Re-doing/retouching paintwork on black OM bodies

[frederick_lau]

I have a beaten black OM-4Ti. The black paint on the external metal

part adjacent to lens mount (up to the leatherette) was worn (quite

extensive & unsightling).

I want to re-paint this part in black.

What is the correct way to do it and what kind of paint should I use ?

I reject the idea of dissembling the camera and spray paint this

part -- the electronics is so packed that I do not want to risk it.

My friend has tried using different paint but parts of the paint

coats fell out onto my hands & fingers.

[skip_williams]

The OM4ti is not made of brass, like most cameras. The top and bottom plates are titanium, which was powder coated, if I remember right. You won't be able to repaint it successfully, IMO.

 

The housing around the lens mount, which isn't Ti, could be repainted using some sort of industrial enamel, which is what was put on to begin with. I don't know what the base metal is. Ask over on the Olympus Mailing List and you'll get your answer. There are special paints available from places like MicroTools also.

 

The professional repainters use industrial enamel, baked on after the base parts are de-painted and dipped in remover.

 

BTW, is it really so bad that you want to go through this?

 

Skip

[lex_jenkins]

Another source you might check is Brownell's gun supply catalog. They cater to the pro and amateur gunsmithing crowd and offer all kinds of finishing products for various metals. Now that firearms are available with titanium parts some company may have developed kind of touch up paint that'll work on the OM-4Ti.

[grahams]

I heard there was a Titanium S&W 44 Magnum..........(Am I on the wrong site?)

[george_shihanian]

You really need a baked-on enamel, but, obviously, that's not an option without a complete strip-to-the chassis tear down. Anything else will just be a temporary fix. The gloss black paint for plastic models may work for a while and give you a close shade of black.

[frederick_lau1]

I appreciate your contributions. Perhaps I need to clarify more. There is no problem with the titanium parts (in black). The problem area is the area adjacent to the lens mount (external, not inside mirror box). I got this camera used. The paintwork is worn to the metal in this area while the other areas remain acceptable.

The wearing is quite unsighting compare to the general wear & tear condition of the camera.

The camera is intended for use, not for collection purpose. However, I would like to have this part restored to black.

As I said, I do not like the idea of dissebling the camera to get this part out and do the (perhaps the proper way) paintwork. The cost and risk (the camera working as before after the dissebling and re-assebling) is just too great to justify it.

I am looking for a less dramatic way of doing it. Perhaps the right materials and method/procedure. I can accept the result may be not up to the original pristine condition. But I am looking for a lasting smooth black finish.

[george_shihanian]

We understand what you are asking, and you are not the first to want this. There's just no easy fix. Whatever method you choose short of disassembling the entire camera and stripping the parts and baking a new finish on, will be a temporary fix. I know disassembly is not an option, but understand you have no easy way to achieve what you (and many others) want.

[lex_jenkins]

Graham, that sounds like an exercise in masochism. Can you imagine the recoil from such a thing!

 

Frederick, if you're just looking for a utilitarian solution to improve the cosmetics, check an arts & crafts store for various permanent marking pens.

 

I used to shoot 10-meter airgun competition and some pretty extensive modifications are allowed to the grips on the air pistols. After modifying mine to my liking, using a lot of moldable wood epoxy, the grips looked like hell. I didn't want to refinish them in brown, tho', which wouldn't have looked much better. I remembered an article about Joe Satriani in a guitar magazine in which he described how he refinished a guitar body into a trippy multicolor finish using paint pens.

 

I tried the same thing using brilliant green and red paint pens to make wild tiger stripes. The result looked very cool (when I sold the pistol later the buyer said the finish was what sold him on the gun compared with another he'd been considering!) and was very durable. It never cracked, flaked off or showed any signs of edge wear.

 

I don't recall the maker of those particular pens but Sakura and other companies make a variety of paint pens that are very easy to use.

[sumo_kun]

Have you tried using laquer paints? Like the stuff they use on cars? Get yourself some metal primer from a car shop. Then use a fine grit sand paper like #800 or so to clean the area up. Get things quite smooth. Then make sure you get all the sanded bits off with a toothbrush or whatever. Take the metal primer and apply. If you have a big spray can, make sure you carefully mask all the bits you don't want paint on with a lot of masking tape. An airbrush is better. Then spray on in THIN coats. Don't do a huge thick one. After that is left to dry and cure (leave it for a week to be safe) you can then go over it with the black laquer paint. Use the same method here. Thin coats is the point. Then leave again for a few minutes (about 30) and remove teh masking tape carefully. Don't let teh paint dry too much before removing the tape. You'll crack the paint otherwise. After the tape is gone, you just wait for the paint to cure. Leave for a week to be ultra safe but a day or so should be fine. Then you can take some ultrafine grit paper like #12000 and then clean the area up, blending the edes of the paint and giving it a polish. If laquer paints are used on cars and can last a bit, it should be OK for your camera? I use laquers for my model robots. The joints for the arms and legs get a lot of wear and rubbing. The laquer is the only paint that will stand this rubbing. Acrylics simply flake off, enamels are also a bit flaky. Give it a try. It's probably teh most permanent fix I can think of short of doing it properly.

[frederick_lau1]

Thanks for your response.

Lex, I will try your suggestion first, since it is the simplest and least 'destructive'.

I shall try Chuk Tang's method if the paint pens' results are not satisfactory.

Perhaps I can used this experience to touch up my other cameras too !

[christopher_engeler]

I am sorry for responding to this thread so late. I suggest you also take a look at the following vendor which will be of interest to you:

www.micro-tools.com

They sell a variety of laquer touch-up paints. In black you have the choice of flat vs. glossy finishes. They also carry a variety of other esoteric parts and tools for camera repair and restoration.