Sherwin Williams Acrylic Enamel Cub 125 Colors
 

A friend purchased for me a number of years back some Sherwin Williams Acrylyd Acrylic Enamel Automotive Paint for my Cub 125. I have a qt. of JX9418 "Power White" and a qt. of J53573 "Industrial Yellow". The yellow appears to be a reasonable close match to the Cub 125 "483 yellow" but the white appears to be more of a pure white than the now much faded "902 white" on my Cub 125 hood.

I have not seen on any of the Cub Cadet paint color cross over charts the part numbers for Sherwin Williams acrylic enamel automotive paint, thus, I would sure appreciate any information/advise on the color match of the Sherwin Williams paint I have mentioned above to the Cub 125 colors.

Although the Acrylyd line of paint has been discontinued I can still purchase the "Power White" and "Industrial Yellow" colors in the Sherwin Williams Dimension and industrial lines of paint if I need more paint.

Currently, my Cub 125 is totally disassembled, all the pieces have been sand blasted or the paint stripped, and I have primed all the parts with Rust-Oleum rattle can clean metal primer. I have bought a Harbor Freight purple HVLP spray gun for $10 and I am ready to attempt for the first time in my 76 years of life to paint my beloved Cub 125 using a paint spray gun. Also, I have read the paint and hardner I will be using is extremely dangerous to your health which gives me some concern. So if you see on future post what appears to be crazy questions by an old guy who has been sniffing too many paint fumes it will probably be me.

Wear a respirator and you'll be fine.

Can't help with color match, no one sells Sherwin Williams automotive paint around here, so I've never used it.

I've been in a body shop just about every day of my life and I'm still here, just wear a respirator and you'll be fine.

I have a charcoal filter respirator I bought at HF at the same time I bought the purple spray gun. Is the type respirator I have adequate. I looked at respirators at the paint store and they looked similar to the HF respirator but cost a whole lot more.

I use 3m respirators, no way I'd trust my life to one from harbor freight.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0007...2WL&ref=plSrch

What are the preferred paint brands for the "white and yellow" on the Cubs? I've never used Sherwin Williams auto paint either.

I prefer the "Irongard" brand sold through Case-IH dealers.

I use the case/ih iron gard, it's economical and easy to use.

I'm with Tim. I use some of their tools but respirators, welding helmets, abrasives, cutting tools, chisels and hammers, well I don't trust them folks with those items.

I got used to shooting good automotive paint out of a gun. It dries super fast, doesn't fade nearly at all, and really seems to handle general "work" abuse. I just shot that motor I did for the Rice boys with Ironguard. Hated how the parts were still tacky, even after sitting in the sun for nearly 3 days. I don't know how you guys can like that paint as long as it takes to really dry. Everyone here really seems to like it, and honestly, I hate it. It wasn't even the first time I've used it. I've used to use it quite a bit, until I found out there were better paints. I admit, (what I just used) was from a rattle can, which does matter, but I still never did like shooting it. Honestly, I think that stuff will still be soft in a week. It does match.... but that's about all I like about it.

Tim, I'm most surprised how much you push it, being a paint guy. I really figured you would use a better paint. :bigthink:

Jon what ratio did you mix it?

Tim, thanks for the link to the 3M respirators. I will order one.

A friend purchased the Sherwin Williams paint for me. If I didn't already have the Sherwin Williams paint I would purchase the Irongard as recommended by DeltaCub. However, I have read a number of positive reviews regarding Sherwin Williams automotive paints. My concern is the color match of the Sherwin Williams paint, particularly, the white. I may end up buying some Irongard in the IH White.

I recommend it because it's easy for beginners s to spray and the price is right, sure there's better paints out the but the iron gard is about $60 bucks a gallon and the better stuff is $200 and up per gallon. My paint hasn't faded and still looks just as good as the day I sprayed it.

Tim, I like your comment about Irongard that "it is easy for beginners to spray". Will I be getting in over my head if I use the Sherwin Williams automotive paint? Will the Irongard be more compatible with the rattle can Rust-Oleum primer I now have on all my parts?

