Ben Blevins' Position Light Signal

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

Benjamin Blevinowitz writes:
... I'm not sure what I do need.  I want it to be black, and flat black 
turns gray pretty fast.  ... and gloss black creates a glare.   So, what do 
I do?

I have considered painting it gloss black and then shooting it with dull 
cote to knock the shine off it.  Does anybody know if that will work?

Benno:

If you put flat paint (even flat Rustoleum) on an out-of-doors project, 
you'll be chipping, scraping and re-painting every two years.  This applies 
even to vertical surfaces, from which you would think the water would run 
off before it could rust the metal.  Flat paint is so porus it does not 
block the intrusion of water.

So, although flat paint may be "Signal Department proper," it is not a 
"back yard friendly" solution.

Prime the daylights out of your iron with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer, and 
then give it two coats of Rustoleum Gloss Black.  If you've prepared the 
surface properly, you'll get six or eight years out of the paint job.  Any 
"glossy look" will get burned off by the ultraviolet rays soon enough.

All my signals, cast iron, etc are done this way.  And they stay beautiful.

A few other pointers.  (1) A pneumatic needle scaler is the most efficient 
tool for cleaning decades worth of caked on paint off railroad metal.   (2) 
Aluminim Rustoleum is about the finest paint Ruseoleum makes... virtually 
impervious to water and weather.  (3)  ALWAYS brush your paint and NEVER 
spray it.  Brushing gives a heavier coat and a better seal.

Happy paintin', Brother !

-- abramo burnetto