Prep tips for painting a Scag ?

[scagman]

I have an older scag 32" It was my first mower in this bizz and im glad I bought it. I took it in the day before yesterday for repairs. The dealer has scag paint and I will also ask him these questions, but why not get several more tips from you guys. This mower looks bad I had a customer come out one time and ask me if it were a lawnmower. Its missing a belt cover searched eveywhere, but only have found ones for 36"s and those wont fit. I can buy one new for $150, but probably wont thats just to much. I know the dealer has to make his $50 but thats just too much. Ill have this mower back in two weeks and I need tips on how to paint it. Should I use spray or brush. I dont plan on detailing to the max, but decent should I just try to mask off what I can and go for it. My last question is what should I use to degrease and should I use some kind of primer. As soon as can afford it this mower will be a backup to an Exmark Viking 32"

[David Haggerty]

Wal-Mart has a cleaner called Super Clean. Just wear rubber gloves and don't splash it. It'll clean everything off of a mower except exhaust stain.

Wouldn't pay the extra for "scag Paint". Something close from Lowes' will work.

It'd be worth while to tear it down, sand and prime it.
I had a 32" Snapper/Kees I'd bought used for $850. Ran it for 6 years. I had to put a new motor on it. Then I decided to sell it. Took it to the flea market and people laughed at it. Called it the "origional" WB. I got mad took it home and over the winter, painted it with aerosol cans. Took it back to the flea market, sold it for $1100. People will buy a good coat of paint!

Dave

[Downeast]

I would spray .Tape and paper off every thing I could ,and I would use primer . Any good degreaser to clean it will be fine . Brushing would go on too thick and show the brush marks .

[heybruck34]

I recently totally tore down a Scag 48 and rebuilt the entire thing. Depending on how mch effort/time you want to put in you can go a variety of ways.

Is it really rusty? I learned there's a difference between surface rust and body rust. You can sand off surface rust. Body rust won't come off since it's pitted down in the metal. This type must be sandblasted. Remember- if you don't get the rust off it will show up again in a year since all you did was cover it with paint.

I repainted mine in a paint booth at a body shop-but I have a friend that owns one. (cheater!) MY buddy told me to use the SuperClean as Haggerty suggested. However, before you paint it down, clean it with laquer thinner and let it dry. Laquer thinner evaporates quick. This will also help get paint to stick better.

Other than that- I don't have any advice for spraying vs. brushing- I shot mine with acrylic enamel.

Good Luck!

[Toroguy]

Dont forget to use a tack cloth to remove the finer particles of dust. You can get decent results with a can of Rustoleum and a sponge type brush. The sponge brush doesnt leave the noticable brush marks. If you use high pressure to wash mower, the paint will come off, but a garden hose is paint friendly. The sponge technique will be difficult for tight areas.

Good luck

[scagman]

No it doesent have any rust at all. Its yellow instead of orange real ugly i think the original orange paint faded over the years (1992) and now its a real ugly yellow. This scag orange paint is almost $12.00 a can is it worth it?? Ive never seen this kind of paint any where else. Have you guys?? Well thanks for all the replys you guys are the greatest!!!

[GilbertJT]

I just repainted a Scag deck. I had mine sand blasted for $40.00. I cleaned it after the sandblasting with a paint prep to make sure I didn't have any oil ruining my paint anywhere. You can buy that stuff at Lowes or just about anywhere. Then a good coat of primer and two coats of the Scag paint in the can. I bought it from my dealer for $10.00 a can. It is a little pricey but it matches the rest of the mower better. I used almost two cans on a 48" deck. That Scag paint seems to be good quality paint. The true test will come this summer.

[65hoss]

Buy RED paint. It would look better. :D

[scagman]

Hey good idea Hoss, Cheaper, and will match my Exmark. What type of paint should I get at Home depot or Lowes?????

[GreenIsland]

A great site to help with painting your equipment is yesterdays tractors.com or yesterdaytractors, either way do a search find them and they have a great paint and prep section. 99 % of all painting is proper paint work-- always use spray-- gun preferred-can 2nd- paint really never hides any flaws in materials and in fact usually highlights them-- but with proper prep a - including sanding and taping . Paint will sell a former unsightly piece of junk-- new new new -- and well kept is all people see with a great coat of paint.

[Greenkeepers]

Sandblasting is the best way to clean it up. I'm in the process of doing my bed edger right now and then it's to a 48" wb. I got implement paint from the local Tractor Supply store that matches my exmark paint and that's what I'm using on the edger as well. The stuff should be stronger than just regular ole paint...
:blush: