Handyman Guide > Metal Painting continued

Metal Toys. Good quality toys are expensive items and when a bicycle or coaster wagon begins to show signs of wear it should be taken in hand at once. A few hours spent in fixing a toy will make it as good as new in most instances.



Metal coaster wagons and other toys of this type when dented can usually be straightened by the home mechanic with the aid of a ball peen hammer and some blocks of wood. An alternative measure is to take the dented part down to a local garage. Here, a mechanic possessing the proper tools and skill can knock out the dents in a matter of minutes and give the cart its original shape.

The charge is usually slight. Broken metal parts should be welded back together-solder will not hold on ~ joint subject to stress.

Before you attempt to paint any complicated toy it is a wise plan to strip it down as far as possible.

Remove all the parts and while doing this look to see if any nuts or bolts are worn or badly rusted. 1£ they are, use new ones of the same size when you reassemble the parts. Once you have the cart or bicycle disassembled, give all the parts a good cleaning in gasoline or benzine. Do this job outdoors so as to avoid any fire hazard. With the grease and dirt out of the way, inspect each part to see what sort of condition the finish is in. If the paint is chipped in a few spots, it will not be necessary to scrape all the rest of the paint off. To fix up the chipped spots, take some steel wool, emery cloth, or sandpaper, and remove any sign of rust.

Sand the edges of the paint around the exposed metal until you get a tapered edge. Rub a piece of sandpaper over the entire painted surface. Cut the finish enough so that the new: paint will adhere properly. Now go back to the chipped spots, wipe them off with gasoline, and apply one coat of metal primer. When this is dry, apply a coat of finish paint over the primer. After this is dry, brush on another coat or coats until the surface has been built up level with the rest of the painted metal. After this, give the spot a light sanding, wipe all the painted surface clean, and apply enamel for a finish coat.

If 'Yhble paint job is in bad shape, it is best to scrape and sand all the paint off and start anew. Pitted or tflrnished chrome or nickel-pla,ted parts should be replated at a metal shop or garage. Painting Aluminum. Aluminum must be treated differently from other metals as there is a chemical reaction between it and the lead in base paints. First scrub the surface with a non-alkaline cleanser. Then apply a prime coat of zinc chromate. When that is dry, any good exterior ,paint can be applied.

Continue to Interior Painting



Tools and Materials

Hammers - Handsaws - Screwdrivers - Chisels - Brace and Bit - Hand Drill - Brad Awl - Planes - Files - Measuring Tools - Rules - Squares - Marking Gauge - Levels - Pincers - Nail Set - Drawknife - Cabinet Scraper - Small Tool Kit - Putty Knife - Pliers - Wrenches - Paint Scraper - Sharpening Tools - Nails - Wood Screws - Corrugated Fasteners - Mending Plates - Bolts - Abrasives - Woodworking Glue - Splices and Joints.

The Workshop
Equipping the Workshop - Heating - Fire Precautions - The Workbench - Saw Bucks - Tool Rack.

Home Construction
Elements of the House - Building Materials - Lumber - Molding - Kinds of Wood and their Characteristics - Plywood Wallboard - Roofing Materials - Concrete - Mixing Concrete - Cement Mortar - Concrete Forms - Concrete Blocks - Cinder Blocks - Bricklaying - Fieldstone - Anchoring in Masonry - Soldering.

Furniture
Upholstered Furniture - Furniture Upkeep - Removing Stains - Removing Dents - Leather Upholstery - Cane Seats - Furniture Repairs - How to Repair Breaks - Levelling furniture - Remodeling Furniture - Polishes and Polishing - French Polishing - Painting Furniture - Sticking Drawers - Metal Furniture.

Painting
Paint Brushes - Storing Brushes - Varnish - Water Paint and Plastic Paint - Types of Paint - Paint Thinners - Mixing Paints - Preparing the Surface - Painting Flaws - Removing Paint - Exterior Painting - Painting New Wood - Repainting - Metal - Interior Painting - Calcimine - Painting Woodwork - Old Wood Trim - Staining - Fillers - Varnishing - Bleaching - Enameling - Painting Radiators - Painting Concrete - Shingles - Stoves and Stove Pipes - Whitewash.

Heating
Home Heating Systems - Chimneys - Coal Furnaces - Fuels - Burning Wood - Furnace Dampers - Starting a Coal Fire - Removal of Ashes - Coal Stokers - Oil Burners - Kerosene Heaters - Thermostats - Boiler Dampers - Fuel Economy - Warm Air System - Steam System - Vacuum System - Hot Water System - Radiators - Boilers - Maintaining the System - Insulating the System - Home Insulation - Storm Windows - Weather Stripping - Insulating Your Home - Blanket and Rigid Insulation - Unfinished Attic and Exterior Walls - Winterizing a Cabin - Preparing the foundation - Winterproofing a Cottage - Fireplaces - Reducing Condensation - Humidity.

Plumbing
The Plumbing System - Fresh water supply - Low Water Pressure - Hot Water System - Hot Water Heaters - Hot Water Tanks - Dirty Hot Water - The Sewage System - Sewage Disposal - Cesspools - Septic Tanks - Clearing Sewer Pipes - Clearing Drains - Plumbing Traps - Toilet Traps - Noisy Plumbing - Leaks in Water Tanks - Frozen Pipes - Clogged Water Pipes - Hard Water - Faucets - Shower Mixing Valves - Leaky Flush Tanks - Flush Valves - Removing Toilet Bowl - Leaky Pipes - Draining the Plumbing - Sealing Traps - Draining the Heating System - Types of Pipe - Insulating Pipes - Water Corrosion - Cleaning Fixtures.

Electricity
Definition of Terms - Ohm's Law - Alternating and Direct Current - Sources of Electrical Power - The Electrical System - Overloading the Circuit - Rewiring - Reading a Meter - Precautions - Fuses - Types of Cord - Splicing Wires - Replacing Plugs and Switches - Home Lighting - Electric Motors - Signaling System - Transformers - Burglar Alarms - Repairing the System - How to Install a Bell System.

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