DIY Paint jobs

[Max P]

You can get a reasonable finish with rattle cans - the problem is durability or lack of...

Normal baked enamel (a pro wet paint job) is brittle enough, a non baked can finish is worse. Both will suffer in comparison to powder of course.

Always have a warm frame to paint - and more important warm paint - keep it indoors in a warm room between coats and warm the cans in a bowl of hot water or airing cupboard - better flow. No need to wait overnight between coats - a very light coat will be ready for the subsequent coats in 10-15 mins. Better adhesion this way.

 

[guybe]

You can get a reasonable finish with rattle cans - the problem is durability or lack of...

Normal baked enamel (a pro wet paint job) is brittle enough, a non baked can finish is worse. Both will suffer in comparison to powder of course.

Always have a warm frame to paint - and more important warm paint - keep it indoors in a warm room between coats and warm the cans in a bowl of hot water or airing cupboard - better flow. No need to wait overnight between coats - a very light coat will be ready for the subsequent coats in 10-15 mins. Better adhesion this way.

It's difficult to spray at this time of the year if you can only use the car garage, I guess I have to wait for a few more months before it warmed up a bit.

 

[xizang]

Always have a warm frame to paint - and more important warm paint - keep it indoors in a warm room between coats and warm the cans in a bowl of hot water or airing cupboard - better flow. No need to wait overnight between coats - a very light coat will be ready for the subsequent coats in 10-15 mins. Better adhesion this way.

Agreed. I've done industrial spraying and cold conditions is a definate no-go :twisted:

 

[FSR-Si]

Another tip also is to get some paint into the difficult to reach bits first

IE dropouts, Head tubes, Cable mounts, underside of tubes. Reason, they are harder to get the paint into so if you have sprayed the surrounding easy areas and realise you have missed the tricky areas when you come to do the tricky places you end up with blobby paint and possible drips on the bits already covered if that makes sense.

 

[stevet1]

many good tips there, thanks. Didn't realise spraying it in a cold room was a bad thing, I was planning to do it in the basement. Obviously my wife isn't going to let me loose with a spray can in the front room, can I warm the cans and forks up inside then move them outside to apply the paint, let it dry a bit then move inside to warm up again before applying the next layer?

 

[cce]

for the 2-3 cans of paint needed to do a decent job on a frame, plus lacquer it starts to be touch and go whether it's cheaper than a £30 powedercoat.

i'm going to be two-colouring my dynatech frame. not sure if my local powdercoater would be able to do that or what it'd cost me. - the splits in colour will all be straight lines (lugs one colour, frame another)

 

[Max P]

Steve, re' the inside/outside thing - exactly.

But to be honest as cce says I would never attempt a whole frame. Either the frame is a beater so I guess the paint doesn't matter or if it is worth painting then let a pro do it with powder. This comes up all the time but unless it is a beautiful road frame or show bike I would never use wet paint.

On the fixed gear forum most people there use Armourtex in London. £45 to strip, prep, mask and PC a frame and forks. Other bits put in at the same time in the same colour are included in the price.

A pair of forks is one thing but if you rattle can a frame and put it through one UK winter you will not have much paint left on the frame come spring!

 

[stevet1]

Its a pair of BMX forks. Your almost certainly right on the cost side, I have had a whole frame and forks powder coated for £15 in the past. Theres just something that appeals to me about doing it myself and seeing what the results are like.