Spraying steel frame

[GoldSpanner]

I've got a steel frame which I'm going to refinish, and could really do with some overall help regarding the whole thing really.

I've looked around, but haven't found any definitive guide to spraying a frame.
There is a Sheldon Brown article, but it discusses the different options of refinishing, rather than going in depth with spraying.

For example, which primer, paint and clear coat can people recommend? I'm probably going for a blue, although haven't decided exactly yet.

And on top of that, any guidance as to how many coats for each, when to sand and with what paper etc. would be great.

Would help if all this stuff was available in the UK!

Cheers

Alex

 

[Midlife]

Are you desperate to DIY ? Modern Powdercoats look good and cost less than the materials to strip / prep / DIY Anycheaper and you are looking at "rattle canning" it.

Shaun

 

[Robbied196]

+1 with Shaun

By the time you've bought cans of primer and paint you won't be far off the cost of a professional job. Plus you can't stove a DIY job so durability will always be a problem.

It depends whereabouts in the country you are but I know in the west midlands some companies will powdercoat a frame and forks for £30/40. You could get a local garage to spray paint it for around £50/60. Professional enamel repaints start around £90/125

 

[bugloss]

How about the local body shop, they do great work on cars and the paint's good and you could do the prep yourself.

If you value it, I would shy away from shot blasting as it can do some damage to finely filed lugs and adds texture to the steel too.

 

[paulswheels]

having done some diys, i would HIGHLY recommend powdercoating,
price wise close to what a top shelf rattle can job would cost.
longevity wise, not bullet proof, but much more resistant to abuse i think than any paint.
colors are plentiful now as well as some shops do multiple colors, extra clear etc.
just my 2 cents

 

[hamster]

Car paint chips awfully easily compared to a stove enamel, frankly it isn't worth it. Car sprayers also often struggle with small tubes compared to big flat surfaces.

 

[glpinxit]

From my experience I would not spray another frame. But if you must then:
-acid etch primer;
-go to a good art supplier and buy a pack of the full range of aerosol spray nozzles (or most of your expensive paint will be on the floor) and use thinners to keep them clean. Normal cans are wide fan for car panels - art ones range down to quite narrow; and
- be prepared to still use helitape as mine is now disappointingly easy to chip. I found a very good tape both durable and glossy but very expensive.
All in - over twice what powder coat or stoving would have cost but you live and learn.

 

[bugloss]

It's a good thread this one, as painting frames and repairing chips is something we could all benefit from learning about.

Here's a piece about repairing paint;

http://www.raydobbins.com/pantografata/ ... ouchup.htm

Comment from Bruce Thompson at the bottom is very interesting.

 

[bugloss]

Car paint chips awfully easily compared to a stove enamel, frankly it isn't worth it. Car sprayers also often struggle with small tubes compared to big flat surfaces.

Does it chip easier than the original paint used on frames?

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

A lot easier.