Here we have the vertical head and autofeed control box casting being prepped for primer. They have been filled with a car body type filler ( 2 pack) that is fairly easy to sand. Ideally I would use a filler primer but I have run out and I am reluctant to buy any as we are hopefully moving house soon and I want to transport as little as possible. So an etch primer was used – as this is what I have in abundance.

Once these have cured off we should be ready to put the final coats of 2 pack paint on. I am using an equivalent 2 pack primer to ensure a tough and durable coating. The next job will be to tackle the gearbox for the longitudinal feed. No dought a challenge is in store!

The vertical head was bably chipped all over and a repaint would have looked awful without a bit of filler.

Before I split the unit apart I used a 2 pack filler (high metal content) and then ptotected any metal surface from the sander. Once this was done I then hand sanded with 240 wet and dry and did a little more filling in readiness for the etch primer. The disadvantage of the metal based filler is that it sets like rock! It does adhere to metal very well, however.

The weather is better and I now have the time to resume the Aciera rebuilt. The last time I looked at it, the doors etc had been painted but the insides had not! So a quick clean up and paint was applied to the doors and a second coat to the other items on the bench!

I’ll let this cure off and then give it a polish. Next up will be the vertical head.

Well, I’m back on track trying to get the F3 back together. To do that I need to finish off spraying parts. Here are some (and other lathe parts getting some final coats of paint!

Hopefully I will resume normal service…..

A little more paint!

This coat may not need any extra – but I will wait until it has fully hardened.

As the spray gun was out – I thought I would flood the inside of the casting with the same green paint. It will need inverting to do the other half!! The first picture is after its degrease!

I find that the colour balance of an iPhone is fairly bad compared to an SLR type digital camera – will have to stick to the latter in future!

The upper casting was fairly grubby and needed a degrease. I was surprised how well it came up. I use 2 types of degreaser – a solvent one that is reusable and a water based one that isn’t. In my mind, the water based one is definitely more powerful.

I have, at last, finished the base casting. The first photo shows it filled and sanded. I never meant the finish to be like a car but there were quite a few big gouges in the paint – so they got filled.

The next is after a fist coat (sprayed) of paint.

And the final coat – looking OK and not a run in sight!

I am now turning my attention to the upper casting – a big de-grease…

One more application of engine degreaser and then a final wash down with hot soapy water should do the job!

A few more bits painted and some cork washers..

The initial painting was done by brush. This gives a decent finish but I decided to sand off with 600 wet & dry and then give a final spray coat…

The cork wasjer below were cut from a sheet of rubberised cork – the larger ones are for the fron motor plinth bracket and the smaller ones are for the motor bolts.