Painting colours on chain - what type of paint to use?

NormanS said:
We use coloured cable ties in pairs. That way, if one falls off, the remaining one shows the position.
Click to expand...

I used to use them, but I have no windlass and if the ratchetty bit works its way out of the hole, it's easy to cut yourself. Now I use the plastic things: white every metre, red every five, double red every ten.
 
JumbleDuck said:
I used to use them, but I have no windlass and if the ratchetty bit works its way out of the hole, it's easy to cut yourself. Now I use the plastic things: white every metre, red every five, double red every ten.
Click to expand...
If you have to handle the stuff - Wear gloves.:)
 
Stemar said:
If you want to cut the tails, use a hot knife to melt through, or cut and melt the end a little; that will avoid the sharp edges left by cold cutting and subsequent injuries.
Click to expand...

I use a pair of nail clippers for cutting zipties. If close cut you don't get the sharp edges.

That said, I am moving away from zip ties these days due to plastic in oceans...
 
I tried the inserts again last season after posters told me that my previous experience of them going muddy coloured was a thing of the past. They went muddy again. By the end of the season it was almost impossible to tell which was which. Added to that, unless there are many of them at each mark, some at 90 degrees to others, they may be hidden by the chain as it approaches the bow roller. We were glad that we also retained the cable ties.
 
vyv_cox said:
I tried the inserts again last season after posters told me that my previous experience of them going muddy coloured was a thing of the past. They went muddy again. By the end of the season it was almost impossible to tell which was which. Added to that, unless there are many of them at each mark, some at 90 degrees to others, they may be hidden by the chain as it approaches the bow roller. We were glad that we also retained the cable ties.
Click to expand...

Odd. Mine have been on for ... <thinks> ... five years, and are as red and white as the day I fitted them. They are quite easy to spot if they pass through your (gloved) hands on the way out and down.
 
Hadenough said:
It has to be Farrow and Ball :)
Click to expand...
How civilised. Any of these should work beautifully with galvanised chain:

Fglmgku.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: RMC
Hi people.. Hammerite states not suitable for galvanised metal.. So you use their special metals primer (water based) then the hammerite sticks.
I painted my anchor windlass some 20 years ago with their special metals primer then their paint (in the days before hammerite had certain contents removed when it was really good)
20 years later 40% of the paint has flaked off but the special metals primer is still there !
Red lead paint is still available (98% lead) but finding it is very difficult.. Its not solvent based but linseed oil based , so takes ages to dry and is still fairly soft so would not recommend for an anchor chain. It is superb for rusty metal and preserving wood though.
Zinssers make a unique paint and some of it is suitable for formica, glass,wood,steel, aluminium and galvanised surfaces. Self priming, drys in like 20 mins (solvent based) and so far im mighty impressed with it.
Painted some bare aluminium with on the boat so time will tell if its as good as it claims to be.
 
MM5AHO said:
If it falls off, where does it end up? Plastic in the ocean perhaps?
Click to expand...

That is where, virtually all, the paint ends up

If you want to be environmentally friendly - then the easlier suggestion of leather is one answer, cotton or hemp string (another)

And wear gloves when you handle chain seems ever so sensible

Jonathan
 
Refueler said:
NEVER EVER use Red Lead on Zinc galvanized items !!!
Click to expand...
why do you say that ? Sorry for long delay in response but site has been so bad that ive not been able to use it until now.
Lead is actually added to the zinc bath for galvanising and therefore a tiny percentage of lead may be present in galvanising.
 
Many years on ships with galvanised items and red lead for decks etc. It was taboo to put Red Lead on Galv items ... I was always told it leads to serious corrosion because the Red Lead is an Oxidised Lead .. the lead being near inert but Zinc being active ...

On ships two part primer, or before that non lead based primer was always specified for galv items

I'm sure a google will pull up the relevant correct explanation ...
 
I did a quick google but couldn't find anything relevant.. It doesn't help that so many people seem to think the totally useless red oxide primer is red lead or a safer version of.
I had a galvanised part that was 32 years old and rusting.. I gave it a coat of red lead which also covered some of the galvanising and it did really well for a few years until I got the whole item re-galvanised.
I don't think anyone will paint red lead on chain nowadays as the red lead is nearly impossible to obtain due to no one making it. Shame as its brilliant at keeping wood from rotting and probably the best single pack anti rust paint.
 
Rappey - true ...

Red Lead is not usually available to the public - but it is still available as is traditional Antifouling for trade use !

The Red primer that manufacturers provide toray is not Red Lead as known in the past. Again dare I mention the modern habit of misusing old traditional terms and because of frequency of use - becomes the norm.

On board ship we used to have a paint called Silverine ... awful stuff. I suspect it was zinc based - we used it to coat galvanized items like rails etc. Looked great when first applied ... but soon just running hand along it would flake and rub off. But I believe the reason for it - was that the silverine would oxidise instead of the zinc galvanize. I really am delving into memory lane now.

Of course today - we have two pack and single tin paints that have replaced all the traditionals. Some with sacrificial metals - some without. Who uses Boiled or Raw Linseed Oil today ? Does anyone know which is used where today ?

Anyway ... the thread was about painting chain ... and my choice is standard enamel house paint. Its non corrosive .. easy to apply ... and cheap. No paint lasts long on chain .. so if you have to keep repeat painting - why waste money ? Ships use standard paint ... nothing special.
 
I use short pieces of polyester codline, knotted through a link and leaving a tail. A longer tail for 10 metres and a shorter one for 5. So, for example, two longs and a short equals 25 metres. Soft on the hands and they run over the gypsy well. They've been on there ten years and haven't ever worn out or caught on anything.
 
We use thin bungee cord. Soft, no sharp edges so will not cut, goes through a gypsy.

We have different colours and attach different numbers in case any fall off or its dark you can count
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top