My clockwork clean up has now turned into much more than that. After stripping it down, naked aside from the BB to give it a much deserved clean, I set about the frame with some t-cut to remove some of the cable rub on the top tube. My eagle eye spotted something I hadn't noticed before. Between the chain stays, the tig welds (which are very tidy throughout the frame) were not present and there seemed to be a bulge in between the stays on the bb shell. There was a bit of flaky paint so I picked at it (as you do) and discovered that the frame has obviously been repaired as I uncovered some braze welding (shame I didn't pick this up when I bought the bike many moons ago as it certainly wasn't mentioned).
No big deal as it's a good job. I set about neatening it up, to put back the lines that the brazing was hiding, the added bonus being that there was a spot of rust there anyway so getting rid of that should keep the frame sound for years to come. A bit of filing and some emery cloth later and she's ready for a bit of paint.
I masked off the area and primed it. Once dry a bit more emery cloth and the frame was ready for the top coat of matt black.
Now I'm no paint expert, but I did spend some time back in the day repainting old frames in the garage with car paint (I couldn't afford shiny new things). I even managed a few tidy fades, but black is black so I laid a few coats down, allowing drying between coats.
A few hours later I pulled off the masking tape and I have to say I'm disappointed. Not with my work (and not trying to boast), but there is a huge difference between the mirror smooth finish I've achieved and what now appears to be the awful, orange peel finish of the original paintwork. I know it's an Orange, but still.
When the paint is fully dry I was hoping to break our the wet and dry and blend the new paint with the old, but I fear that's not possible due to the awful original paint.
I'm not going to do the latter until the frame has had some time in the sun tomorrow, and I'm hoping it won't look too bad once done, but is there a way to recreate the orange peel paint job so I can try and make the repair look as invisible as possible? I'm contemplating doing the whole BB shell and rear stays up to the drop outs, but then I'll have a nice smooth paint job on just part of the frame which might make the difference more visible, and I really don't want to do the whole frame as it's in good original shape, not much chain slap/suck etc. The biggest area of dodgy paint being behind the front mech band.
I'm not selling the frame, I just want to make the finish consistent, or should I not worry about such things and marvel at my own skills with a spray can and feel smug that I can get a good finish where a manufacturer failed?
No big deal as it's a good job. I set about neatening it up, to put back the lines that the brazing was hiding, the added bonus being that there was a spot of rust there anyway so getting rid of that should keep the frame sound for years to come. A bit of filing and some emery cloth later and she's ready for a bit of paint.
I masked off the area and primed it. Once dry a bit more emery cloth and the frame was ready for the top coat of matt black.
Now I'm no paint expert, but I did spend some time back in the day repainting old frames in the garage with car paint (I couldn't afford shiny new things). I even managed a few tidy fades, but black is black so I laid a few coats down, allowing drying between coats.
A few hours later I pulled off the masking tape and I have to say I'm disappointed. Not with my work (and not trying to boast), but there is a huge difference between the mirror smooth finish I've achieved and what now appears to be the awful, orange peel finish of the original paintwork. I know it's an Orange, but still.
When the paint is fully dry I was hoping to break our the wet and dry and blend the new paint with the old, but I fear that's not possible due to the awful original paint.
I'm not going to do the latter until the frame has had some time in the sun tomorrow, and I'm hoping it won't look too bad once done, but is there a way to recreate the orange peel paint job so I can try and make the repair look as invisible as possible? I'm contemplating doing the whole BB shell and rear stays up to the drop outs, but then I'll have a nice smooth paint job on just part of the frame which might make the difference more visible, and I really don't want to do the whole frame as it's in good original shape, not much chain slap/suck etc. The biggest area of dodgy paint being behind the front mech band.
I'm not selling the frame, I just want to make the finish consistent, or should I not worry about such things and marvel at my own skills with a spray can and feel smug that I can get a good finish where a manufacturer failed?
