Model 2 Restoration - Paint

[Bryan]

Well in order to tell what model it is Federal usually puts the year the product was made in the last two characters of the serial number. For example, lets say that a Thunderbolt was made in 1974 and you didn't know what year it was made on. You could look at the last two characters of the serial number and it will tell you that the Thunderbolt was made in 74.

This is not always the case with older federal products typically if there is a date code your serial number usually ends with the last three characters consisting of a letter and two numbers. So if it ended in say "H81" it would be 1981. If it does not have that kind of ending then the end of the serial number may not be the date of manufacture. I'm sure "holler" or "murrfarms" or any of the other guys who have done a good bit of research on this can give you a more complete answer

[Im a Siren Addict3]

What I would do to find out the original color is to take off the ID plate, and see whats under it. Then to be sure I'd lightly scrape/sand that paint to reveal what was underneath it.

That was a good idea!
There was more rust than there was paint under the ID plate. But it looks like it use to be yellow.

What kind of yellow should I use to best match the Civil Defense yellow? I read somewhere that Caterpillar yellow was a close match.. What do you guys think??

I think Sunburst Yellow is a close match.

[estokke09]

I used standard safety yellow mixed with hardener for my Model 3 and STH and I think they both turned out great

[RyanJamesDean98]

I'd ask Jeb what he uses. It appears to be pretty much perfect.

[holler]

Here are the colors that you see above. They are both sold by Summit racing but they are actually made by Sherwin Williams. It's a single stage, two component acrylic urethane automotive paint. Shoots easy and has good coverage. But like most of your automotive paints it's also highly toxic, containing lead, hexavalent chromium, and isocyanates. If you are going to use it a full face respirator and good ventillation are a must. If you know what your doing a quart of topcoat will be more than enough to cover a model 2 housing.

Yellow: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-up339/overview/

Red: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-up303/overview/

Here is the primer I use. It's also highly toxic but it's REALLY good.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-up230

As for paint guns, I use an elcheapo harbor freight HVLP gun with a 1.8mm nozzle for the primer, and a much more expensive Devillbiss Finishline HVLP gun with a 1.5MM tip for the topcoat. But you can get good results with either gun on the topcoat, I just got tired of having to throw away the harbor freight guns after the urethane activator dissolved all the seals in them.

Also, don't even think about using sunburst yellow or any rustoleum paint for that matter. Unless you enjoy repainting your siren every two years because the paint has faded to white.

[CrazyCalvinWilliams]

^I agree with Holler- do not use Rustoleum's yellow paints. I tried painting the light outside on my house with sunburst yellow, and every few months I'd have to repaint it, and after the next year I said "Screw It" and tossed School Bus Yellow enamel on it.

[TboltTX1]

Well in order to tell what model it is Federal usually puts the year the product was made in the last two characters of the serial number. For example, lets say that a Thunderbolt was made in 1974 and you didn't know what year it was made on. You could look at the last two characters of the serial number and it will tell you that the Thunderbolt was made in 74.

This is not always the case with older federal products typically if there is a date code your serial number usually ends with the last three characters consisting of a letter and two numbers. So if it ended in say "H81" it would be 1981. If it does not have that kind of ending then the end of the serial number may not be the date of manufacture. I'm sure "holler" or "murrfarms" or any of the other guys who have done a good bit of research on this can give you a more complete answer

On the very old Federal Signal units (and I'm talking about when they were called "Federal Enterprises Inc.") they don't give you a year on the serial number.

This came off a circa 1953 Thunderbolt.

Also, don't even think about using sunburst yellow or any rustoleum paint for that matter. Unless you enjoy repainting your siren every two years because the paint has faded to white.

You can add the Sherwin Williams safety yellow in the aerosol can to the list of crappy paints. I tried about 10 different cans of that stuff from two different stores and the paint still came out powedery and uneven. Yes I shook the paint well (I shook the cans for like 15 minutes before using them). Never using their paint for anything again.

[Bryan]

You can add the Sherwin Williams safety yellow in the aerosol can to the list of crappy paints. I tried about 10 different cans of that stuff from two different stores and the paint still came out powedery and uneven. Yes I shook the paint well (I shook the cans for like 15 minutes before using them). Never using their paint for anything again.

Is that what you used on that single tone chopper cap by chance?

[TboltTX1]

No, that was Rustolium.

[murrfarms]

No, that was Rustolium.

That was one GOOD batch of Rustoleum then! It's been giving Jeb absolute hell trying to get it stripped off, both in the sandblasting cabinet and with a wire wheel. You must have done a great job with the prep work before that coat, it really adhered to the brass.