Help giving an old AGA a facelift

penguin7

Hello everybody,Ive bought a third hand AGA, its a 1970s type now converted to oil. Some of the blue enamel is very chipped and the whole black top of it is very dull. Does any body know how I can spruce it up myself as I cannot afford professional help with it.How would I be able to 'black up the top?' and any way of sorting the damaged enamel? Thanks in advance for any help.Also the crome bar is a bit rusty.

ormus

you can buy small tins of enamel paint in various colors. use a small/kids/artist touch up brush.
for the matt black, try some HT exhaust, black spray paint.

not ideal, but pretty cheap.

penguin7

Thanks! I will try it.

Gloomendoom

I found ordinary glass cleaner works well for general cleaning when it is cold. AGA sell special cleaner but it is only really needed if you want to clean a hot cooker.

penguin7

Thanks for the help, Iv bought it without really knowing enough about old Agas! Still it will be fun finding out.Also two of the ovens are very rusty,does any one know if you can do anything about this? Thanks again for the advice.

aboard_epsilon

If it's rusty ..you need to wire brush it ..

It will be a very dirty job ..wear goggles ..and gloves ..
then you need to black lead it ...

You can use electric drill wire brush ..or hand held wooden one..gogles are very important ..as the worn wires will come off the the drill at speed..and can pearce your eyeball.

The black lead..
This not actually lead... it's a graphite......after wire brushing you smear it on with a rag ..and polish off just like polishing shoes ..leaves a black/greyey silver luster.

Gloves
...once under your nails the graphite is like printers ink, that you cant get off.
The product is called zeebrite or zebo or stovax and comes in tubes like tooth paste.

ps see

"The Good Life"

Series 1 Episode 3

on youtube

all the best.markj

Errata

AGA distributors sell touch up paint.

penguin7

Wow, thanks for all the advice! Really so helpful.

spinningsheep

penguin7 is it a solid fuel to oil conversion? If so, MAY be worth looking into conversion back to smokeless coal... with the price of heating oil on the up and up.

penguin7

spinningsheep wrote: »

penguin7 is it a solid fuel to oil conversion? If so, MAY be worth looking into conversion back to smokeless coal... with the price of heating oil on the up and up.

Thanks for tip! It is indeed an oil conversion,we also have oil central heating.Will look into that.