Which Paint Would You Use

[Zer0]

I would agree powder coating is the way to go

 

[Jonathan63]

Thank you for all your comments: much appreciated.
I'm really tempted that Powder Coating will be hard wearing and the frame will be really to take all the assembly straight from the PC 'er, but the possibility of a "high build" PC masking some of the lug definition still worries me. I've also heard the PC wont take pencil line paintwork or transfers. I don't know if that is correct though: have you personally pencil lined or applied transfers to a PC'ed frame?

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

A good powder coater will lose little definition. Seriously, choose the correct artisan and you have little to worry about.

Powder coat will take paint, decals, hand painted coach lining etc.

For the love of God, don't lug line it yourself unless youre an expert or a signwriter. Nothing looks worse in the whole world than DIY lug lining, even if its done relatively well for an amateur.

 

[hamster]

A lot comes down to how much you want to spend.
Durable & Cheap: Powdercoat, under £100. Disadvantage, some loss of definition around lugs.
Durable and beautiful: stove enamel, <£150.
Beautiful: flam or other wet spray: £200ish from Argos or similar.

If you have lugs that have been filed thin, then powdercoat may not be for you - talk carefully to your coater. There again, if it's a daily rider, powdercoat will be far more durable.

But you pays your money and takes your pick.

 

[Nabeaquam]

Powder coat is way cheaper than painting it yourself. I use a homemade foldable paint booth that is 2.5 meters tall and 3 meters square. It has an air inlet with a furnace filter and a powerful exhaust fan to keep aerosolized paint from landing on the frame and giving it a pebbly look. I used a ceramic heater to get the temp to optimum as it is almost always too cold here to paint. The heater was turned off during spraying. You need a pretty powerful compressor to keep up and give even pressure. I use a low volume low pressure gun which keeps the spray cone down. I use two part automotive paint that is custom mixed in small batches for painting motorcycles. This keeps the paint cost down. I use a bomb suit and respirator. I use two part rattle can epoxy primer if the frame is chromed. Rust is removed with meticulous fine sanding and dental or gun cleaning picks. Before primer I rub the frame down with a pre paint rust inhibitor. Here is a vintage Somec that was painted in this booth using a pink blush undercoat and a white pearl top coat. Each coat was fine wet sanded. Powder coat is so much better, it’s cheaper, faster (especially considering prep and home rust removal) for the home hobbyist. Unlike the above comment, I’ve had a frame that paint melted the plastic powder coat. On the Somec, fine paint pens were used on the details. It’s as good as any professional job I’ve seen , but costly. Another lock down project. The paint ridges on the chrome drops on the Somec were eliminated during the fine wet sanding. You have to be patient and let it dry a week before fine wet sanding.

 

[rogerzilla]

I wouldn't have powdercoat on a lugged frame. It's good on a Moulton F frame if you get a clear top coat as well.

 

[Nabeaquam]

Powder coat is way cheaper than painting it yourself. I use a homemade foldable paint booth that is 2.5 meters tall and 3 meters square. It has an air inlet with a furnace filter and a powerful exhaust fan to keep aerosolized paint from landing on the frame and giving it a pebbly look. I used a ceramic heater to get the temp to optimum as it is almost always too cold here to paint. The heater was turned off during spraying. You need a pretty powerful compressor to keep up and give even pressure. I use a low volume low pressure gun which keeps the spray cone down. I use two part automotive paint that is custom mixed in small batches for painting motorcycles. This keeps the paint cost down. I use a bomb suit and respirator. I use two part rattle can epoxy primer if the frame is chromed. Rust is removed with meticulous fine sanding and dental or gun cleaning picks. Before primer I rub the frame down with a pre paint rust inhibitor. Here is a vintage Somec that was painted in this booth using a pink blush undercoat and a white pearl top coat. Each coat was fine wet sanded. Powder coat is so much better, it’s cheaper, faster (especially considering prep and home rust removal) for the home hobbyist. Unlike the above comment, I’ve had a frame that paint melted the plastic powder coat. On the Somec, fine paint pens were used on the details. It’s as good as any professional job I’ve seen , but costly. Another lock down project. The paint ridges on the chrome drops on the Somec were eliminated during the fine wet sanding. You have to be patient and let it dry a week before fine wet sanding.

Here are more photos.

 

[Nabeaquam]

I wouldn't have powdercoat on a lugged frame. It's good on a Moulton F frame if you get a clear top coat as well.

Two layers of powder coat plus a clear top powder coat on an early 1920s Gloria track bike. Looks good enough to me. But you do loose a little crispness, which no one has noticed.

 

[rogerzilla]

That is good. If you use a really good powdercoater they can get a top finish but you will pay almost as much as a wet enamel job.

I had some mudguards done in imitation chrome by Maldon Shot Blasting and Powdercoating, who are up there with the best but are not cheap. I've had lots of Moulton stuff done round the corner from me in Swindon for far less money, but the job is never quite perfect there.

 

[Nabeaquam]

That is good. If you use a really good powdercoater they can get a top finish but you will pay almost as much as a wet enamel job.

I had some mudguards done in imitation chrome by Maldon Shot Blasting and Powdercoating, who are up there with the best but are not cheap. I've had lots of Moulton stuff done round the corner from me in Swindon for far less money, but the job is never quite perfect there.

The local powder coater is massive industrial, they do heavy equipment, dozers and logging equipment. Its $100 for a frame and fork. Their good as motorcycle restorers use them and their picky. Their slow with small jobs, about two months for a bicycle frame.