# Silvia chassis rust - best tools, techniques and paint



## NitJay

Hi,

I'm fixing up a Silvia v3 that has seen better days. I've read quite a few topics about sorting rust on the chassis. But there seems to be lots of different brands etc used.

I'm not that experienced with rust removal and painting, but I'll figure it out.

To get started are there any tried and tested tools and paints?

Particularly the paint, I read a good guide https://www.home-barista.com/repairs/rancilio-silvia-restoration-and-mod-log-t40831.html#p463476 but can't find the exact primer and paint referred to.

Additionally I noticed he cut the Drip tray holder from the chassis +. I can do this, but I wondered how it would be reattached (without welding) - any ideas?

I've got a dremel if that helps, but not loads of accessories.

Any help most appreciated, happy to post pictures.


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## espressoSquirrel

I can't say if its succesful, but I am in the process of fixing a minor rust issue. I rubbed and sanded the areas and then used hammerite kurust to neutralise the rust, be careful i took off some powdercoat in a seperate area as the wet dry paper just caught a differnt part. I wasn't sure the exact kind of of primer to use, but in the end as I wasn't sure i could get to all the rust i ended up using hammerite direct to rust paint. I wasn't going to go as far as cutting and welding anything, so in order to seal that arkward area where the chassis joins, I treated and painted what i could reach, and then I am in the process of covering everything in a vinyl wrap, I'm putting it over all the arkward areas inside and out, and hopefully sealing it from moisture and leaks. (3M 2080 wrap)

As its completly reversable I thought I would try it in white, and do the stainless too to match. I will do the front when i swap the steam valve sometime in the future.

As I said I have no idea if it will work, I literally posted this as a question in the Technical | Faults | How-to's forum last week,


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## Blue_Cafe

That looks fantastic.


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## NitJay

That does look good! I've heard a few people say hammerite kurust is an option. No harm in trying. I'm not sure if it's best to get rid of all the rust (sanding etc) then treat with something like that. Or just get rid of the worst of it, then treat.


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## cuprajake

Rust o leum brand used to be available from bnq iirc.

The paint they used was a plastic etch primer, a 1k primer and then a texture laint which is generally used on bumpers etc

With any aerosol paint they contain alot of solvent to move the product. So light coats and a lot of drying in between in needed.

Rust side of things theres a product called kurust which is brush on.

I paint cars for a living so any questions just ask 😃


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## NitJay

Thats good to know thank you!

So If I use the following process would it work?

- wire brush the worst off

- kurust where the rust is/was

- rustoleum primer (many coats)

- spray can paint (many coats), any recommended brands?

- do you put a clear coat on after?

Thanks for your help, keen to try this as a learning experience


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## espressoSquirrel

oh yeah thats much worse than my little spots of rust.the only thing I would question is if you are planning to paint over everything not just the rust areas, you might have issues getting primer and paint to adhere to the powdercoat.


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## cuprajake

yikes,

best thing for that would be media blast and re powdercoat,

you remove any loose then treat with kurust.

we tend not to use too many aerosol but, upol do good ones, you can now get 2k products that hold up much better than the single stage things, these are however one use as they set via chemical reaction


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## NitJay

Thanks both, yes it was one of those where once you start picking at it, it all comes away. I may just treat the rust areas (which is half of it 😂).

It doesn't need to look amazing (since you can't see this bit) but just want it to stop getting worse.

I assume aerosol was the best type of paint to use, can you brush on?


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## Northern_Monkey

@NitJay - You can use brush on paints like hammerite but they are not as robust as the 2k paints Jake mentioned and you really need to do thin ones with a lot of drying in between

You've done the hard bit by removing all the parts. Getting it blasted and powder coated wouldn't cost much more than wet and dry, kurust, etch primer, colour coat, top etc.

If you can go black it should be cheaper as they can include it in another batch of powder coating quite easily.


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## NitJay

Thanks @Northern_Monkey there's a sandblasting place just around the corner from me, so I've asked for a quote. Will see what they come back with.

To be honest, part of doing this is just because I'd like to have a go at doing this type of thing myself (got a motorbike that needs some similar attention at some point!) But it sounds like it does require a lot of materials. Happy to put the graft in if I can learn something and get a 'reasonable' result at the end of it.


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## NitJay

The sandblaster quote was £100 so cracked on with it myself. I used the kurust which turned black on all the rust, now I'm in the process of priming with this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001W03PSQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Question @Cuprajake if you don't mind. How good do I need to get the primer surface before top coat? I'm sanding @ a lot with 400/600 wet dry but wonder if I'm going too far at this stage when I could resolve with top coats and 0000 wire wool later.

Also, for the non rusty bits. Do I need to prime on top of the existing powder coat. Or can I just sand then top coat?

Cheers!


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## Jasetaylor

FYI, a new frame can be had at £91.20 from Ferrari Espresso Ltd, Link as below.

Interestingly they list it as Inox, which by old school standards is stainless steel as typically found stamped into cheaper S/S watches, cutlery etc of the 60s-80s. I doubt it is stainless steel and an error but hope I'm wrong.

https://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/rancilio-silvia-frame/


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## NitJay

Thanks Jase, I found one for 80EUR on an Irish site too, so they can clearly build them pretty cheap, which may explain the rust. (A chassis for my fracino is £250).

To be honest, I decided I wanted to learn how to do this stuff myself due to a few other projects that this skill will be useful for!


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## cuprajake

400 is fine for what you need, will want a decent key for the primer/paints to stick


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## Jasetaylor

NitJay said:


> To be honest, I decided I wanted to learn how to do this stuff myself due to a few other projects that this skill will be useful for!


 Fair enough, can't argue with that what with myself being partial to a wee tinkering.

If you cant fix it with a hammer the problem's electrical!


