Vintage Martin T75 restoration

[Kevin Jenness]

Is getting the "ultimate" finish on this machine important enough to put yourself at risk of highly toxic chemical exposure? If so, I guess you are on the right track. Maybe you can amortize the required protective equipment over other projects.

I am on the "make it functional and put it into service" track- all my machines have the patina they came with. My neighbor customizes motorcycles in a perfectionist way, so I can appreciate the path although I do not follow it.

It's great to see this restoration happening. It will be a lifetime saw, but don't kill yourself on it.

[Martin Wasner]

So anyone that knows anything about this stuff please chime in.

I know that sometimes it's cheaper to pay others to do something than to buy a piece of equipment that won't see much, if any, use after the first project.

I know, not how you want to handle it. Just the first thought that came to mind

[Dan Friedrichs]

I have a question for the metal working guys. One thing that has plagued me on my restorations is fish eye when I get down to the painting. I was cleaning pre painting with paint thinner and someone mentioned that was not a good idea so I picked up some cleaner from the auto paint store. That helped a little but still seem to get more fish eye than I would like.

Joe, I don't know if this is helpful, but this video really opened my eyes to why it's bad to use a solvent as a pre-paint prep:
https://youtu.be/x7onZGqrYyY?t=139

[Patrick Walsh]

Eh,

I’ll never be able to retire regardless.

Roll into that not being able to sit still and I shouldn’t complain about it when the time comes and I have to.

But I get your point.

I’m stuck going this route at this point as the tow coats of prime are applied and now I’m forced to continue on or risk potential adhesion issues.

Plus even with your aboive thoughts and experiences my head only ever will allow me to always do the best I can unless the boss tells me otherwise. If a boss is not involved I just can’t help myself but go overboard.

This is a huge part of why o choose to work for someone as it keep me railed in..

Patrick, I applaud your level of detail and desire for a Concours type restoration. Having said that, I've got machines with $400/gal paint and machines with $50/gal paint and after a few years I can't tell the difference in looks or performance. if the spray equipment will see lots of use, the $1000 is well spent, but that money spent today to improve and prolong your life assumes you have enough money saved to enjoy that life. Don't lose sight that money spent on old machines should not impact the money saved to support your future needs because selling the old machines will not fund your retirement. Dave

[Patrick Walsh]

I don’t know why that made me laugh a little bit I did. I guess im a little sick in the head.

And yes I have read enough to know that a very very small percentage of people have died on contact with this product.

I have always been a risk taker. Like always, as a kid it was x-games style dirty jumping over 25’ plus gaps no helmet no pads nothing and potential life altering falls multiple times a day. As a adult it was ice and rock climbing think 3-4 hour hikes intomth3 woods of the Canadian Rockies to climb 500” plus dead vertical ice cliffs and frozen waterfalls. This is not Ouray ice park style like I’m sure Joe Calhoun is well aware of as I imagine it right around the corner from him. This is like life and death every single move made and accident a helicopter rescue if they can even get to you.

But yeah living with a terminal illness or my shop mate boss or anyone else finding me on the floor of a spray booth wouldn’t be much fun for anyone.

Yea, don't kill yourself with the fumes...do what you need to do to get proper respiration for that stuff! Clearly, you've already experienced the "mild" effects and it could be a lot worse with serious spraying going on. We don't want to have to print your obituary here, my friend...

[Patrick Walsh]

I could pay our finisher to shoot the paint but not do the prep. Sanding this stuff is as toxic as spraying it. I would be highly disappointed in his work though and pissed I paid a single dime for it though.

The fact is i can’t afford what it cost to have anyone capabale do a good job doing anything for me. The good and bad news for me is I can build a house frame to finish everything in between.

My motivation toward the 3m unit all be it expensive as I can see myself using it again. I also figure I can ebay it when I’m done.

I know all this is over th top and nuts but this is what I call fun. I used to have fun recreating but age and injury caught up to me so now this is what I have. Everything I do I domto the extreme, always have always will. I have learnt to implement restraint in certain aspects of my life but when it comes to my time spent building, making or repairing something of my own I just can’t help but go overboard. I have been a tradesman my whole life and as a result the hack work I have seen and at times been forced to do left such a distaste in my mouth people that just don’t care being a rele tless perfectionist has become me.

I assure everyone concerned I’ll get the appropriate breathing appiratis before I proceed with more spraying. The $600 for the fresh air unit is really no big deal just another “to do” in this process and headache to rig up.

I do appreciate the concern as I am a bit bull headed and do need a good shake from time to time.

I know that sometimes it's cheaper to pay others to do something than to buy a piece of equipment that won't see much, if any, use after the first project.

I know, not how you want to handle it. Just the first thought that came to mind

[Darcy Warner]

Everything except my primer, is water based. Easy application, easy touch up, nothing nasty to worry about.

A hard finish chips easily. I have to have something that is easily touched up by me, or the customer. Stuff happens, things get run into.

[Patrick Walsh]

Yes,

A point I won’t forget next time. Live and learn. Although from what I hear this stuff will take a wrench dropped on it and not chip.

Maybe like yourself Darcy over the years I have exposed myself to god knows what just to eat “today” and have has to get to work the next day. So you know exposing myself to stuff that will kill me or make me very very sick sadly has kinda been the terms of my reality.

