Official recommended or not paint-shop thread.

I've had a few frames done at Argos and I can't fault the finish - probably better than the factory original! However, I'd reserve them for your pride and joy as they aren't cheap! I'll post a picture of my 89 Pinarello Montello when it returns from them.

I've now had 4 frames done by Trestan Finishers in Woolston, Southampton (tel. 02380 433081, or visit www.trestanfinishers.com). They only do single-colour powder coats with some limitations on range (but for a surcharge will order in your colour of choice if not stocked), but can add sparkle powder for a "metallic" look, and the quality of the work is very good plus they add a nice glossy top coat of clear lacquer making all the difference compared to just using powder, which can sometimes come out looking a bit "flat".
Prices are very competitive - I had 3 frames without forks done for £30, whilst the Quadra was a frame + fork job at £40-ish, including all paint-stripping and surface prepping. They also use inserts to stop BB, headset and water bottle threads from clogging. Oh, and it's a finish-only service so you have to sort your own decals out once you get the frame back.

David

Thanks Dave, good price is that.

just picked up a frame from these guys in Royston; Herts

http://www.c-i-ltd.co.uk/index.html

Frame, and Bars - a very Glossy White
Forks - a glossy black

Good Comms and Good turnaround, quality looks good; blast clean, mask, etch prime and then polyester powder coat, threads cleaned - all for £50 - all in the one colour would have been a fiver less I guess.

Recommended.

Not built up yet, when it is I'll get some pics up!

sswiss

Here is another one for the dog house.I took my Orange Clockwork to Revill Industrial Finishes in Exeter to be powder coated in orange/white fade at the beginning of December and was quoted £55 plus £20 to powder coat white the stalk stem and handlebars (just like the one I had BITD) Turnround was 5-10 days but wasn't ready until Christmas.To cap it all they added VAT to the price and relieved me of £90.Headset cups had been removed and then after painting had been half knocked in crooked and left hanging there.

When I picked it up quality was OK but they had had two attempts at coating it and the second time stopped the white fade 3" short.I took it back on 3rd January and three weeks and two more attempts later I picked up today.To say I was disappointed is an understatement.The fade is still slightly short,the white colour is mottled and matt not gloss like the orange colour and the transition from orange to white is abrupt and uneven.

I dropped it off at my LBS to have the headset refitted and the primer removed from the bottom bracket threads and they summed it up perfectly "the worst respray I have ever seen" I am not sure I want to waste Gils decals on this one.

Anyone know of a decent powder coater in Devon?

That's a shame mate. If I were going to get orange/white redone I think I'd have to go wet paint even at the extra cost.

I'll put them in the dog house.

Hooray,after my previous post slagging off Revill Industrial Finishes,I took my frame to 1st Choice Finishes in Exeter.They turned it around in three days and did a cracking job of powder coating the Clockwork.Paint is just so much better than before,really nice job,see they are already in your recommended list.In all the poor bike had five seperate attempts to paint it and is now at the LBS having its bottom bracket threads cleaned out and a new headset fitted.

Next one up will be my 3.0 series Cannondale frame,which I fancy having powder coated in the brightest yellow they can find.

Like a happy ending

Can you 'pearl' powder coating?

I thought I had previously posted in this thread, but I can see, from reading all 6 pages, that I haven't.

I had a 1959 Carlton Continental repainted last year by Dave Yates.

I aksed for some braze ons to be moved at the same time, and spent a good hour talking through other options with him once he had received and assessed the frame.

I wasn't cheap, it took 4 weeks to come back to me (if I remember correctly) but WOW! The paint finish is so lovely and deep, the colour rich and vibrant that the bike turns heads where ever it goes (and it's not even mine, it's my wife's!)

The cost for the painting alone was £145, but that was for a metallic. In my opinion, worth every penny, and I would use him again, if I needed a special bike painting.

Dave asks that the bikes are clean and grease free when you send them in (or he charges you for the cleaning) so that it doesn't contaminate the sand blast material.