Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Painting my Bennett 966

Intend to use my pump outside my new garage. I'll light the face and globe at night. Working with a low budget. Is it possible to hand paint(brush)? I really enjoy the hands on work. I have it all ready for paint. Any help,tips or suggestions would be much appreciated.

First off welcome to this site.
I would at least rattle can the pump but never a brush. I wouldn't use an original globe outside. Repop globes are cheap so go from there. Ted

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Ted Pam & Ethyl Roach
Lodi CA.
Home of Roach & Darnell Texaco 1952 -1963 & Richfield Arco 1963 - 1972
pca-west.org
vintage-logos

[This message has been edited by troach (edited 11-03-2005).]

Just in case you didn't understand what rattle-can means, I'll explain. We often use that phrase to describe a paint job done by an aerosol can spray paint, such as Krylon. This can give a fairly smooth job without the expense of having an air compressor and paint spray gun.

Historically speaking, most old gas pumps were routinely repainted with a brush when they were in service. So a brush paint job could be technically correct. The important thing is to save an old gas pump and to do it in a way that pleases you.

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Jim "Oldgas" Potts
Your host and moderator

Big problem I find with spraycan is it is thin, if you put a lot on..no longer cheap either!

Jim should know the answer to this; up til the 30,s?? I think cars were often painted by brush.. get a thick coat on it..then sand it out! I would think it could be done to a pump???

Dodogas is absolutely right. On a per ounce of paint basis or a sprayed paint film basis, the aerosol spray can is more costly than a comparable bulk paint. And you can spray out of a compressed air spray gun more quickly to a thicker film build. But for many guys who don't own an air compressor, the rattle can is another alternative. If you can ignore a few brush marks, the brush paint job is another choice. A rattle-can or brush paint job will not get top dollar if you are going to sell the pump.

Cars were often painted with a brush pre-1940s. Spray was the upscale exception. A brush job was done by applying a coat, letting it dry, then sanding smooth and applying another coat, etc. The final coat could be lightly sanded with super fine sandpaper and polished to a gloss. You could do that on a gas pump, but it would be more work than most guys would care to do.

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Jim "Oldgas" Potts
Your host and moderator

Telephoneman is doing a Bennett 966 circa 1954-1956. I sure didn't remember any of those being brush painted but I guess I didn't look that close. If it were going by my new garage I would not even think of brushing it but that's me. As stated do what turns your crank. My 2 cents. Ted

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Ted Pam & Ethyl Roach
Lodi CA.
Home of Roach & Darnell Texaco 1952 -1963 & Richfield Arco 1963 - 1972
pca-west.org
vintage-logos

Out of the factory they were sprayed, but not many left the island for paint.

How many have seen Branded oil co paint in a can? I have seen B/A green or red.used for islands station trim, pumps.. whatever.

USE A NICE SELF-LEVELING CAN OF PAINT LIKE "X-O RUST" FROM TRUE VALUE. DON'T USE A BRUSH...USE A 4" ROLLER FROM HOME DEPOT OR TRUE VALUE. THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR WHERE YOU'RE PUTTING IT!

JM2¢

DOC @ TAG.WEST

Telephoneman, Just go to your local farm store TSC,Farm & FLeet and buy there implement paint reduce and spray with a cheap air gun. It will fade in a couple of years and look like its been there for years. That paint is real cheap....for the low budget people. I must say they turn out rather good and you won't have a fortune in paint,clear, reducer,hardener ect....Hope this helps.Tony

If you shop around,you can buy automotive paint really cheap.20 a gallon I have found it for when they closeout these colors.I am sure you have a friend with an air compressor?Painting can be cheap and once you learn the basics you can start making money painting all the other guys pumps that use a brush.HA HA

I see in your original post that you intend to "use" this pump outside your garage. Have you checked with the Federal EPA, State EPA about installing a pump. I don't want to get into a great discussion, but I believe it is next to inpossible to instally a pump with a tank in the ground and use it.
Next, everyone is offering you suggestions about painting your pump. Regardless of what you do, have fun with it, there are no pump police that will tell you it is painted incorrectly.
Unless pumps were purchased in great quatities (and were painted any color the purchaser wanted) they left the factor "RED." Therefore, sand, sandblast, wire brush, etc. your pump and painted it anything you want. If your uncle worked for Sinclair, paint it green and white, if you worked in a Shell station as a kid, paid it red and yellow. Have fun with it, and enjoy your pump.
Jack Sim

WOW!!! You guys are the best. Thank you so much for all your help. I should have explained more, the pump has been gutted of all the heavy stuff. I have a small 24 x 24 garage and will be putting the pump outside because I think it will look neat. I'm not a collector (yet). I bought the pump from my old station boss when he went out of business. I used this pump 30 years ago while working part time for him. It isn't the lack of a compressor that keeps me from spraying it's the mess it makes. I have checked some of your restored pieces and they are beautiful. Thanks to all.

You are a collecter (already), you just have not realized it! (yet)..

Is this a great website or what? Just stumbled on to it while I was searching for info. on my 1921 Fry Mae West I have just re-captured. Used it on the farm until about 1965. My dad had it for many years at a small country store/gas station (forerunner of the convenience store) he owned in the 40's. I'll paint it to exactly match his paint jobs (that means a brush job.) I've painted about 45 cars (no brushes) but there's no way I would use a spray gun on this job, it's begging for a brush.
thanks
ken

In doing some wood working projects in the past that required some brush painting, I follow a pretty decent technique that gets good results. After each coat of paint you apply with your brush, lightly sand with a fine grit paper in between coats to remove some of your brush strokes. If you use a brand of paint that has both brush and spray can versions, hit the last coat with the spray can of the same paint color & type. The key is sanding in between coats.
Why not a brush, that's probably the way they used to do it years ago.

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-Dave-
Slowly progressing on a '54 Tokheim 39