Technical Painting wire wheels

I have a set of 16" Kelsey wire wheels I am getting ready to paint black. I don't want to powder coat them, I want the paint to look like it did when new in the '40's. Any suggestions what I should use?

 

single stage urethane.

 

PPG Concept is an awesome product to use.

 

I'm about to do the same thing. My friends tell me to use an enamel paint. I too want that period look so I don't want to powder coat anything on my car. I'm looking forward to reading more replies from your query. Remember, it's got to look period correct. I am not looking for the best or easiest finish. I want to do it like they did in 1940.

Thank you for starting this thread.

 

I like single-stage acrylic enamel with a hardener.

 

At the price of paint now. I would sand blast and rattle can.

 

Yep duplicolor or Krylon.

 

I use Rustoleum hammer tone, looks great, wears like iron and hides minor "pebbling" on old wheels.
Been on the '35 wires on the T for almost ten years now.

 

Make no mistake, you're going to have $100 - $150 worth of a good etching primer, and a quality single stage paint to do this. Don't cut corners and rattle can it. These will look awesome if you do it right.

Spray the front sides first, and then carefully flip the wheels over onto precut wooden blocks that fit down into the hub / lug nut area under where the hubcap would go. You'll be able to paint both sides within a hour doing it this way.

Make sure you have a lot of light, it's really easy to get runs in between the spokes if you can't see what you're doing.

 

Well mine not fit your liking but: I first cleaned ,then sand blasted ,then fixed some pits with J B Weld on the inner part of the rim ,then used black rtv, on the area where the spokes are welded then used a piece of black pvc for an axle. Bought a qt. of Sherwin Williams custom mixed industrial for under $ 20.00 & sprayed as I rotated the rim. I have tubes & 6.50-16 firestone deluxe bias-ply & using dyn-beads for balancing them. They say you do not need to prime first but I did use a rattle can of grey. Been on thee car for a couple of years. I'm happy.

 

I painted mine with PJ1 Frame Epoxy aerosol (made by VHT for PJ1). PJ1 is a motorcycle chemical company, so hit up your local Asian bike shop.

 

OK describe in detail what you think they looked like in the 40's and we will take it from there.
Paint is a big deal around here.

 

You make a good point. I'm not the O.P. but when I made my follow-up post I was hoping one of the more senior members of the Forum might pipe in and tell us what they used.

 

I and certainly others have/will post tips. I like to know what the O.P. sees in 40's paint and not just recommend
today's fab finishes.

 

Thanks for all the posts. I am looking for a nice finish that doesn't have a plastic, to perfect look. Powder coat is out because it looks to thick. I am building a period car to the 40's and trying to make it as close as possible.

 

Read post #10 . Sherwin Williams industrial line finishes. No fancy stuff just spray or brush it.

 

I've been using Nason FUL-CRYL II that is 1950 Chrysler black, code DX8. It is about the blackest black I've found and I like the way it covers and looks.
I shoot right on the bright, bare metal that has been washed down with clean up solvent just prior to shooting.
My theory is I want the least amount of paint on the wheel and still have all the bare metal adequately coated with finish coat, color. This to minimize paint loss from rock and road debris chips. I've never had it flake off.
My $.02

 

FWIW I think the factory used the cheapest enamel they could find. It was glossy but thin looking. I would blast them with a fine grained media first and prime with 2 coats of black epoxy primer. I would spray only one coat to hiding of acrylic urethane single stage. This will give excellent gloss with thin looking build.
If you want less gloss try acrylic enamel without hardened.
I think the ultimate finish would be alkyd enamel ( The unmatched sparkle of long time obsolete Dupont Dulux comes to mind ) that is probably what the factory used but you have to read labels very carefully to find it. The best source may be implement type enamel or commercial coatings. One clue would be that it does not require hardener /activator/catalyst/converter and can be reduced with just about anything. In other words, cheap.
Might be wise to nail down the look with test spray outs.

 

Don't know original factory coating, they may have just dipped them a few times in thinned out cheap paint.

I'd say industrial Enamel would be about the best match, not rustoleum, more like ppg fleet, or alkyd enamel.

 

I had mine powder coated . what i would like to know is how to clean the darn things .

 

Soft bristle bottle brush and lots of time?

 

just painted mine w/ace hdw. enamil, $9 quart, w/enamle hardner from paint store..

 

If you want period correct than nitro cellulose lacquer is the only paint. It was developed in the 1920s and used into the 50s. The best of the best till it was outlawed. You can still find it In the music and furniture bussiness... If you don't believe me than google it. I'm a hoader of lacquers so believe me it's the best shine you will find.

 

Certainly nitro cellulose lacquer was around back then. I think they had enamels too however. I plan to shoot my body and frame with lacquer but might use enamel on the wire wheels. I have not decided yet. I'm curious how one would rub out the lacquer on wire wheels or are you suggesting paint it and leave it? Thanks for the reply.

 

spinning the rim surely helps with getting the paint on evenly. My buddy paints them all the time that way and they look great.

 

as far as a fixture, you might want to try something like this.

 

i made a wheel spinner using a small gear reduction box with a cut off ford axle and hub, mounted on top of a saw horse. worked ok, but a little too fast. later found a motor that had reduction built in to its output, and thats the ticket. with the wheel moving you can really put lots of paint on so no dry spots, and no runs. wire wheels take lots of paint because most is wasted, and many coats to ***ure you have hit all angles. before the spinner rig i just set all 5 wheels standing up on an aluminum ladder on sawhorses, and rotate them a quarter turn between coats.yes, the ladder would leave a mark on the last turn, but its so close to the tire you dont see it, and touch up with a brush and its gone.

 

I just painted mine base coat, clear coat. A simple way to hang them is to run wire around the center of the rim. You want it tight but not to tight so you can touch the center of the rim where the tire goes to spin it as you go. Mine turned out great

 

Powder coat black,as far as cleaning goes,the model a suppliers sell a long skinny brush just for the purpose,works great.

 

Thank you everyone. I am going to use acrylic enamel reduced thin or I have also been told Rustoleum appliance epoxy works good.