My Early Maytag A806 Rework Progress
- Thread starter d-jones
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Hi Dan. The inside of the cabinet has been prepped for paint as well, so yes, it's getting painted. I figure an extra layer of protection against corrosion can't hurt, so why not. It'll make things brighter in there when the front panel comes off for maintenance as well. Honestly, I'm a little nervous. It's been a long time since I've used a spray gun, so hopefully the relearning curve won't be too steep. Keep your fingers crossed.
repairguy
Well-known member
Impressive! I have about 40 machines that need to be done if you’d like to practice on mine first. Lol
Bravo David!
Now THAT'S how it's done! That 806 is going to be a stunner.
Now THAT'S how it's done! That 806 is going to be a stunner.
Just a quick update.
The cabinet, front panel, and control panel dog house have now been painted, but what a nightmare. Things began going wrong when I ran out of white base coat before the first coat of paint had even been fully applied. The guys at the paint store had figured one quart would do. I hadn't painted anything with a spray gun in twenty years at least, so I went with that. I ended rushing back to the store to buy two more quarts and used just about all of it. Also, I had assumed regular paint thinner would be suitable for cleaning the spray gun, but it turned out the paint requires lacquer thinner to clean up. Yikes. That would have been good to know before I started painting. Then while applying the second coat of base color, both a run and a sag formed on the right side of the cabinet. Fortunately lacquer dries rather quickly, so I was able to use 1000 grit wet sand paper to cut the ridges off both and smooth them out completely. Finally after a great deal of panic and frustration the clear coat went on without a hitch. The whole process lasted from about noon to eight thirty in the evening. There are some dust particles settled into the clear coat, but once completely dry they will polish out. Tomorrow morning the paint will have cured enough to handle, so I'll post some photos of the painted parts then. I could've taken pictures last night, but it was the end of a very long and frustrating day. I just plain forgot until I was already on the road home.
The cabinet, front panel, and control panel dog house have now been painted, but what a nightmare. Things began going wrong when I ran out of white base coat before the first coat of paint had even been fully applied. The guys at the paint store had figured one quart would do. I hadn't painted anything with a spray gun in twenty years at least, so I went with that. I ended rushing back to the store to buy two more quarts and used just about all of it. Also, I had assumed regular paint thinner would be suitable for cleaning the spray gun, but it turned out the paint requires lacquer thinner to clean up. Yikes. That would have been good to know before I started painting. Then while applying the second coat of base color, both a run and a sag formed on the right side of the cabinet. Fortunately lacquer dries rather quickly, so I was able to use 1000 grit wet sand paper to cut the ridges off both and smooth them out completely. Finally after a great deal of panic and frustration the clear coat went on without a hitch. The whole process lasted from about noon to eight thirty in the evening. There are some dust particles settled into the clear coat, but once completely dry they will polish out. Tomorrow morning the paint will have cured enough to handle, so I'll post some photos of the painted parts then. I could've taken pictures last night, but it was the end of a very long and frustrating day. I just plain forgot until I was already on the road home.
As promised
here are a couple of photos of the painted cabinet. It came out pretty well. Thankfully the only visible flaws are in the clear coat, so they will be sanded smooth with 1000 or 1500 grit wet sand paper and polished out, making them disappear completely. That's one of the things I really like about base coat clear coat systems. Mistakes are much easier to correct. Now I need to get the base plate painted.
here are a couple of photos of the painted cabinet. It came out pretty well. Thankfully the only visible flaws are in the clear coat, so they will be sanded smooth with 1000 or 1500 grit wet sand paper and polished out, making them disappear completely. That's one of the things I really like about base coat clear coat systems. Mistakes are much easier to correct. Now I need to get the base plate painted.
repairguy
Well-known member
Very nice!
Thanks, Melvin!
I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out so far. With any luck I'll be able to complete the polishing without screwing it up. Now I have another problem that finally needs to be dealt with. I can't get the darn agitator to let go. It seems to be completely stuck. Dan tells me it's a rare one, so I'm trying to be extremely careful with it. I've looked for an Agi-Tamer, but those seem to have disappeared from the marketplace. I really need to get it out so I can go through the transmission, but until then I'm about as stuck as the agitator is.
