Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

Hi
Does anyone have an exact colour code/reference of a "eau-de-nil" paint for the Bush TV22 rubber mask? Based on the multiple references to eau-the-nil on the forum and elsewhere, I got a can of British standard eau-de-nil (BS381C 216) in matt acrylic but it's way off (too green).
Thanks
Helder

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

Sometimes for paint matching I have to buy a few different shades of paint from a model shop and mix my own colours.

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

That's right. In the case of a dismounted TV22 mask, I would match the original shade as closely as possible using light puffs from a distance of acrylic spray - building the correct shade up from different pale colours as a matt surface. Mere remote puffs are involved, mixing the shades. Good, even, lighting is important to judge the final shade.

One of the spray cans used would always be White Primer. Apart from lightening the shade, this has a mild filling effect on any blemishes. It's most important never to apply a heavy coat.

Steve

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

That must require a high level of technique surely Steve? Spraying coats on top of each other to achieve another colour?

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

Yes Steve, it requires a deft hand, and very light coats, mere puffs from afar applied with a rapid sweeping action. However the do colours mix with each other and the resulting surface is very 'matt'. The spray cans must be warm enough for good 'atomising'.

I understand some people have used matt emulsion paint on TV22 masks.

Steve O

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

I'd have thought the colour would've matched the phosphor appearance of the tube. My TV12 needs doing, but there's no resemblance to the greenish eau-e-nil on mine; its more a pale cream. But then again, slightly different tv & tube..

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

The traditional 'duck egg green' (pale blue) is not a million miles away..

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

I painted mine with emulsion test pots. I went to B&Q armed with the mask and bought the nearest colour. The guy in the shop was giving me some odd looks. Norman

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

Thank you all for your tips and advice.
Since I'll be painting the whole mask, doing colour matching on the spot is not feasible for me, as I don't have another mask to serve as guide. Also, and even though matt finishes can be quite forgiving, my painting skills are rather basic, so I'm really aiming at a single spray can solution. The can I already have is really high quality (1K acrylic), bar the colour difference. I've done a couple of tests on flexible substrates to check the paint's flexibility, and I believe it works very well (two thin coats). I don't think B&Q makes custom aerosols, but I may visit the nearest branch with my mask to find the best match and hopefully a standard reference that will enable me to order the ready to use can elsewhere. Duck egg green/blue does seem close on the screen, but so did British standard eau-de-nil, and since paint from different manufacturers can differ quite a lot (even if the paint name is the same), I believe I'll only use the paint general designation as a rough guide to find a more universal code/reference.
My plan is then to strip the mask of its original paint, which should result in a smooth surface, and respray it.
Helder

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

Don't forget to use a spray can 'gun' trigger that clips on to the spray can. They give you more of a proper spray gun feel and greater dexterity and accuracy with your sweeps, your hand's in a better position. They're available online or from most DIY stores.

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

Take the mask to B&Q and get them to scan the colour and provide a match.

Peter

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

Eau-de-nil (water of the Nile) is the colour Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) use as their standard for their switchgear products. I recall that it was a difficult colour to source.
At that time (mid 1990s) our point of reference was the RAL basis of notation but there are also BS equivalents. I would imagine a colour chart provided by each organisation will allow you to gauge effectively the variables that exist and their correspnding boundary definition criteria.
At least you will be provided with all of the options that are available.
Good luck with your endeavours.
Joe

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

If you were to get ten TV22s and line them up side by side I bet the masks would all be different shades due to fading, cigarette smoke etc. So unless you have a pristine, out of the box TV22 as a reference (I presume you don't), then what is the 'correct colour'? You don't know. So if it was me I'd be less concerned about attaining a perfect colour match (do one's best by all means) but more concerned with getting a good quality, semi-matt finish with a representative, 'middle of the road' colour.

Re: Bush TV22 "eau-de-nil" colour for rubber mask
 

Sure.
I expect the paint to be less worn/faded at the corners of the mask, protected by the edges of the bakelite frame. Once I disassemble it (I haven't yet done so) I'll be able to judge better, but I've seen photos of masks where the colour does seem to brighten up towards the mask edges (once cleaned to remove the dust that also tends to be present along the same edges). UV fading should be minimal due to the safety glass, but there are heat-related and chemical ageing too. All of that stuff. Still, the freshest / more vivid portion I can find in my mask will be my reference. After all, I'm restoring my set, and regardless of changes/variations along production and different ageing rates, it will still be my set with its own particular colour. I just don't want to apply a paint that clearly looks the wrong hue. If I get this right, it will inevitably be a middle of the road colour when compared to other sets. Regarding the matt finish, the eau-de-nil I got is 15% matt, high quality 1k acrylic, which to me looks better than flat matt, so I also totally agree with your suggestion of using a semi-matt finish.
Helder