Re: Not quite OT, I hope, cast iron garden furniture question

"Cat(h)" <cathy_ie@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:a70f69dc-d8de-4040-a476-b5a40f090912@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 May 14, 5:12 pm, Sacha <sa...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On 14/5/08 16:56, in article
> 30b5477d-0c10-4bae-be41-7e54caf19...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Cat(h)"
>
> <cathy...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> > I have just bought two little cast iron tables which will live outside
> > in a sun trap beside a teak bench. The two tables (coffee mug/wine
> > glass size) are the wrong colour, painted in a sort of chalky white
> > which rubs off slightly, and I am planning on painting them glossy
> > black with an anti-rust specialised paint. I am just wondering if
> > people here might have any wisdom as to what preparation I need to do
> > (beyond usual pre-painting sanding and wiping down), whether it's best
> > to use distinct anti rust, then special enamel type paint, and
> > generally what is the best I can do to keep them in good nick outdoors
> > in all weather? They're small, so repainting every so often is not an
> > issue, but I don't want rust stains on clothes after only a few weeks!
> > Any wisdom much appreciated.
>
> > Cat(h)
>
> We had ours repainted using that car touch up paint you can buy in spray
> cans. The chap who did it, did all the prep, painted them, then left
them
> to dry off for a few days before we used them. Buy a small tarp from
e.g.
> Homebase and cover them with that in winter or wet weather, or bring
them
> indoors and use them as occasional tables or little bedside
tables/corner 
> of
> a bathroom/ in winter. Or of course, put them in a dry shed. ;-)
>
> --
> Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
> South Devon
> 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
> children.'

Hmm.  Spraypaint sounds like a good (and slightly more painless) idea
- and of course, storing them away in a dry place is easy because they
are only small.
Also, Mike might have a point as to the actual metal they are made of.
I will enquire from the store I bought them in.  They were selling
genuine cast iron stuff, most of it outside, some of it
extraordinarily rusty, and weighing tonnes!  I was thinking to myself
that my wee tables, while a quite acceptable and nicely stable weight
(they don't wobble at all), were not pro****tionally as heavy as some
of  the other stuff, nor quite so rusty.

Cat(h)

You might try Plasti-Kote I'm warming to the stuff. I've been using
it for a little over 12 months and I haven't seen any rust penetration
on tools and outside jobs I've sprayed if you fish around its cheaper
than hammerite I got mine from a Paintmaster Store IIRC £3 for
400ml
Derek