Why is paintwork so poor?

[Steevo]

Why do manufacturers do such a poor job of paintwork?

I’d never consider just giving something a single tip coat on its own, yet I’ve hardly seen a single machine in recent years that has had an undercoat.

Plenty of mentions of JCB paintwork on here.
New Holland black paint on all combines flakes off and there’s rust visible underneath rather than undercoat.

My NRH rolls are likewise.

Even Marshall had a bad name for paintwork until they put the effort in and have apparently now sorted it.

Is there a reason other than shortsighted cost cutting?

 

[Sid]

Sh1te and fresh grass are harsh on paintwork.

Poor prep for metal is also given as a reason

 

[CPF]

Started to come through the motor trade now we got a vehicle here paintwork terrible in the end the manufacturer wouldn’t do anything about it so I had it wrapped

 

[njneer]

Some is cost cutting I am sure but I feel the biggest factor was the forced move from oil based to water based paints a number of years ago .
just not the same paint quality on anything these days .

 

[milkloss]

Paint isn't what it used to be..... think about that green water they tried convincing us was preservative for fence posts.

 

[CPF]

Some is cost cutting I am sure but I feel the biggest factor was the forced move from oil based to water based paints a number of years ago .
just not the same paint quality on anything these days .

I was told the same from the manufacturer of my pick up It’s called soft paint now that’s what they told me scratches ever so easy . Looked it all up to see if they were telling me the truth and they was .it was Down to the EU Relations about paint and the environment.

 

[egbert]

It's the inconsistency that perplexes me.
The paint on the green tractors about the yard is absolutely fine, lasts decades....whereas the yellow bits - the wheels esp- is hopeless.
It isn't only mine - I've seen loads like it.

Ditto all the paint on the round balers.
Mine was flaking off from new. If it was a machine that slept outdoors, it'd be long gone by now. a pathetic attempt.

Why save a few quid on a machine costing thousands?
(Marshall gear in yard seems to have GOOD paint)

I don't believe 'regulations', or changed factors outside their control..utter cobblers. It's cost cutting/poor quality control

 

[trev7530]

There’s no excuse for poor paint work in my opinion, it’s what shows a machine off.
I’ve got a custom build post driver with runs, misses and damage due to handling before the paint was dry.
I’m fuming with it, apparently it’s got runs because they like to put lots of paint on!

 

[egbert]

There’s no excuse for poor paint work in my opinion, it’s what shows a machine off.
I’ve got a custom build post driver with runs, misses and damage due to handling before the paint was dry.
I’m fuming with it, apparently it’s got runs because they like to put lots of paint on!

I couldn't care a tinker curse what it looks like...the gear in the yard is only there for one reason...to work.
Tin worm eventually leads to it failing to be able to do that........... I suppose the 'trade in value' is affected, but a lot of the gear that comes in the yard wouldn't leave until it's quite dead anyway.

 

[trev7530]

I couldn't care a tinker curse what it looks like...the gear in the yard is only there for one reason...to work.
Tin worm eventually leads to it failing to be able to do that........... I suppose the 'trade in value' is affected, but a lot of the gear that comes in the yard wouldn't leave until it's quite dead anyway.

The paint work prolongs the life of machinery, surely it’s still relevant.
Your paying for it should be right!

 

[Scholsey]

3 year old sauter front linkage, shocking

 

[TechWise]

I don't think it's much to do with "the good paint being banned", rather it's cost cutting and not doing the job properly as mentioned above. Most stuff round here I would say the paint is good on. My last car I sold on at 5 years of age and the paint looked like it was just out of the factory. Our landrover went away at 10 years of age with just about every panel on it bashed in but the paint was as solid as it was when we got it.

I did all the wooden doors in the yard with the Dulux 3 part system where you start with the "green water" then an undercoat, then two top coats. I thought it was a right faff at the time but it has stood the test of time. I think if you do the job the way the manufacturer of the paint expects it to be done then you get the advertised results. If you skimp on the preparation, you don't!

It's all green and yellow tractors here. As has been pointed out, the green is as good as new but the yellow is in a poor state. I always put that down to the wheels being the bit that gets dirty but maybe there's more to it.

Having tried spray painting myself, I'm usually in awe of how good a job most manufacturers manage to do!

 

[jonny]

Would it have anything to do with the quality of the steel most of it having been recycled a few times

 

[bluebell]

when i first learnt to drive in the 1970s the cars used to be rusted out by 10 years old, the car makers changed maybe competition drove it, so they designed out the rust traps remember my first car was a mk3 cortinia the front wings used to collect mud above and stay wet rust out ? door rusted off all happened around 10 years old ? also cars have alot more plastic parts ? so why have the agricultural , construction industry lagged so far behind ?

 

[Steevo]

Do we have any manufacturers active on here still?

I can't get my head around this "one coat" paint idea of painting straight to rusted metal.

 

[Munkul]

The bean counters see the paint spec as fine for steelwork, structures, weatherproof, etc, technically it conforms and has a long life...

...but on tractors and machinery it gets scratched and pressure washed. You tell me if modern paint tests include a "grit and pressure washer" test?

By paint spec, that includes the surface finish of the steel underneath, it's more critical than ever. The only real quality you'll get is if it's been shotblasted straight before, then the paint substrate adheres correctly to the metal. Anything less than shotblasting - and you'll have issues.

 

[Boohoo]

The bean counters see the paint spec as fine for steelwork, structures, weatherproof, etc, technically it conforms and has a long life...

...but on tractors and machinery it gets scratched and pressure washed. You tell me if modern paint tests include a "grit and pressure washer" test?

Don't know about the "grit and pressure washer" test but I've seen paint on a new trailer fail the "sit inside unused for 6 weeks" test

 

[Bongodog]

Its generally the "black bits" that have the worst paint, invariably they have been powder coated. Powder coating is completely rubbish at sticking to bright steel. Manufacturers love it as the process is cheap with zero losses. Dip the component in degreaser, hang it on the rail system, spray with powder then send it through the oven. All the excess powder falls to the back of the booth and goes round again. If you use wet paint on small components you waste far more than you use.
In my long past life we had awful problems with powder coat, slightest damage and the water gets under it and lifts it off in sheets. if we had the parts grit blasted first the adhesion was far better and the paint lasted, but the painters weren't set up for that so it was extra cost. The accountants thought powder coating was great, the service engineers though didn't as they were the ones who went on site to receive the complaints !! The pictures of the front link arms are typical of what we used to see

 

[Chae1]

Got speaking to somebody from Sands sprayers at llama a few years ago. He blamed the banning of some chemicals in the manufacturing of paint causing quality issues.

 

[egbert]

Got speaking to somebody from Sands sprayers at llama a few years ago. He blamed the banning of some chemicals in the manufacturing of paint causing quality issues.

which may be the case...but doesn't explain how some manufacturers manage to keep paint on gear...while others...