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## espressoSquirrel

after a slightly scary moment when i thought i had screwed up the electronics for a while, I am now pleased to say, I have now completed the wrap of the silvia, hopefully this should protect from any future rust issues, and i must say it really helps with the noise too, no more metal on metal rattle going on.


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## ChilledMatt

espressoSquirrel said:


> after a slightly scary moment when i thought i had screwed up the electronics for a while, I am now pleased to say, I have now completed the wrap of the silvia, hopefully this should protect from any future rust issues, and i must say it really helps with the noise too, no more metal on metal rattle going on.
> 
> View attachment 44044


 That looks really good. Well done!


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## NitJay

That looks great! my chassis is coming along OK, learned a few lessons along the way and trying to spray outside in the humidity wasn't ideal.

Pics soon, then I'll put it back together...


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## Jasetaylor

espressoSquirrel said:


> after a slightly scary moment when i thought i had screwed up the electronics for a while, I am now pleased to say, I have now completed the wrap of the silvia, hopefully this should protect from any future rust issues, and i must say it really helps with the noise too, no more metal on metal rattle going on.


 How does the vinyl stand up to the heat? I was thinking of a similar mod but detracted at the thought of the vinyl shrinking when the Silvia reaches peak temperature.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you get the steam wand from and is it a stainless steel V6 wand?


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## espressoSquirrel

@Jasetaylor I got this, which was the cheapest I found anywhere. https://www.bellabarista.co.uk/rancilio-silvia-steam-arm-complete.html

not sure if they have changed the arm since v3 have they? It seems quite an upgrade to steam power to me for some reason.

the vinyl is 3m 2080 and seems very tough. Even if it stretches, it seems to return to shape. I have seen no change in heat so far. But the front has only been on for 2 days so far. You can actually use a heat gun on it during fitting to make it shrink into places so it should be fine I think. For £20 it seems worth a shot. 152 x40cm covers what you see here but there's not enough spare to do any more, I have never done this before so it was quite a learning curve.


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## Jasetaylor

espressoSquirrel said:


> @Jasetaylor I got this, which was the cheapest I found anywhere. https://www.bellabarista.co.uk/rancilio-silvia-steam-arm-complete.html
> 
> not sure if they have changed the arm since v3 have they? It seems quite an upgrade to steam power to me for some reason.
> 
> the vinyl is 3m 2080 and seems very tough. Even if it stretches, it seems to return to shape. I have seen no change in heat so far. But the front has only been on for 2 days so far. You can actually use a heat gun on it during fitting to make it shrink into places so it should be fine I think. For £20 it seems worth a shot. 152 x40cm covers what you see here but there's not enough spare to do any more, I have never done this before so it was quite a learning curve.


 That's interesting, you appear to have the very latest V6 stainless steel steam wand which I can't find anywhere, nice upgrade. It is also smoother than the V3-V5 wand without the ridge above the removable end.

I was thinking long term of powder coating the case of my Silvia having dismissed vinyl which I assumed would not last with the heat, I thought it would shrink and pull away at the button openings. I'm glad you've taken the plunge and I'd be interested in see how it holds up. You are right though, at £20 it isn't going to hurt too much if the front covering fails.

I'm currently studying a crash course in Ardunio and Raspberry Pi to determine which route I take for a PID upgrade, I'm also thinking of an oil filled pressure gauge simply because I like the aesthetics. Still much to weigh up.


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## espressoSquirrel

Jasetaylor said:


> That's interesting, you appear to have the very latest V6 stainless steel steam wand


 you are right, i had no idea that there was an update, I was waiting for bellabarista to get new stock so it must be the very latest they have. Which is nice  it seems good a good single hole steam wand and yes no ridges apart from the obvious on where the tip is joined on to the wand, but much better than the old v2 one I had.

As for the vinyl, i removed all the buttons and folded it well inside the case so no chance of it coming away there, theres a couple of messy bits where it just got very difficult to fold the vinyl neatly and one screw on the cup warmer didn't have the clearance and tore a small cut in the vinyl which was anoying, but you need to get really close to see the problems, most importantly the inside rusty prone areas are fully covered and as i went up the inside of the drip tray that area should not get splashed from the outlet tube anymore, new steam valve no longer leaks of course so overall i think it should be well protected now.


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## AlbertoG

Hi @espressoSquirrel, impressive wrap job!

Can I ask, how did you apply the wrap under the drip tray? This is where most of the rust starts to appear (at least in my case). Was it easy to comply to folds of the structure? Would you mind sharing pictures of this area, without the grid and without the drip tray?

Also did you do anything on the rusty parts before the wrapping (for example, sanding or applying primer/paint)?

Any practical tips that could help are very welcome!

Thanks!


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## espressoSquirrel

yep, careful sanding, rust treatment, and painted before wrapping. The wrapping is just slow and fiddly in that area, not really any trick to it, just do it really slowly and carefully. Under the drop tray is not neat though 😊


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## Goofy

Jasetaylor said:


> FYI, a new frame can be had at £91.20 from Ferrari Espresso Ltd, Link as below.
> 
> Interestingly they list it as Inox, which by old school standards is stainless steel as typically found stamped into cheaper S/S watches, cutlery etc of the 60s-80s. I doubt it is stainless steel and an error but hope I'm wrong.
> 
> https://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/rancilio-silvia-frame/


 I've been reading this thread after discovering rust behind my driptray over the weekend. The above is interesting to me, especially when read alongside the description of the same part number on a US retailer's site:

https://www.espressocare.com/products/item/rancilio-silvia-frame

It does seem that this #10880188 part may be stainless steel and therefore a better long term option than repairing the rust?

Does anyone know what the espressocare site is getting at when it talk about the frame being magentised? Would this be a problem?


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## Goofy




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