I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out so far. With any luck I'll be able to complete the polishing without screwing it up. Now I have another problem that finally needs to be dealt with. I can't get the darn agitator to let go. It seems to be completely stuck. Dan tells me it's a rare one, so I'm trying to be extremely careful with it. I've looked for an Agi-Tamer, but those seem to have disappeared from the marketplace. I really need to get it out so I can go through the transmission, but until then I'm about as stuck as the agitator is.
To remove the agitator on my 1972 A606 16 years ago, I made a web of clothes line running up and down inside the middle of the agitator, laid the machine on it's side, attached the web to a nice big slide hammer, and banged away until it popped off. Man, it was really on there, but it came off with no damage.
One last picture
I forgot to include the little doghouse in the photos. This had a large sag in the paint along to top near the front edge. I was able to cut the ridge off it by wet sanding and then polish it out. No trace is left.
Ken - Thanks for the tip on agitator removal. At this point any ideas are helpful.
I forgot to include the little doghouse in the photos. This had a large sag in the paint along to top near the front edge. I was able to cut the ridge off it by wet sanding and then polish it out. No trace is left.
Ken - Thanks for the tip on agitator removal. At this point any ideas are helpful.
What beautiful work David. I wish I had the time and space to restore my 806 to your standards. Looking forward to seeing more of your restoration.
Thanks Louis
I'll be painting the base plate tomorrow, but beyond that I won't get much done until I can get that agitator off.
I'll be painting the base plate tomorrow, but beyond that I won't get much done until I can get that agitator off.
eurekastar
Well-known member
Beautiful work! Can't wait to see the finished product!
These early Powerfins used the older style metal drive block inside agitator that rusts overtime and binds itself to the agitator shaft if not removed frequently and lubed. They're an absolute bastard to get off, if it can be done at all. My early '67 806 with original 8 vane is giving me the same hell. I may end up drilling a small hole down the center of the of the agitator and try feeding some penetrating oil to the shaft, hoping for the best. I just don't feel comfortable with A: Drilling a hole and guessing where the drive block ends and the agitator shaft begins and B: Permanently sealing the hole in the agitator without water intrusion problem in the long-term, if not short-term future.
>> Then while applying the second coat of base color, both a run and a sag formed on the right side of the
>> cabinet. Fortunately lacquer dries rather quickly, so I was able to use 1000 grit wet sand paper to cut
>> the ridges off both and smooth them out completely.
For the future, there's a neat little tool called a "Run Razor" that the automotive painting supply places sell that could have helped here. It's a little plastic piece, which holds a razor blade at an angle. A screw can be turned to flex the center of the blade downward, very precisely, to just barely skim the surface of the paint. It works great to plane down runs without cutting below the surface or creating local depressions when sanding out high spots.
>> cabinet. Fortunately lacquer dries rather quickly, so I was able to use 1000 grit wet sand paper to cut
>> the ridges off both and smooth them out completely.
For the future, there's a neat little tool called a "Run Razor" that the automotive painting supply places sell that could have helped here. It's a little plastic piece, which holds a razor blade at an angle. A screw can be turned to flex the center of the blade downward, very precisely, to just barely skim the surface of the paint. It works great to plane down runs without cutting below the surface or creating local depressions when sanding out high spots.
Holy crap, Dan. Thanks for sharing that bit of information, but now I'm at a loss as to what to do next. This is going to take some serious thought.
Thanks for the tip regarding that tool, Dave. That should prove very useful if I can find one.
Thanks for the tip regarding that tool, Dave. That should prove very useful if I can find one.
Stuck Maytag Agitator
Hi David, your paint job looks great, your restoration reminds me of some of the restored cars I have seen that are actually better than factory build quality when done .
If you end up breaking the agitator out I have an extra original one like your machine has that you can have since you are doing such a terrific restoration and trying to see it original.
John L.
Hi David, your paint job looks great, your restoration reminds me of some of the restored cars I have seen that are actually better than factory build quality when done .
If you end up breaking the agitator out I have an extra original one like your machine has that you can have since you are doing such a terrific restoration and trying to see it original.
John L.
John - That’s a very generous offer. Thank you! I will do my best to see that I don’t need to take you up on it.
The base plate has finally been painted, and that's the last of the big painting projects for this washer. All that's left now are a few random small parts to be done with a spray can. I'm relieved to have this behind me to say the least.
Wow. It's going to be better than new!
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