But yes at some point I recognized these occupational hazards and started to acquire skill set that would allow me to move further away from such hazardous work and more towards lesssmbut still not good for your health work “poor dust collection in a cabinet shop”

I have also invested so many mind altering substances made of god knows what in my younger years that my body is for the most part a chemistry experiment. Im either gonna die of a terminal illness young or live till 110. Let’s just hope I don’t live to 110 with a terminal illness. Hence why I’ll shell out for the darn breathing protection.

You know I was brought up by guys “not very smart guys” that would tell me stories of when house paint had lead in it and maybe even mercury and they theynwould reach right into five gallon buckets and break up the sludge in the bottom with their bare hands.

Now that just stupid with what we know now and maybe they did or did not know then what we oknow now so I will not judge but I know a couple of these people we’re not exaggerating.

Next time I’ll choose something less toxic. Or maybe not as it seems I’m gonna be all setup for chemical warfare..

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Everything except my primer, is water based. Easy application, easy touch up, nothing nasty to worry about.

A hard finish chips easily. I have to have something that is easily touched up by me, or the customer. Stuff happens, things get run into.

[Patrick Walsh]

Not to have a complete disregard for my health as it is one thing to pursue passion and assume risk vrs the stupidity of breathing poison by choice out of being cheap or for whatever reason.

My point being is we all choose and or have our own way of assessing risk vrs reward.

I no longer have footage of myself ice climbing as it’s all trapped on a dead laptop. The below video gives a good idea what I spent 4-5 days a week doing for years on end. Yup I was a unemployed bum living out of my truck off canned beans. A liberal bum living life to the fullest with complete abandoned for a conventional thinking. Many would say a burden to the system.

Ice climbing is pretty safe for the most part but well known anytime a giant chunk might just break free at anytime and kill you or you partner holding the rope bellow. I was also know to climb without a partner or rope from time to time when everyone was at work lol. You ice climb long enough and you get used to knowing people that got really really hurt or payed the ultimate price. It’s just part of it all simular to BASE jumping but not quite as bad. I guess you have to have a different perspective on what is of most value in this life.

I fell finally didn’t die and was shaken enough to understand the burden I would be to my poor old mother if I was forever brain dead and she has to screw the rest of her life up to care for me.


https://alpineteam.co.nz/2016/canada-ice-climbing-2017

[Brian Holcombe]

That mask will likely get a lot of use once you have it in hand. I find the complete facemask more comfortable than individual dust mask and glasses. I used one when I was making knives as a teenager since I was using both exotic woods and exotic metals.

[Mark Hennebury]

Lots of respect for those who live on the edge, inspiration for the rest of us to push a little. I was watching a video of Alex Honnold on El Capitan just last night.

[Patrick Walsh]

I think Alexes movie is next in line for me. Just finished watching Black Klansman.

I never identified as living my life on the edge but I suppose to some that is exactly what I have done.

I have just never been happy to live for just survival sake. Actually I can’t even force myself to do it.

Compared to some most all my pursuits are very very self serving. Now if I could focus my lack of conventionality on something for the greater good in a unconventional way that would be worthy of respect.

But thank you Mark as from one maker to another I have come to respect your work and perspective or rather approach even if only from a distance.

Lots of respect for those who live on the edge, inspiration for the rest of us to push a little. I was watching a video of Alex Honnold on El Capitan just last night.

[Patrick Walsh]

That mask will likely get a lot of use once you have it in hand. I find the complete facemask more comfortable than individual dust mask and glasses. I used one when I was making knives as a teenager since I was using both exotic woods and exotic metals.

Brian that’s exactly what I am thinking. You know I can’t see myself walking around the shop in it but I kinda can. The place is kinda like a toxic waste dump the amount of crap I inhale.

We sand with Da’s sometimes 8 hrs a day a few days on end with zero dust collection. That beautiful Martin t73 is setup to a 1.5hp delta dust collector that does absolutely nothing. My boss would do something about it but he really dead have his hands full at the moment $$$ and my hat is off to his efforts. I’ll probably spring to hook the machine up to real dust collection via nrodfab shortly when we return to overtime and I have cash to throw around again. He will pay me back.

I’ll take a picture of the warning and notes from the state in the bathroom warning of elevated lead and various chemical levels in the water. The building used to do some kind of printing and has been deemed a toxic waste site. Sadly I do use that water but not to drink. Thus has been the story of my life as a tradesman. Crazy to some and I agree but it’s this or minimum wage and living for survival sake vrs with passion and I just made clear how I feel about that.

So yeah you know I can see myself working in that crazy mask.

Plus I’m so fed up with our finishers lack of giving a crap about his or our work that I see a spraybooth in our future even if quite a while down the road yet.

[Mark Hennebury]

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for the compliment, it means a lot.

I have met a few people on here that speak the same language;

We occasionally cross paths with fellow travelers heading to the same point on the horizon. and understand their journey.

I too should glow in the dark and be on a ventilator.

You do what you have to do.

[Joe Calhoon]

Joe, I don't know if this is helpful, but this video really opened my eyes to why it's bad to use a solvent as a pre-paint prep:
https://youtu.be/x7onZGqrYyY?t=139

Thanks Dan,

There is is some good info in that video. Think I will get the Ajax out next time.