Fair enough. :beerchug:

Well of coarse yours looks as good as the day you painted it. It takes years for it to fade. Remember, all these machines were once painted with Ironguard, and you know what they look like if they have never been painted. Even ones that were kept inside all their life are faded some.


Some farmers I worked for right out of high school painted their own equipment. They had this beautifully painted 1086. They also had this nasty ratty old looking M. One day I asked when they were going to paint the M. Jeff said, "I did. Same year I painted the 1086." I was like, "WHAT?" He said, "Yeah. I painted the 1086 with Centarri, and painted the M with Ironguard from IH. Same gun, same hardener, same everything just different paint. Painted one then the other. Neither has sat out any more than the other, and they were painted about 15 years ago. Matter fact," he said, "The 1086 has probably sat out more, because we only use the M to move wagons and run augers in the fall." I was convinced. It looked like he had just painted the 1086 recently. It still shined! When I started painting, I always shot DuPont paints (not "always" but you know what I mean). Never disappointed. Even when they (DuPont) came out with Nason, I was reluctant to switch to the "cheaper" line. Was never let down with it either.

It doesn't matter to me what you guys use, I just wondered why everyone was so hooked on Ironguard. I still don't like it. :biggrin2:


Oh, Alvy, it was in a rattle can. Which may been part of the issue. Paint in rattle cans never seems to spray like the same paint ran through a gun does. I don't know if it's mixed thick, or thin, or not at all..... but I don't ever get "satisfactory" results from a rattle can. Others do, but I don't. I usually end up with runs, or sags, or too thick, too thin..... but when you get used to using a gun that you can change the spray pattern to suite what you are painting you get spoiled I guess. Never easy to paint a small part, or in "crevices" when a fan spray pattern is what they gave you, and a round pattern is what you need.

Sorry for the long post.

Thanks for all the great comments. I can tell you that after I paint and reassemble my Cub 125 it is going to spend most of its time in the garage with my Cub 1200. I just like IH Cubs and if I had a barn instead of a garage I would have a Farmall M. I actually do all my lawn mowing with a zero turn. This spray painting has me buffaloed right now because I have never done it before. I don't have a clue as to which paint I should be using. I have the Sherwin Williams paint so that is the paint I planned to use: however, if you have to be an experienced painter to use it correctly than I probably need to look at a different type of paint. Any guidance/advice you can give this old guy will be appreciated.

Well being a "beginner" with the HVLP painting, I was very satisfied with the Ironguard paint. As was noted, went on easy, and mine was dry to the touch in less than a half hour. And the shine was exceptional.
BUT my tractor sits in the living room, so likely it won't be fading.:biggrin2:
As for the rattle can painting, which I will never do again seeing how easy painting actually is with a HLVP gun, and the Ironguard paint.
But my 100 I did five years ago or so with the Cub Cadet rattle cans still looks good, and that paint dried so fast you had a hard time getting the next coat on while it was still tacky. So I ended up doing less pieces at one time...
To the OP, you'll be fine painting over the Rustoleum primer. If you have concerns, just try it out on a couple smaller pieces and survey the situation and see what it looks like and go from there...:beerchug:

The Sherwin Williams paint should spray just fine as long as you mix it and thin it properly... Use a hardener for quicker dry time and better longevity..
Get a large flat area and practice before you start on the tractor..

My dad used to spray a lot of enamel... his trick was on the last coat spray a half and half mixture of thinner with paint... that would help the final coat really lay out flat and make it shine..

I do like the more modern urethane paint for it's better durability and hardness but it is expensive and not as easy to spray for a beginner...

I would say the Irongard or an enamel like you have may be better for a first time spray project..

Don't be scared of it... practice makes perfect!!

