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[Mark Luckasavage]

Hello, I need some advise on paint. I am removing dents/polishing the burnished brass horn on my Hohner Echophone. Inside the horn is a red paint and I'd like to match the color. I was told I need to get glossy enamel brush paint in Candy Apple red. Looking at the photos does this seem right? Could you recommend a better paint color and manufacturer? Also, I'm not sure this is even the original color that came out of the factory. Thanks in advance! 

[Chris Rayner]

Most paint vendors these days can offer a matching service.  For this purpose I’d guess an automotive spray paint might be best.  Preferably used on a dismantled and masked part.

[Mark Luckasavage]

Thanks Chris, good idea.

[Steve_freereeder]

As mentioned previously:

Clean the brass with a proprietory metal polish, e.g. Brasso.

Red paint - a spray can of automobile paint is good. Clean the brass first and wipe off with meths to remove any residual grease or oiliness. Then mask off all sections not to be sprayed using low-tack masking tape. A coat of spray (grey) primer first will give you a better final red finish. You may need more than one coat of red paint.

[Broadland Boy]

With modern acrylic rattlecans, use a special metals or a self etch primer on brass, even so adhesion can be a problem - I'm still looking for a suitable primer for spraying chipped enamel finishes (the furnace fused ceramic rather than the rather misnamed paint)

What is wrong with leaving what antique dealers call patination (and add a nought or two to the price for  )

[Mark Luckasavage]

I love antique brass with patina. Unfortunately over the years there was improper cleaning where spots were varnished and buffed so there is a very unnatural look to the horn. Figured I'd give it an even polish and remove the dents, re-paint while I was at it. Someday the patina will come back 

[Psuggmog Volbenz]

With modern acrylic rattlecans, use a special metals or a self etch primer on brass, even so adhesion can be a problem - I'm still looking for a suitable primer for spraying chipped enamel finishes (the furnace fused ceramic rather than the rather misnamed paint)

What is wrong with leaving what antique dealers call patination (and add a nought or two to the price for  )

if you are refering to enamel( the furnace fused kind), when I learned to do this about fifty five years or so ago, I used ground coloured glass dust which was melted onto non ferrous metal pieces. The frit(powdered glass) was held to the metal, in its prefirrd state, with gum aribic.

[Psuggmog Volbenz]

Do you intend to renew all exposed materials on you echophone to the same level of "newness" as the new horn bore paint? How will you do this with the graphics on the metal corners, the bellows paper and buckrum on the bellows frames?

[Mark Luckasavage]

I think the bellows are acceptable as is. I didn't notice any leaks. Being half Irish, I love the cloverleaf bellows paper, the metal graphics are OK although the St. Louis wording on the green section is a little worn. I am missing the brackets that hold the bellows together and will try to find them. The buckram is a nice red and will match it's color with the paint for inside the horn.

There is a red patch on one of the panels but I don't know if it can/should be repaired. I've seen other 1904 St. Louis world's fair boxes without the horn that have the same graphics and cloverleaf paper however the buckram is black. If I find a donor box with the bellows in excellent condition and figure out how to replace the buckram to red I might go for it.

[John MacKenzie (Cugiok)]

Were you in the UK I would suggest Humbrol enamel for the red trumpet interior.

SJ

[Mark Luckasavage]

I can get Humbrol enamel on Amazon. Found 2 glossy reds, which one do you think would be better? I think the Bright Red seems to match my horn but the Arrow Red seems to match the buckram on my bellows. Getting the Arrow Red would give a uniform look but the Bright Red would make the horn stand out. I'm leaning towards Arrow Red.