Splatter Paint - Bike frame and Forks

[TD75]

Currently building a bike for my daughter. We are going to splatter paint the frame and forks purple and green. I was just going get some automotive paint from Halfords etc and let her go be creative with it. Apart from masking certain areas is there anything I should consider? Should I clear coat the frame when I'm done or just leave it?

Frame is a small On-One Inbred.

 

[RetroDavy]

I've never done it but was impressed with the splatting in this thread: https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/93-kona-explosif-1-of-1.472147/page-4

 

[otherself]

Start off with the bare frame completely stripped of old paint. Use a lint cloth before spraying on 2-3 base coats of primer (primer for steel frames). Use a very fine grade of sandpaper (400 grade) with a bit of water over each primer coat. Wash off any primer dust debris with water, let frame dry and go again with a lint cloth before spraying in a colour.

Do two to three coats in your preferred base colour from cans (I prefer Kobra, Montana and Molotow brands - i find them superior to the costly Spray.bike cans). Use frog tape for any masking. Splatter can be done with acrylic paints from a tin and using a toothbrush or long paint brush. When all dry, apply decals and then lacquer with 2 coats of 2-pac Lacquer from spray can. I find Spraymax 2K Clear Coat - Gloss - 400ml is one of the better ones.

When lacquer is hardened (after a few days) polish with Meguiar's Cleaner Wax. It'll give a snooker-ball like shine and protective coat.

I've always used https://www.fatbuddhastore.com/ for my home spray paints. They are very quick turnaround and reasonable prices.

 

[klunkrider]

Start off with the bare frame completely stripped of old paint. Use a lint cloth before spraying on 2-3 base coats of primer (primer for steel frames). Use a very fine grade of sandpaper (400 grade) with a bit of water over each primer coat. Wash off any primer dust debris with water, let frame dry and go again with a lint cloth before spraying in a colour.

Do two to three coats in your preferred base colour from cans (I prefer Kobra, Montana and Molotow brands - i find them superior to the costly Spray.bike cans). Use frog tape for any masking. Splatter can be done with acrylic paints from a tin and using a toothbrush or long paint brush. When all dry, apply decals and then lacquer with 2 coats of 2-pac Lacquer from spray can. I find Spraymax 2K Clear Coat - Gloss - 400ml is one of the better ones.

When lacquer is hardened (after a few days) polish with Meguiar's Cleaner Wax. It'll give a snooker-ball like shine and protective coat.

I've always used https://www.fatbuddhastore.com/ for my home spray paints. They are very quick turnaround and reasonable prices.

Interested to hear that you prefer Montana to spray.bike.

I use Montana and you have to use it a bit different to cheap rattle can, spraying closer to the frame so that it lands wet. I always presumed the negative reviews of spray.bike were because people didn’t know to spray from closer but if your using both and saying Montana is better that removes poor technique from it I’d say.