Good luck!! I admire you for wanting to learn!:beerchug::beerchug:

Prep is the biggest thing with paint. Smooth clean, oil and rust free surface. I just shot my 1211 (making it red) with iron gaurd 2150 and I'm not a fan of it. I rattle canned a GM fridge with IH red van sickle that looks better. Well the bad part was the hood. I don't like cases thinner. I wet sanded the hood am gonna take it to my work and repaint the hood. I ever paint another I'm using nason full cryll. The caseih 2150 just doesn't pop lik I think it should. Heck that van sickle on my 1200 looks better! I think part of it was I may have not had it thin enough and the tip on my small hvlp gun was to small at 1.0 but I've used a tip that small with the nason full cryll with no problems. So who knows.

when i use the iron gard paint i mix it 8 parts paint, 1 part hardener and 1/2 part reducer, any more reducer than that and its just to thin and sprays like sh!t. i use a gun with a 1.3 tip, any bigger than that is just asking for trouble. you could use a 1.4 tip but be prepared to paint like you a$$ is on fire to avoid getting runs, to much reducer will also lead to runs.

The HF purple spray gun came with a 1.4 tip. Not sure if different size tips are available. Read on this forum that a 1.8 tip is preferred for primer. Will have to check with HF tomorrow on the availability of different tips.

I appreciate all the comments and info. Hope, to hear from someone on the Sherwin Williams Cub 125 paint colors. However, I am starting to lean toward buying some Irongard since a gallon will cost me about the same as another quart of the Sherwin Williams.

I'm not saying you can't use a 1.4 tip to paint but being that your inexperienced you will probably have better results with a 1.3, the difference between the two is only .1 but the 1.4 will put out alot more material which is harder to control. I prime with a 1.4 tip all the time so I don't think you have an issue there, if you find the primer is to thick and not coming out easy you can always add a little reducer to thin it out, a 1.8 tip will put on alot more material but you can use the 1.4 and just put on an extra coat and be at the same film build. I like my primer to lay on smooth so it's easier to sand which is why I use a 1.4, the 1.8 will put alot of texture in the primer which will make it harder to sand.

Tim,
Thanks for the info on the spray gun tips.

I have four quarts of Rust-Oleum Clean Metal Primer that I bought when I was disassembling my Cub 125 and before I had done any study on paint. I have since learned it is preferred to use the same brand color base coat, primer, hardner, and reducer. However, if possible, I would like to use the Rust-Oleum primer if I purchase the Irongard paint. I would sure appreciate your (or any of the others on this forum) thoughts/ advise on using the Rust-Oleum primer.

Not familiar with that primer but I will give you some info anyway. If that primer has a hardener then it's probably ok, if it doesn't then I wouldn't try it. I've never had an issue mixing brands but I can tell you that putting a catalyzed product over top of an air dry product is usually a bad idea, long story short the hardener in the paint may react to the primer and cause it to wrinkle.

The instructions on the Rust-Oleam can of primer makes no mention of a hardener so I will forget using the Rust-Oleum primer. Do you foresee a problem applying an Irongard primer with a hardener over the rattle can Rust-Oleum primer that is now on all the Cub 125 parts?

Sorry to hammer you with a lot of dumb questions but I need all the info I can get. You and the others on this forum have been very kind and helpful which I sincerely appreciate.

Since it's already on there the best I can tell you is to try a part and see what happens, aerosol primer is air dry just like the other stuff you have.

Now that I'm at work I did a little research on paint price and here's what I found. A gallon of yellow in ppg is $356 according to the computer, that price is what it cost me to mix it in house so if you were to walk into a ppg dealer the price would be closer to $425 or $450. Just last week we had a valspar system installed, the valspar I'm spraying is much higher end than the valspar that comes in the case/ih cans. For me to mix a gallon of yellow in valspar single stage it's about $252 which would be closer to $300 from a dealer. These prices are just for paint and do not include hardener, activator and reducer, buy the time you buy all that your looking at another $100 to $150. While I agree with Jon that there are better paints available I don't think there worth all the extra money when your painting a garden tractor, these tractors will never be worth what you put into them so using $600 plus worth of paint inst worth it.

There is no question for a guy like me that your cost numbers sure justify using the Irongard paint vs. the higher priced automotive paint. Speaking only for myself, not only does the much lower price justify the Irongard paint but for a novice painter the Irongard paint as you have described is a more forgiving paint that is less complicated to use. It may not be as durable as the automotive paint but it sure has benefits that appeal to me.

