Fun With Asphaltum Paint!

[darrylkmc]

gwhite,

Just spoke with the Rodda Paint Company factory technical department.

Gilsonite Dipping Enamel is MTO, Made to Order. They do have 440 gallons available in Barrels, but no samples.

I did obtain an MSDS, which is interesting. Gilsonite is not considered a Hazardous Substance, so it does not appear on the MSDS. It does list the following:

Mineral Spirits 30-40% /weight
Xylene 20-30% /weight
Ethylbenzene 0-10% /weight

Also, according to the American Gilsonite Company:

If it isn't American, it isn't Gilsonite.

If you could locate a quantity of actual Gilsonite, the grinding of the Paint should be pretty straight forward.

Lorenzo,

Chena Hot Springs Road is all paved now up to the Hot Springs, so no more eating dust. And as you said, Model A's Forever.

Darryl in Fairbanks

If you would like a copy of the MSDS, PM me your Email Address

 

[gwhite]

Thanks Darryl!

As it so happens, a friend of mine who is a civil war reenactor sent me an email with sources for powdered Gilsonite. Apparently, they use a similar formula for oil cloths.

 

[pooch]

better photos;

I never had any intention of trying to match Ford's body paint (the goal was to replicate asphaltum chassis finish), but it's
surprisingly close. One thing I have noticed is that my test panel has a slight amber cast compared to the original paint
(might not be evident in the photos). Trent Boggess' article on Model T paint mentions that some of Ford's body paint was
"fortified" with Prussian blue and ultramarine blue - likely the difference I'm seeing.

Not sure if you can make it out in the photos, but the original T hood has some dust trapped in the paint - in some
spots, the paint almost looks metallic due to these inclusions. My test panel was painted in a less than sterile garage and
shows similar defects.

The addition of Prussian blue sounds right.

It makes the black look blacker and kills the red hue .

Generally in most colours to kill red you add green and to kill green you add red .

But in black you add blue.

 

[gwhite]

Tried some Prussian blue in my latest batch...ended up with a deep chocolate brown.

Wondering if the Japan drier may be complicating things somewhat; it is a deep maroon color...going to try a new spray out, substituting Cobalt drier for Japan drier.

 

[pooch]

Try some green in your chocolate brown, but I think even if it kills the red, it will be not be a clean black black after the maroon drier.

 

[gwhite]

Green might do the trick! Apparently, Ford used various driers, including iron, lead, manganese, and cobalt. Will try some of those if I can, although I think I have a decent enough paint for the chassis...would be fun to match the Model T era body paint while I'm at it!

 

[Jim Mason]

Check printing supplies. Gilsonite powder is available from them, as they use it in the grounds...

 

[Jim Mason]

http://www.naturalpigments.com/gilsonite-asphaltum.html here's a link