Home spraying - The rattle can paint job - How is best?

[letmetalktomark]

I am embarking on a new retro build that was meant to be a cheap run around.......


However, as so often is the case I have ended up spending more money than I wanted and it is still very much a pile of bits!

I have decided that no amount of touch up is going to make it look good and my local powdercoater is out of the question as I need to address a dent.

Bob Jacksons want £95 paint, £10 dent repair & £35 collection and return. Whilst I think this represents good value this is almost as much as the build has cost so far :roll:

So my mind wanders to home spraying.

Any advice? If I was to get the paint that is on the frame back to a matt smooth finish would this suffice as an undercoat?

All help much appreciated

 

[lewis1641]

best bet is to go to bare metal but if you flat it back and smooth any imperfections out it will be ok for primer on top of that. you will probably find that in the psocess of frathering out scratches and what not you'll end up with a near enough bare frame anyway. i did with my cruiser.

good luck

 

[legrandefromage]

make sure the old paint is clean, flat it back, and spray with good quality paint.

Plasticote is awful.

Flat colours are best and cheapest and can easily be touched up.

Make sure the air temperature is around 15c or above and leave the frame alone for at least 24 hours

 

[letmetalktomark]

Cheers guys.

The worry is that I will spend £30 on paint end up unhappy with the result and send it off to BJ's anyway

HMMM.

 

[JeRkY]

ultimately, without the use of decent spray gear, a spray booth and a warm room/low bake oven your chances of getting a durable home paint finish on a bike frame are minimal.

 

[Easy_Rider]

Sand between each coat, lots of coats and an oven big enough to bake it helps too.

You can get a metal epoxy that'll work with powdercoating, can't remember what it's called now :? I know i has been done in the past.

If your skilled enough and have the equipment a wet pain job will always look better than powdercoat.

 

[legrandefromage]

ultimately, without the use of decent spray gear, a spray booth and a warm room/low bake oven your chances of getting a durable home paint finish on a bike frame are minimal.

It takes years of practice to balls it up professionally but rattle can jobs can look nice.

these are wot idid...

 

[taffy]

A decent paint finish is as much about the preparation as it is the actual painting.


Back to bare metal if you can.

Flat it with wet and dry, degrease and clean the frame (tack cloth it if you can) and make sure there is no grease, fingerprints dust or other crud to prevent the primer adhering to the metal and spoil the finish.

If you just want to flat the existing paint job you can - again flat it degrease and clean it thoroughly.

When you spray take your time, avoid tipping or turning the frame over - you'll end up with paint runs and globby bit's. Smooth even passes/runs with the spray can/nozzle 12" or so from the frame (obviuously in a well ventilated area!)

Take your time and start spraying before the nozzle passes over the frame/job and keep it spraying after it passes the frame/job.
Several thin coats are better than one thick one -allowing for time between coats for the paint to adhere and cure (if your feeling up to it flat the paint back with fine wet and dry between coats) again take your time - did i mention you should take your time?

 

[JeRkY]

Oh your right, they *can* look nice, but by the time you get them there, the materials and time costs make Bob Jacksons seem like a good option, especially since despite using various etching primers, multiple layers of paint, then layers of clear coat, it still flakes like a sun burned albino.

 

[legrandefromage]

the two frames I've had with Argos paint jobs seem like they've been painted with icing sugar