The friend who purchased the Sherwin Williams automotive paint for me had an aerial spraying business with a number of planes, trucks, equipment, etc. I am sure he was very comfortable with buying the SW automotve paint because he had used it many times. Also, he probably assumed I knew something about spray painting which was a very bad assumption.

I am researching the use of a hardener to use with the Rust-Oleum primer I previously mentioned. I have found a number of comments that indicate using a hardener with the primer is fairly common. I am going to check with Rust-Oleum Corp. for their guidance.

When you find an answer to the hardener question please report back with that info, find out what hardener they recommend and the mix ratio. I'm sure that info will be helpful to others.

:IH Trusted Hand:

I'm not going to disagree with anything you said. :beerchug:

I just want to say that while it isn't worth buying $600 worth of material to paint one Cub, a gallon should do at least two. If you store the supplies like they should, the shelf life should be at least a couple years, if not longer. I know I've grabbed paint I had on the shelf that was older than that and it was still fine. So, if $600 can do two, that's $300 per machine. Now, Nason (my personal brand of choice) isn't quite that expensive, or at least last gallon I bought was more like $200 maybe $250 a gallon (depending on color and type). By the time you get supplies, you'll have about $300 maybe just a bit more.... but again, that should do two machines. So, now your at $150-$175 per machine. Back to Ironguard. At $60/gal, plus material, your at at least $100-$125 per machine..... so, is it worth it to spend $50-$75 more at the far end to use better paint? In my mind, yes. Is it as easy to shoot...... no. But it is just so much better. That's where I'm coming from. :beerchug:

If you can paint two cubs with one gallon of paint then you must be some kind of wizard, yellow covers horribly regardless of brand and I usually put on 5 coats to get good coverage even with the expensive paint. I see alot of cubs at shows where you can see through the paint to the primer but the average person probably can't see it, those must be the guys that can paint there cub with two quarts.:biggrin2:

Last color I shot was red. I haven't used "good" paint to shoot a yellow one, so I default to you.

I am sure glad you guys mentioned how much paint you use when painting a Cub. If it takes you a gallon no telling how many gallons it is going to take a rookie like me to paint my Cub.

I did shoot Caterpillar yellow with Nason. I just thought of that. But I don't recall how much I went through. It was just for an engine out of a dozer, but for a rebuild at over $20,000, I wanted it to look like it was worth the price. :biggrin2:

Dozers and Cub Cadets. J-Mech you have toys in all sizes.

cat yellow might actually have good coverage because of the amount of black that's in it, any of the brighter yellows suck. gm has that yellow they put on the cavaliers and some other stuff and i hate when they come in, the last one i did took 8 coats to get coverage. to the naked eye it looked fine but i have a special light that replicates sunlight that i use in the booth to help me determine if i have full coverage, it wasn't until i got to 7 coats that it looked good and i put the 8th on to ensure i didn't back it outside and get pissed off.:biggrin2:

I have a good buddy who owns an auto shop. He has told me about the yellow GM used. He said the same thing you did, 7 or 8 coats before you couldn't still see primer. He HATES it also, so your in good company! :beerchug:

No, no. I used to own and run a shop. We specialized in heavy equipment, but also worked on cars, trucks.... ok, so we would work on anything that paid, but my "specialty" was heavy equipment. The Cat motor was a paying job. :beerchug:

But I do have a lot of toys.... but sold the "bigger" ones ..... for now. :biggrin2:

What the heck are you guys spraying? I spray PPG Shop-Line paint that cost somewhere between $40 & $50 a quart + the reducer & hardener which isn't that much more. I never could understand that they don't discount the paint if you buy more. I can buy (4) quart cans or (1) gallon can for the same price. A quart of epoxy primer and pint of hardener runs $48.00 out the door and I think the 2k primer is a little cheaper. I agree, yellow paint doesn't cover well. I think it takes me a quart to spray a deck but I spray outside with a pos Ingersoll Rand HVLP gun.
I'm not knocking the Iron-guard paint, I just don't have a dealer near me and I would have to have it shipped to me which sounds like a PITA.

Tim & J, I highly respect both of what you guys add to this site and I'm not disagreeing with either of you but I just wanted to throw out there my (limited)experience I have had spraying paint.
:popcorn: