damped rag. wipe excess as soon as your done painting.

[Jeff99]

I tried spraying a test piece and found the groves weren't filled enough, at least for my taste.  I next tried simply brushing on Testors enamel which seems to fill in the groves and gave me the depth I wanted when I cleaned off the chrome peaks.  As Fordsbs said you got to wipe it quickly.  I have enclosed a picture of what I did and welcome any comments.
Jeff

[Karliesdad88]

That looks nice. I'm going to paint the front of my machines also

[Linde]

Here is a well working paint method. I have learn it from Ballys office here in Sweden at the late 70's (no longer in business) and always use it.

1. Buy a spraycan of Auto K Gold spray for car wheels (MUST use the brand Auto K: others not same). Google for Auto K wheel spray gold and you will find the right spraycan. In Sweden, can be found at shops with spare part for cars / I think same in other countries.

2. Clean the chrome door gold fields with chemical clean gasolin (use a toot brush) and then alot of really hot water then take away all water well: for release old dirt before the new paint. Then wait at least 24 hour until chrome is completly dry.

3. Cover everything except the area that should have gold colour "in the middle" with masking tape

4. Shake spraycan very well at least 4-5 minutes and spray a first very thin layer

5. Wait at least 24 hours and then spray the final more thick layer (shake can very well again before every use: the Auto K have some small gold crystals that match Bally gold to 100 % and have to be mixed very well before any use of the spray paint).

6. Let dry another 24 hour

7. Take a very thin razzor blade at a handle (the ones used for scrap of old paint/dirt at windows in home) and gently remove the gold colour on the top that should be silver chrome.

I have learn to first use the razzor blade to remove on the top and then when ready turn the handle with the razzor blade in a 45' degree winkle and remove also a small parts "of the side" from silver chrome area.

If the chrome is very dirty, then use a polish machine with autosol on the top; before cleaning with chemical clean gasolin.

I have over the year try another brands of colour (and also try without chemical clean gasolin and toot brush) and have always end up with making it new: with the Auto K gold colour. Auto K have some very special gold bright look that match Bally original to 100 %. (no... I am not a Auto K dealer... But I have learn by own mistake.)

You need to cleaning very well with the toot brush and alot of gasolin... It depend from machine to machine but continue with new gasolin and toot brush until the gasolin no longer is dirty... if/when some of the old gold go away it is only good for the new paint.

I have done this with at least 40 Bally EM (and even with stop buttons: just more job with the razzor blade and remember that razzor blade shold be very thin almost as for human skin) and the chrome never go away.

For sometimes, I have to use also a flat screwdriver that fit in the space (together with alot of chemical gasolin to loose up the old gold) and remove old gold: if someone have painting "new" gold before me that looks bad. This have been done before the final cleaning with chemical clean gasolin and tooth brush: and (again) always use alot of gasolin and then finally almost boiling hot water to take away gasolin.

...and never "real" gasolin! Buy chemical gasolin in small bottles from a local paint store. If use thinner (or some other product then chemical gasolin) Auto K gold spray will not - for some reasons - look the same. I have try when out of right stuff and always end's up with remove gold with screwdriver and start from the beginning.

Good luck!

[Jeff99]

Thanks a bunch. I will try this on my next machine.
Regards,
Jeff

[Karliesdad88]

This would have been a lot easier than paint brushing. If I get a wild hair I might try a repaint. I Really need to find an extruding trim piece. It's the part that has the gold paint on it also, below the belly glass