My Flyer was done at Mercian in Derby.
Including the chrome
Including the chrome
Any recommendations for a vintage frame respray?
- Thread starter FiveAlpha
- Start date
I paint my own and enjoy doing it but in doing so there are a few things to consider:
Ideally you need an oven as modern paints are not particularly durable unless baked. I don't have an oven so my frames take a very long time to cure and I can only really paint when the weather allows.
As you say getting paint to stick to chrome is not easy so that will give its own problems before you start.
Putting the paint on although fiddly on a bike frame is the easiest bit, the cost you are being quoted apart from the cost of the actual materials (which are surprisingly expensive) is for the prep work and that is the most important and by far the most time consuming bit. The better the prep the better the final finish.
So to be honest for a pro job to the standard that Argos or Bob Jackson produce those prices don't seem all that out of line to me, they have to remove all the old finish, deal with any blemishes, prep, mask, apply primer, flat off, re mask, apply paint, flat off again, apply top coats, polish, apply decals, apply clear coat and polish again.
Try getting a quote to get a frame chromed whilst not sitting down or getting a whole car painted properly and then those prices will seem even more reasonable.
All that said, if you fancy having a go and feel you have the time and ability then by all means have a go, I can wholeheartedly recommend it. It's your frame and it's a great feeling when you have the finished article and can sit there and say it was all my own work.
Ideally you need an oven as modern paints are not particularly durable unless baked. I don't have an oven so my frames take a very long time to cure and I can only really paint when the weather allows.
As you say getting paint to stick to chrome is not easy so that will give its own problems before you start.
Putting the paint on although fiddly on a bike frame is the easiest bit, the cost you are being quoted apart from the cost of the actual materials (which are surprisingly expensive) is for the prep work and that is the most important and by far the most time consuming bit. The better the prep the better the final finish.
So to be honest for a pro job to the standard that Argos or Bob Jackson produce those prices don't seem all that out of line to me, they have to remove all the old finish, deal with any blemishes, prep, mask, apply primer, flat off, re mask, apply paint, flat off again, apply top coats, polish, apply decals, apply clear coat and polish again.
Try getting a quote to get a frame chromed whilst not sitting down or getting a whole car painted properly and then those prices will seem even more reasonable.
All that said, if you fancy having a go and feel you have the time and ability then by all means have a go, I can wholeheartedly recommend it. It's your frame and it's a great feeling when you have the finished article and can sit there and say it was all my own work.
FiveAlpha
Retro Guru
Re: Re:
You make very good points. My reason for buying the frame was because it was cheap and I was looking for a project.
The problem I have, is that steel Fondriests are very rare (apart from the lower-end ones), so I have little idea of what they are worth. Less than bigger names, probably, but how much less? Am I spending £170-200 on a frame that will be worth £250 when done?
I am leaning towards getting Bob Jackson to do the work - I just need to bring it with me, next time I fly back to the UK (I live in Denmark).
Thanks for your input.
Fifthgrace":2g8x98y9 said:
You make very good points. My reason for buying the frame was because it was cheap and I was looking for a project.
The problem I have, is that steel Fondriests are very rare (apart from the lower-end ones), so I have little idea of what they are worth. Less than bigger names, probably, but how much less? Am I spending £170-200 on a frame that will be worth £250 when done?
I am leaning towards getting Bob Jackson to do the work - I just need to bring it with me, next time I fly back to the UK (I live in Denmark).
Thanks for your input.
FiveAlpha":39whj2x2 said:
Not knowing how much painting you'd done that was what I was trying to get across but without teaching granny to suck eggs etc.
What you paid for the bike or it's finished value really is irrelevant to the job of re painting it, the cost would be the same for a gas pipe Raleigh as it would for a curly Hetchins as you are paying for a service and all that changes the price is who does it and the complexity of the work being undertaken.
The process is fundamentally the same whether you're using a gun or rattle cans, all that really changes is the means of application and given the choice rattle cans are actually easier to use to apply the paint to a bike frame.
You can get a very nice finish with rattle cans but any decent finish takes care and effort regardless of the means of application, the downside of the rattle can finish is that it takes ages to cure properly and isn't as durable as say 2K car paint but then 2K has to be oven dried to achieve that durability and that is what you will get with a pro job.
As I say I do my own and I do a good number but I will employ the professionals for specific jobs, yours I'd probably do myself but only if all the decals were available and even then I would have given it a decent amount of thought before having a go, mostly though I would have done it because I think it would have been an interesting job. On the other hand I've just picked up a Mercian frame which will more than likely go back to them to be redone and I'll pay the money, not because I think it's that rare or valuable or I don't think I can do it justice but because some of the finishes they produce are stunning and it's going back to the manufacturer to be done.
Get a quote for re chroming that will put it into perspective, the last one I got a quote for was £500 for frame and forks, that caused a sharp intake of breath.
FiveAlpha
Retro Guru
allenh - my point was, you'd consider spending £200 on respraying a Hetchins, but you probably wouldn't on gas pipe Raleigh. I don't plan on selling the bike, but don't want to botch the paintjob.
As for Denmark, I've looked. There is one place in Copenhagen that everyone mentions, but with minimum wage of £14 per hour, you can imagine how much they charge!
And I do come back to the UK fairly regularly, for business, so UK seems easier than shipping to NL or BE. I will have a look though. Sweden too - their currency has just dropped against the Danish.
As for Denmark, I've looked. There is one place in Copenhagen that everyone mentions, but with minimum wage of £14 per hour, you can imagine how much they charge!
And I do come back to the UK fairly regularly, for business, so UK seems easier than shipping to NL or BE. I will have a look though. Sweden too - their currency has just dropped against the Danish.
123malford
Dirt Disciple
Re:
https://en-gb.facebook.com/Vazfinishes/ Not had a frame resprayed here but many in London use him.
https://en-gb.facebook.com/Vazfinishes/ Not had a frame resprayed here but many in London use him.
My 1963 Carlton Catalina was done at Dave Marsh's Universal Cycle Centre, n ot abad job at all, if I say so...
Before:
Before:
